Technology and Ethics: Teachers playing Catch-up with their Students
Abstract: The 1999 TIMSS data reveals the United States is ranked third in the world for the percent of students using the internet at schools; first in the world for students using the internet at home. Studies show that in America, the greatest percent of internet users are teenagers and young adults while most computer crimes are created by young adults. Common online crimes committed by this age group include downloading of music, fraud, and plagiarism. Secondary students are in need of computer ethics education (or reeducation). Teachers and pre-service teachers, therefore, need to be aware of cyber crimes, safety, and ethics. Unfortunately, many teachers do not have the technology backgrounds to fully understand the culture. This paper discusses differences in computer knowledge, skills, and ethics between secondary students and their teachers. The data was obtained from technology academies designed to bring students and teachers together to learn GIS while discussing cyber ethics.