Smile, you’re on a cell phone video
Mar 6th, 2008 by Cathy Nelson
More and more we are hearing about it, seeing it on the news, and reading about it in blogs, newspapers, and our professional journals. Students, even very
young ones, carry cell phones. And the very newest phones are equipped with many tools, particularly video cameras and internet access, which in my mind is a VERY powerful tool in a child’s hands. I hesitate to say it is a good thing or a bad thing, as channeled properly it can lead to greatness.
But when I read material like this, I worry. Anything an educator says taken out of context can be portrayed as something entirely different. Anything a student says taken out of context can be protrayed as something different. And I’m not referring to just moments captured on a cell phone’s video, as this statement can be applied to a written referral that are most teacher’s best ammunition in dealing with discipline issues.
I have always remembered that whatever is written on one of the school referral forms is considered a legal document, and as it is written, it would do the educator well to remember that it might be used as a legal document. When I have used these forms myself, I have always tried to make sure it was written without anger, bias, or emotion, but rather just written as a statement of facts. It is very difficult to write a referral in the heat of the moment and accomplish this.
But now bring video into the mix. This year alone I have seen first hand incidences where students are making videos at school using their phones. But the student handbook clearly states that:
…all phones must be “off” and put away, and if they are out they will be confiscated.
This statement is almost an acceptance on the school’s part that students have phones and to ban them completely is one rule that cannot be enforced. But now I wonder if we will revisit this statement. Should I set up my video camera and external drive somewhere in my teaching context to protect myself? This is a frightening thought indeed.
I am reminded though of a statement I said to students in my first formal class/orientation. In introducing myself to students at the beginning of school (b/c I’m new this year at my school) I brought in my iPod to use in a “get to know me” type activity. I shared with students what you could find, including songs, pictures, podcasts, and audiobooks. Some of my podcasts were video, and this opened a discussion on how to make videos. It was then that I realized many of my students clearly understood they had the ability right in their pocket to make a video and post it online. So I made sure to have this conversation with each class in orientation, stating with a witness (a classroom teacher or my library technical assistant) that I do not give anyone permission to make a video of me and post it without specific written permission from me. Did I cover myself? I don’t know.
Back to my wonder about taping my classes…is that legal? When doing National Board Certification, I had to have written consent forms from parents to make videos of my classes.
Does it matter? The seven videos on the Dangerously Irrelevant site yesterday certainly were not made with any kind of consent, and it is painfully obvious that the damage has been done, whether teachers or students were right or wrong. Scott wants to know–Should students be punished or applauded for filming and posting these?
If I had to say now, I would side with punishing them since I’m pretty sure a lot of the footage stems from a biased or one-sided point of view. The public is not being told the whole story here, which is how I began this post. And as long as school handbooks indicate that cell phones are not to be on and in service in the classroom, then it must stay punishable.
What good will come out of these videos I watched today? Each time I see my students after school with their cell phones snuggly fitted up against their ears, I will do a quick self reflection of my actions that day, and briefly wonder if I’ll be a YouTube one-hit wonder. Yet another filter to think through as I plan, choose my activities for instruction, or talk formally or informally with kids each day. I do realize the phones will not go away, which really makes me WANT to utilize surveillance in my instruction. It scares me to think I may have to justify my actions with video of my own, even if it is not legally gained. Can you say “conspiracy theory”?
Attribution:
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[...] Cool Gadget-O-Focus » Cool Gadget, Gadgets Talk, Gadgets News wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt More and more we are hearing about it, seeing it on the news, and reading about it in blogs, newspapers, and our professional journals. Students, even very young ones, carry cell phones. And the very newest phones are equipped with many tools, particularly video cameras and internet access, which in my mind is a VERY powerful tool in a child’s hands. I hesitate to say it is a good thing or a bad thing, as channeled properly it can lead to greatness. But when I read material like this, I wor [...]
