Cybertraps for Educators 2.0

Book excerpt: Mobile devices and social media have changed all of our lives, but no profession has been quite as affected as teaching. It's not just the challenge of incorporating technology into the classroom; it's how digital communication tools have changed the relationship of teachers with the school communities they serve. Cybertraps for Educators 2.0 is a detailed look at those changes and the risks posed to both educators and students. Every single week, a teacher or school administrator somewhere in the United States is fired for something they said on social media. More and more school districts face litigation arising out of smartphone-abetted sexual assault cases. Teachers are surrounded every day by young investigative reporters carrying sophisticated recording devices connected to global distribution platforms. And now, thanks to the worldwide pandemic, more and more education is occurring online -- with enormous implications for educator privacy, student-teacher relationships, and professional ethics. Cybertraps for Educators 2.0 is the guide that administrators and teachers need to avoid the potentially career-ending mishaps that can result from the use and misuse of digital devices. Using contemporary case studies, this timely book illustrates the pitfalls of technology and offers practical advice on how teachers, administrators, and school districts can minimize the risks of misconduct. Throughout the book, author Frederick Lane weaves in principles and standards drawn from the Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE). The MCEE was promulgated by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) in 2015 and is the first attempt to develop a national code of ethics for educators. Lane's innovative book, Cybertraps for Educators 2.0, is the first to apply the MCEE to major issues facing the teaching profession.