Technology ethics in the public schools system : developing a technology ethics assessment tool through policy analysis at the secondary level

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Technology ethics seeks to identify the ways in which individuals and organizations might develop and sustain optimal relationships with the various technologies in their personal and professional lives. Secondary public schools have considered technology primarily through only a few very important but rudimentary lenses. The problem of practice was grounded in the ability and willingness of public schools to respond to the changing technological landscape in a way that was timely and meaningful. This study followed an exploratory sequential design and was two pronged: first, it investigated the ways public high schools supported technology ethics through their technology policies at the district and building levels; second, it developed a technology ethics assessment tool.