HCS Guidelines for YouTube
It is the policy of the Harris County Board of Education to implement best practices in the use of cutting edge technology while providing systems to protect and guide students as they learn how to become successful digital citizens. This includes, but is not limited to, instruction about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response as required by the Children's Internet Protection Act.
Key terms are as defined in the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)*
Access to Inappropriate Material
To the extent practical, technology protection measures (or “Internet filters”) shall be used to block or filter Internet, or other forms of electronic communications, access to inappropriate information.
Specifically, as required by CIPA, blocking shall be applied to visual depictions of material deemed obscene or child pornography, or to any material deemed harmful to minors.
Subject to staff supervision, technology protection measures may be disabled or, in the case of minors, minimized only for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
Inappropriate Network Usage
To the extent practical, steps shall be taken to promote the safety and security of users of the HCSD online computer network when using electronic mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, and other forms of direct electronic communications.
Specifically, as required by CIPA, prevention of inappropriate network usage includes: (a) unauthorized access, including so-called “hacking”, and other unlawful activities; and (b) unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors.
Education, Supervision, and Monitoring
It shall be the responsibility of all members of the HCSD staff to educate, supervise, and monitor appropriate usage of the online computer network and access to the Internet in accordance with these policies, CIPA, the Neighborhood Children’s Internet Protection Act, and the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act.
The Harris County School District has put in place the ability for staff to access YouTube resources for instructional use. This document is intended to provide guidance on the opportunities YouTube has to offer. HCSD encourages teachers to usethe multimedia resources available to them. These can include, but are not limited to Discovery Streaming, SchoolTube, TeacherTube , YouTube and other video web sites to enhance instruction as HCSD strives to engage students in the learning process to promote thriving, technology-infused classrooms. Theseguidelines are designed to help teachers harness the power of media while avoiding its pitfalls. Follow these strategies and best practices.
Using YouTube in your Classroom:
The purpose for opening up YouTube for staff use is to encourage teachers to preview YouTube videos to align with curricular objectives. Additional steps and guidelines are in the bulleted list below:
• Access and use of YouTube videos shall be for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. You must view all videos in their entirety before showing them or allowing your students to view them, regardless of the grade level that you teach.Preview video content to ensure it supports the instructional program and relates to lesson objectives. Make sure your digital projector is turned off or video muted when previewing on a computer connected to the classroom projector.
• Students may not use staff members’ computers to search for YouTube videos online. This level of access is only available to teachers, not students.
• Limit your searches to respected sources. Most established newspapers, museums, libraries, radio stations, and institutions have specific channels on YouTube where they collect their content. Search by the name of the outlet on YouTube (say, PBS), and that organization's channel will pop up. From there, you can search exclusively within PBS's content.
• When showing a video in class, consider one of the following options to eliminate the ads and comments:
- Embed the video into a PowerPoint slide or web site.
- Shrink the page so that only the video is visible.
- Paste a YouTube URL to to view your video withoutads or
distractions –this site also provides more extensive filtering.
• Greater use of YouTube by teachers throughout the district will increase network traffic, which may result in choppy video quality. It is highly recommended that staff membersconvert and save the videos to an external format (CD, DVD, USB drive, etc.), especially if the video is essential to a lesson.
• Your login name will have unlimited access to YouTube. You must get into the habit of hitting Windows Key + L or CTRL+ALT+DELETE to lock your computer when walking away.
•Teachers should document YouTube video use in case there is a request from a parent or administrator to review.
Please Note: Violations of these Guidelines for YouTube will subject the violator to disciplinary action in accordance with Harris County Schools disciplinary policies and may include loss of access to this resource, or similar ones, and/or criminal sanctions. In addition, any illegal activities will be reported to the appropriate agencies.
Teacher Name: ______
(Print)
Teacher Signature: ______
(Date)