I need an AUP

[mrforgetful]

I've searched through lots of threads going back a long time, followed lots of links (a lot dead) and even looked at the Wiki but that has dead links too.

 

Basically I'm looking for a Secondary School AUP of which most of the content is already done, only fine tuning left to make it more fitting here.

 

Anyone?

 

 

Cheers.

[GlennT]

Have you looked at the Becta site? There are standard templates there.

[mrforgetful]

I couldn't find any templates or anything, only articles on what to consider.

[OutToLunch]

The RM templates are quite concise but complete - worth a look...

 

http://www.rm.com/Support/GeneralDownload.asp?cref=DWN200100

[mrforgetful]

Cheers, that's the sort of thing.

 

I can easily see what points they are making and change them appropriately ie;

 

• Always get permission before installing, attempting to install or storing programs of any type on the computers.

 

I can change to;

 

Don't even think of installing anything, it's not allowed

 

Or words to that effect.

 

I'm also trying to decide wether to word it professionally so it sounds more authorative and hopefully taken more seriously. Or if I should go the 'Plain English Campaign' route witht he risk of it just been looked on as a joke.

 

Professional = sounds more authorative and serious but harder to understand

Plain English = sounds a bit like it's not to be listened to but easy to understand

[witch]

Professional all the way - it doesn't have to be difficult to read or understand, just straightforward.

pm me if you need any help - I am quite good at this sort of thing as I have done various courses on how to write reports, CV's and the like

[Joanne]

We have one that is very obviously a template if you want it let me know...

[elloyd69]

If you look on most school websites you should be able to access an AUP, I know ours in on our website but it sounds a lot like the template you've found.

[ayoward]

YHGfL are currently looking at developing an online AUP page that you will be able to click tick boxes and radio buttons and so on and at the end of the process will genrate an AUP that is applicable to your school. Watch this space....

[Bigape]

Are you looking for a student or staff one?

 

We use Securus and students are required to agree to the AUP when logging on or they're denied access to the system

 

I've attached a copy of our student AUP. I'm in the process of drafting a new staff AUP as the current one is 2 lines that basically says 'don't be naughty!'

student.txt

[byron67]

I'm offering up for your consideration (and feedback) our AUP. We worked over pretty hard on what was a long and laborious document listing out the things that you couldn't do...pretty standard stuff. We felt that a number of the items are repetitive and so tried to take a different approach. The AUP we've got has two sides to it, the front is written in 'kid speak.' Written in terms we felt got the point across but on the student's terms. The back side is more serious, re-iterating the points made on the front, but in more cut and dried terms.

 

Both students and parents are required to sign it. Once signed, they do not have to re-sign each year. The signed doc is kept on record in their student folder.

 

Have a look and see if it meets your needs. I would love feed back, both good and bad on what people think about it so that we can improve it.

Best regards,

Sean

08_09_SIS_AUP_Final.doc

[ayoward]

Obviously, I can't comment on the law in Hong Kong, but if I were to use this in the UK, I would need to ensure that I was explicit about the fact that all internet use was monitored and logged. Under the terms of the data protection act, you need to tell them that you are doing this and they need to sign to say that they are aware that you are doing it. Then if they do something dodgy they have no wriggle room and you are perfectly entitled to release those logs to any authority who asks for them.

 

Fortunately, I have an IT Technician with a law degree on my staff.

 

I quote from the BECTA document Safeguarding children in a digital world: Developing an LSCB e-safety strategy (Annex C Page 1)

 

"It is crucial that you have an AUP that states clearly that your network is monitored and action will be taken against anyone misusing the network. These sanctions must be reflected in your behaviour policy.

Your school AUP should be signed by all members of staff, pupils, parents and visitors.

Do not be persuaded to divulge sensitive information without the correct procedure being followed. Always check the validity of the request."

 

Cheers,

 

Andrew

[byron67]

Dear Andrew,

Good point. It's not explicit in our AUP that monitoring is going on and what or how this will be handled. I will amend and add wording that makes that part explicitly clear.

 

It must be pretty handy having your own legal council.

