SPRING 2023, ISSUE 29
RIC ONE DPSS DIGITAL DIGEST
DATA PRIVACY AND CYBER SECURITY FOR K-12
RIC ONE DPSS 2023 STATEWIDE CONFERENCE
In this issue:
2ND ANNUAL RIC ONE DPSS STATEWIDE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
The second annual RIC One Data Privacy and Security Service Statewide Conference took place in Albany, NY on March 29 and 30 at the Crowne Plaza- the Desmond Hotel. RIC One DPSS hosted 25+ vendors, and representatives from the FBI, MS-ISAC, NYSIC, and the U.S. Department of Student Privacy Policy Office, the NY State Comptroller's Office. Our NY State Education Department Chief Privacy Officer Louise DeCandia presented a keynote address and hosted focus groups for DPOs. K-12 privacy and cybersecurity professionals from all NY State regions attended the conference and select districts provided break-out session presentations. Please use this conference feedback form to help us improve the conference experience for next year. Conference resources are posted under the Event Resources tab after logging in to the RIC One DPSS site.
AI AND K-12 PRIVACY
K-12 CYBERSECURITY
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
RIC One DPSS Statewide Conference- The Experience
The majority of people that attended the RIC One DPSS Statewide conference in Albany provided positive feedback about their conference experience. This unique conference brings together K-12 privacy and security experts from across NY State to discuss the latest challenges and successes in implementing NY State Education Law 2-d in their school districts. The conference expanded from a user group in the first inaugural year to a full- blown conference for the second annual event. Breakout sessions were offered with a wide-range of topics and speakers to choose from. Sessions encouraged thoughtful discussion; some sessions were so popular it was "standing-room only".
We value the feedback and suggestions everyone provided and will try to incorporate as many requests as possible as we plan for our third-annual conference next spring. Thank you for the important work you do.
We were inspired by the sense of community and camaraderie the
conference fostered. Despite coming from different regions and different roles, we were all united by a shared passion for our privacy and security work and desire to learn from each other.
Listen to Episode 5 of the DPO Download to hear excerpts from the cyber security panel as they discuss a real cyber incident, and hear from NYSED CPO Louise DeCandia.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND PRIVACY IN K-12 SCHOOLS
CHATGPT PRIVACY RISKS IN K-12
WHAT IS CHATGPT?
As defined by Encyclopedia Brittanica, ChatGPT is short for "Chat Generative Pre- training Transformer, software that allows a user to ask it questions using conversational, or natural, language." The "language model" was created by OpenAI and was trained by text taken from the Internet up to the year 2021.
Artificial Intelligence tools are not going anywhere and K-12 is going to have to evolve and adapt. Khan Academy is piloting a new learning tool powered by ChatGPT-4, Canva has incorporated multiple AI tools for content creation and it is likely additional software companies used in K-12 schools will incorporate more AI tools into their products. How should schools respond? It depends. You can find countless articles on this topic or you can ask ChatGPT itself. The main concerns revolve around safety, privacy, equity and bias. When using any AI tools, federal and state privacy laws should be considered, as well as the NY State biometric moratorium Ed Law 2-e. School districts are encouraged to develop policies and procedures around the use of AI tools and to train teachers on how to use these tools safely and equitably.
SHOULD CHATGPT BE USED IN K-12 SCHOOLS?
Edweek asked ChatGPT if K-12 schools should ban ChatGPT and the AI language model provided a balanced response on the pros and cons of K=12 use.
The Pros According to ChatGPT
ChatGPT can be a valuable resource. ChatGPT can help students develop critical thinking skills.
Read more about AI in K-12
The Cons According to ChatGPT
We asked ChatGPT "Should schools ban you?" Khan Academy Pilots GPT-4 Powered Tool Khanmigo for Teachers
ChatGPT can be misused or abused to cheat on assignments or tests, or to access inappropriate or harmful content. Concerns about data privacy and security. Ultimately, ChatGPT advised that this decision may be dependent upon educational goals and clear policies and procedures related to the use of ChatGPT need to be established. Access the full EdWeek article here: We Asked ChatGPT "Should Schools Ban You"
QUICK POLL: DID YOUR DISTRICT/BOCES/RIC ELECT TO BLOCK CHATGPT?
Cyber Security Education in K-12
NORTH DAKOTA
MINEOLA UFSD
North Dakota has added a graduation requirement that requires students to complete cyber security or computer science classes to graduate. This content will be provided from elementary school though high school to prepare students "for the world they live in now." The required content can be learned through dedicated courses or classes with embedded content. North Dakota's plan to educate students in cybersecurity and computer science has been in the planning stage for quite some time. The state adopted computer science and cybersecurity standards in 2019 and then approved cybersecurity and computer science certifications for teachers in the same calendar year to grow their base of qualified educators. Making computer science and cybersecurity education a graduation requirement will bring this curriculum to under represented populations in the state and give students more opportunities to qualify for tech jobs.