Wow! This is crazy. I know that cell phones are to be put away and turned off in our schools, but I know the rules don’t always get followed. I don’t even let my daughter take her cell phone to school at all. Your right in that this technolgy of today can be used for such great things. It is just too bad that so many use it for bad.
I have to admit that the issue of students using cell phones to photograph or video record anything at school scares me. Not only the fact that our students have no shame in “documenting” inappropriate behavior (be it by students, teachers, or even their own behavior), but that teachers/staff put themselves in the position of being recorded. Our student handbook also states that cell phones must be turned off during the school day and that any infraction (cell phones ringing, students caught using them, even if we SEE them at all) the phones are to be confiscated. I also believe it states (but am not 100% sure) that the phone will only be returned to a PARENT or guardian. In my observation, only if a student is USING a cell phone is it confiscated by the teacher. I believe that if it is visible at all (or the cell phone demeanor of hands in purses for long periods of time, the heads swivels to see whose watching them, etc.) the cell phone (or ipod, cd player, whatever) should be confiscated. As it is, teachers don’t want to make an issue of this as well as other rule violations. I’ve heard more than once “pick your battles” but if you are continually allowing students to break the rules, what’s the point of having rules to begin with? I have to admit I’m as guilty as the next teacher of thinking the bell will be ringing in two minutes, why bother? or I have to tell him EVERY 5 minutes to take his hat off. or being the only one who seems to ask where’s your id?
Student Response: “in my bookbag/locker/pocket”
My reply: “Well, put it on!”
Student Response: “No one else makes me!”
My reply: “Knowone Else isn’t here right now, Ms. Loy is and she is telling you to PUT IT ON!”
Sorry, rambling…. Back to the topic and your questions, should the kids be punished? Yes. Should you tape your instructions or is it legal to record your instructions? I don’t have an answer for you, but I don’t know that I’d want to be constantly recorded myself, even to cover my own interests.
Cathy,
I’m going to carry a voice recorder in my pocket and record all my classes. Is that legal?
By the way…I love the feedjit in your sidebar. I need one, but I can’t figure it out. The code won’t work in my sidebar.
Granito
@MrGranito Give it a day or so–I initially thought mine was not working either. And the voice recorder would not stand up in court b/c you do not have written permission from the parents. But best case scenario, our educators have engaging and relevant work for students and have a classroom atmosphere that the worry of video is moot. In all the examples I have seen, the teachers made very bad choices in their own responses to situations. Too bad it was captured on film and made public. Your best defense to this is engaging, relevant lessons that are meaningful to the students. When the students like the class, the work, and feel the work has purpose and is meaningful, they don’t have a need to use their cellphones for nonsense like this. I don’t think you have anthing to worry about.
[...] blogGadgets.nl wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptWhen the students like the class, the work, and feel it is important, they don’t have a need to use their cellphones for nonsense like this. [...]
Cathy, I’m not sure you’re correct on the voice recorder issue. Maybe…
See a couple of older posts of mine on classroom cameras:
http://tinyurl.com/2na659
http://tinyurl.com/3ae4cc
So @MrGranito–I suppose after reading @Scott McLeod’s links that if you make sure your classes UNDERSTAND you are recording your classes, then everything is a-okay. I also had another thought. Recording your class would allow you an INSTANT way to ‘catch” up an absent student. Perfect? No–Doable? Yes. Just envision daily uploading your classes to your podcasts and referring students who need make-up work to them. Instant podcast material–no having to sit around and dream up high interest content for a podcast. And BEST, you have a backup of verbal exchanges to reflect on or worst case-scenario–take to administration to seek intervention on issues (Of course I myself would pprobably edit-out unnecessary information if I were doing a podcast, and you could probably get students in class to work on the editing part to save time.) Maybryonline.org (MAybry Middle School in Ga)has teachers who daily post their class activities in podcast format. It really is a good idea now that I have reflected a bit more. Thanks @Scott McLeod for the inspiration here. This should have been a blog post all by itself.