Thanks and best regards

[grumpy_git]

I quote from the BECTA document Safeguarding children in a digital world: Developing an LSCB e-safety strategy (Annex C Page 1)

 

"It is crucial that you have an AUP that states clearly that your network is monitored and action will be taken against anyone misusing the network. These sanctions must be reflected in your behaviour policy.

Your school AUP should be signed by all members of staff, pupils, parents and visitors.

Do not be persuaded to divulge sensitive information without the correct procedure being followed. Always check the validity of the request."

 

Isn't it possible (for staff) to include the AUP in your staff handbook - by which it's agreed by default as a part of their conditions of employment? That's what we do at the moment, and never had any problems with it... they sign a specific bit of paper for their toys, sorry laptops though.

[elloyd69]

I've attached my new AUP and would appreciate someone reading it and giving me feedback, just in case I've missed anything out!!

 

Thanks

New AUP 2009 without.doc

[mwalpole]

I would make sure that any AUP has specifically stated that computer use is monitored and action will be taken against anyone breaking the rules.

 

Without this mentioned, it is unlikely you will be able to get access to the information you desire.

[elloyd69]

I do mention in the AUP that staff can look at pupils files and memory sticks at any time and that internet usage is monitored (we are running PCE). I'm not sure how much more explicit I can make it. How do other people word it in their AUP?

[mwalpole]

I can only give my opinion on it, so I can't be sure that what I say is applicable for all schools, especially if you are in a different region to us.

 

I would send it to my Local Authority and my ISP or regional broadband consortium and ask them to approve it as valid. That way you will have in writing that they will accept any requests that you may have to make to provide data. This is the best way to ensure you have covered all your bases.

 

Marc

[elloyd69]

Thanks for the advice, I think I will send it to them, just so we're covered for any data requests.

[grumpy_git]

I've attached my new AUP and would appreciate someone reading it and giving me feedback, just in case I've missed anything out!!

 

Thanks

 

I think the anology of a school locker is a good one.

 

The bit

 

"Do not access the internet unless for study or for school authorised/ supervised activities (this includes online games, video clips, etc)"

 

reads - to me at least - as if online games asnd video clips are authorised activities! Perhaps

 

"Do not access the internet unless for study or for school authorised/ supervised activities (for example online games, video clips etc are not permitted)"? JMO .

 

On a practical note the lines at the bottom of the 2nd page look a wee bit too small for a signature/name, so I'd suggest reformatting them slightly before the final 'print run'. You might also want to have a space for the student to put their username, if they're significantly different to their real one, I've found this saves loads of time when filing these things.

[elloyd69]

Thanks for that. Yeah, that was just the basic first copy and doesn't need printing for a while so I have time to tweek it. Cheers for the advice.

 

[byron67]

Dear elloyd69,

With the critic of your AUP I might unintentionally come across harsh but that is definitely NOT my intention. I hope this prompts a healthy conversation amongst us as I think one is needed.

 

The AUP you have is pretty much the standard fare that most schools have and that I have written in the past myself. Of late I've begun to take issue with some of thes standard clauses put in to AUPs, for example, the "Never arrange to meet anyone via the Internet." I believe that we need to stop putting this in to our AUPs. This is an issue that falls under the umbrella of "You should cover your mouth when sneezing" but is not one that we would police with respect to the student's use of our resources. Another reason is that it is not realistic and we know it. Finally, is this what we are trying to hold the kids to? If a student does give out personal information on the Internet or does arrange to meet someone they met via the Internet and a hobby site are we going to suspend their computer use? No, we won't, so it doesn't belong in the AUP.

 

I use the above as an example but there are other similar, standard AUP clauses, that just don't belong. The other big one is using the Internet only for research and school work. No one does this. The teachers aren't, I'm not, so it's a bit hypocritical and in the end, not a rule that we tend to enforce. We may say we have a policy about it, but I've not been at a school that really enforces it so I would argue that it should not be included in the policy.

 

What does everyone else think? What clauses should we be really including or not including in our AUPs?

[elloyd69]

Cheers

 

I know what you're saying but the reason they are kept in there are basically to cover our own backs and also in relation to Child Protection policy (meeting people from the Internet).