Mineola UFSD is working to address the cybersecurity talent shortage by offering a Cybersecurity Education Program to Mineola High School students. We interviewed Mineola High School's Principal Dr. Nicole
Culella and the program's talented instructors, Kuri Defidi and Victoria
Berkowitz, about this new program that will be offered next school year. Here are some excerpts: Interviewer : What inspired Mineola HS to develop a cybersecurity education program, and would you call it a program, a pathway, or both? Mineola : I (Dr. Cullela) would say both. It's a program in terms of being comprehensive, and it is a pathway in terms of being hybrid and dynamic. Learners can enroll in the entire program or the entire pathway, or take portions of the program. It seems like a perfect fit for us as we have a continuum of computer science courses that exposes and provides opportunities to all learners. Interviewer : What are the program objectives? Mineola : A big part of the program is to get our learners career ready for cybersecurity if they choose that path, and to open that window of opportunity. The pathway as it's planned now is delivered in three buckets, Cyber 1, Cyber 2 and Cyber 3. The Cyber 3 piece would include a hands-on internship experience so the learners can apply the skills they learn in real-life settings. Learners at all levels can test for the Security+ Certification as well. We want to expose more learners to cybersecurity because it's a growing field, and to give them more opportunity to see what it's about. (continued on next page )
Read more about this state requirement.
Cyber Security Education in K-12
Cybersecurity is a big part of computer science that is not the stereotypical coding and programming, so it is really nice for our learners who feel like they want to try something different than coding. Interviewer : Love that. Do you have a cap as to how many students can enroll in the course or the full pathway? Mineola : No, we do not have a cap. It's (the program) open to all of our learners. We opened it up this year to all 10th, 11th and 12th grade for next year and will adjust to schedules as needed, and are considering asynchronous or hybrid courses, so there are no barriers. Interviewer : You mentioned there will be internships. Are you partnering with specific industry experts or government agencies/organizations to accomplish that goal? Mineola : We've been in talks with many, including Mineola parents in the field, as well as with local professionals, to determine what opportunities exist. It will depend upon who takes the course and how they take it, so we are keeping those conversations open and working with committed partners to plan and co-create this together. We also partner with Digital Promise and the League of Innovative Schools. Interviewer : Did you face challenges, or are you still facing challenges, as you try to implement this new program? There are always challenges and obstacles that school district's have to overcome. Mineola is fortunate to have the Board of Education's support and the Superintendent Dr. Nagler's support, along with the support of the Central Office.
In addition, our instructors Victoria Berkowitz and Curry Defiti have computer science backgrounds and are pursuing additional cybersecurity education opportunities, while I (Dr. Culella) have an engineering background. Mineola values computer science education, and the cybersecurity program is the next iteration of that work. All 9th grade students are exposed to AP Computer Science Principles as a basic foundational course, led by instructors with an interest and desire for this work. The curriculum includes units dedicated to cybersecurity and networking, which is great, as it gives students a taste of what the cybersecurity program could be like. It's really awesome (as a teacher) knowing we are preparing our kids for an entire industry that is ready to take them in with open arms. Interviewer : How are you addressing equity and encouraging young women to take the course? Mineola : The program is very equity-based. We open computer science to all 9th graders and push into classrooms while ensuring guidance counselors are aware of what courses are available to all. Having everyone take computer science gets all learners through the door to see if computer science is the right fit for them. Several female students have also been recognized by the National Center for Women in IT, with award winners at both the NY City and the National level. Interviewer : How will you determine the effectiveness of the cybersecurity program? Mineola : During the coursework we will evaluate as we go to see if we need to change anything in terms of curriculum, excitement, and engagement. We also hope to create an alumni network and see how taking this course impacted their post- secondary career endeavors.
QUICK POLL: DOES YOUR DISTRICT/RIC/BOCES OFFER A K-12 CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM?
RIC ONE DATA PRIVACY INVENTORY TOOL V4.2
Meet the RIC One Data Privacy Inventory Tool (DPIT) v4.2!
The RIC One DPIT, pronounced "Dee-pit" or "Dipit" depending on your region, has incorporated some incredible new features for v4.2. Here are some v4.2 highlights we are excited to share. District Inventory Screen Archive Feature A product archive feature has been added and the Inventory Screen now displays two tabs: The Active Products Tab and the Archive Products Tab . The new document Archive feature provides a means to store expired and other archival documents that no longer need to appear in a product's Supporting Documentation area. District Inventory Screen Enhancements A pencil icon now appears next to the Contract Source and Contract Expiration Date entries that permits the user to edit the data within the Product Listing view without opening and editing individual records. Clicking the red or green (x or v) Documentation indicator icons now permits adding and/or editing supporting documentation files and links. More Documents! Hazzah! The number of Supporting Documents associated with a product has increased from four documents to six documents . Did you know...? That users can now update the Contract Source field on the District Inventory Screen/Update Inventory Record Screen now? How cool is that?
Contact your local RIC One DPSS representative if you have questions about v4.2. We are here to support you.
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