Bringing K-12 Students into Tapped In

Creating and managing your group

To create your own K-12 student group, log in, click on the Tapped In/Groups tab, and select "Create a new K-12 Student group." You will be asked to accept the terms for bringing students online, specify how many student accounts you want, and specify a default password. Once created, your student group will reside in the Student Activities Center (SAC) in the Student campus, and will appear under your Me/Groups tab. To manage your student group, enter the group room and click on the Settings menu item in the room (bottom left). Here you can edit the names, usernames, and passwords for your students, delete student accounts, or add new student accounts one by one. If you like, you can restrict your students to your student group room (by default, they can roam the SAC building). You can also invite other Tapped In members to join the student group, if you like.

Security and privacy

We have implemented several measures to help maintain K-12 student and regular Tapped In members' privacy and security. For example, students cannot leave the K-12 Student campus, and guests cannot enter the K-12 student campus. Student accounts also have certain limitations: They cannot create their own groups, they have very limited profiles, and they cannot e-mail or leave saved messages for any user (student or otherwise) that is not in their student group. A student can't be invited to join another student group.

In the chat area, you can only see and private message other users in the same campus that you are currently in. Regular Tapped In members can enter the Student campus, and when they do so, they can see a list of student groups, but they cannot join these groups unless they are invited. If a regular Tapped In member enters the Student campus, he or she can talk to a student who is currently in a public room in the SAC, but the Tapped In user cannot e-mail the student through Tapped In, cannot leave a saved private message for the student, and cannot see any of the student's information beyond name and group. Tapped In users who are members of the student group (by invitation) can enter the student group room and talk with the student there (i.e., if the students are restricted to their group room). Transcripts of all conversations that students engage in are emailed to the student group owner, who is responsible for reviewing transcripts to ensure that students are not engaging in inappropriate behavior.

Learn from other teachers who are bringing students online

If you are interested in K-12 students in Tapped In, we encourage you to join the K-12 Students group in Tapped In (log in and click on Search/Groups and enter"K-12 Students"). There you can start threads about ideas on how to make student groups/accounts more useful, and share thoughts to other teachers who are bringing students online.

Tapped In terms for bringing K-12 students online

1. I understand that I am fully responsible for bringing my students into Tapped In and supervising their activities. I certify that bringing my students into Tapped In does not violate my school's acceptable use policy for the Internet; nor does it violate my school's policy on disclosing information about students.
   
   
2. I understand that I will create my own set of student accounts and an associated group for my students in Tapped In. I will bring students under the age of 18 into Tapped In only via these special student accounts. In the student group room, my students will have access to asynchronous discussion tools and a chat facility. Only members of the group will be able to enter the group room. I, as the owner of the group, will solely determine who can join this group, and thus enter the group room. I understand that my student accounts and student group will be automatically deleted after my selected expiration period unless I renew them.
   
   
3. Swearing, offensive language (verbal or non-verbal), obscenity, harassment, rudeness, and other inappropriate conduct is not tolerated in Tapped In. I will discuss the Tapped In code of conduct with my students and make it clear what my expectations are for their behavior. I will explain that I will be monitoring their behavior and conversations from transcripts I receive of their sessions even if I am not online during their conversations. If students violate the Tapped In code of conduct, I understand that Tapped In staff have the authority to delete any account and ban the offender from having future accounts, in accordance with Tapped In's policies.
   
   
4. I understand that Tapped In does not require any identifying information about a student to be entered, but Tapped In does allow students to enter some information, such as their first name, an email address, or personal photos. Except for the first name, this information is only visible to members of the student group and Tapped In administrators and staff. Before my students enter any identifying information, I will ensure that this is allowed by my school's privacy and acceptable-use policies. If my school does not allow the disclosure of student information, I will monitor my students to make sure they do not violate the school policy.
   
   
5. I understand that if my students leave the student group room, they may come in contact with other K-12 students and Tapped In members currently in the K-12 student campus, and that these terms of behavior also apply to their interaction with these other students and Tapped In members.
   
   
6. I understand that Tapped In is not responsible for accidental loss of materials or discussions. I understand that I am responsible for keeping back-up copies of all materials and content uploaded to the group rooms that I own.
   
   
7. I understand that Tapped In's primary purpose is to support the professional development of teachers, and if my students in any way disrupt this mission, they will be removed.