Acceptable Use Policy

Students
1996 - 97


Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s):

Your son or daughter will get access to a world-wide network called the Internet. The reason for using the Internet is to participate in a curriculum project developed by some of your child's teachers. Your son or daughter will reach this world-wide network through a computer account provided by the Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh (CK:P) project. The account is accessible only from school, because CK:P does not provide home access for students.

Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh is a research project funded by the National Science Foundation. The Pittsburgh Public Schools, the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, and the University of Pittsburgh are working together on CK:P.

The purpose of this letter is to give you information about the Acceptable Use Policy for Students that Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh will use. The policy covers both student accounts and homepages.

We ask you to review this policy with your child and to sign the consent form. Your child's teacher has already discussed this policy with your son or daughter.

If you have any questions about the network curriculum activities, please call your child's teacher. If you would like more information about the Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh project, please call the CK:P Education office at 622-2230.

GUIDELINES

The Internet is a world-wide telecommunications network.
There are hundreds of resources on the Internet. You will find
libraries, government agencies, universities, discussion
groups, software, technical information, as well as
the 20 million people who are part of this world-wide network.
Your student account lets you use these resources.

The purpose of your student account is to let you use the
Internet for curriculum activities and classroom projects.

You are expected to exercise responsible behavior when on the
Internet. Responsible behavior includes, but is not limited to,
the following: being courteous, following the rules
set up by other groups on the Internet, using the Internet as a
resource tool, avoiding inappropriate language and staying on
task.

The staff of Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh will monitor your use of
network resources. Monitoring will include tracking the
amount of time you spend using these resources, but will not
require identifying you by name.

The Pittsburgh Public Schools' Code of Student Conduct
includes the Academic Integrity Policy. Item #12 of the Policy
talks about Academic Dishonesty. While working on the
Internet, you are expected to follow the Code of Student
Conduct and not to violate the Academic Dishonesty clause.
(The Code of Student Conduct can be obtained for review
in the school office.)

Student Homepages

Students, because they have an individual account, are able to create World Wide Web homepages. A typical student homepage can contain school work, favorite Internet sites related to curriculum topics as well as out-of-school work that pertains to educational issues.

The Acceptable Use Guidelines state that: "The purpose of your student account is to let you use the Internet for curriculum activities and classroom projects."

Like accounts, student homepages must reflect a curriculum purpose. The following are the guidelines for student homepages.

- The teacher who sponsors the student's account is also responsible
for monitoring the student's homepage.

- The student homepage must comply with all the Guidelines and Rules
set for student accounts.

- Parents must be shown a hard copy of their child's proposed homepage.

- Items such as the student's picture and email address, because
they can be sensitive information, must first be cleared
with parents before they are added to a homepage.

In January of 1996, CK:P held a Web conference Web Conference - January of 1996. The notes from the conference contain comments and suggestions that try and give more information about student homepages.

RULES

1. Using someone else's network account is not acceptable.
2. Using your network account for non-school related activities is not acceptable.
3. Homepages must reflect a curriculum purpose.
4. Using unauthorized copies of commercial software is not acceptable.
5. Copying software provided by Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh is not acceptable.

Violating the above Guidelines and Rules will result in losing your network account.

ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY - Students

Consent Form

I have read the Acceptable Use Policy - Students and understand its contents. Any questions I have about the network curriculum activity will be answered by my teacher. Any questions I have concerning the Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh project will be answered by the CK:P Educational Staff (622-2230).

My signature below, and that of my parent(s) or guardian(s), mean that I agree to follow the Guidelines and Rules of the Acceptable Use Policy as they apply to student accounts and homepages.

Date: ________________________________________________________

Student's Name: ______________________________________________

Student's Social Security # (initial password): ______________

Student Signature: ___________________________________________

School: ______________________________________________________

Grade: _______________________________________________________

Recommending Teacher or Homeroom Teacher:
_______________________________________________________________

Name of Parent(s) or Guardian(s):
_______________________________________________________________

Signature of Parent(s) or Guardian(s):
_______________________________________________________________