ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9493-3605
Abstract
Educational technology (EdTech) interoperability throughout cyberspace provides the financial opportunity to collect and sell student privacy information in digital learning environments, challenging school leaders to govern schools and keep children safe. School leaders provide the resources, funding, planning, decision making, and administration for EdTech cybersecurity practices and policies, yet little is known about what public school leaders understand. A quantitative study was designed using primary data collected from an online survey. Four research questions guided this study: What are the differences in cybersecurity practices and policy response scores (1) between male and female school leaders; (2) among leaders with different educational achievements; (3) among leaders of different age ranges; and (4) among leaders of different types of school districts? Participants were purposefully identified by their roles from 1,121 Texas public school districts. The sample population was n = 173 and consisted mainly of board members, superintendents, principals, and other district managers. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine significant differences between the variables, which revealed a significant difference between men and women in terms of technical terminology, with F (1, 171) = 5.28, MSE = 3.50, ρ = .023, n2 = .030, n = 173. Mode analysis revealed that 33.98% of participants correctly responded to questions about EdTech practices affecting children in schools, and 40.70% correctly responded to questions about school cyber practices, indicating knowledge gaps exist. The implications of narrowing the knowledge gap in schools are critical, leading to potential improvements in student digital security and safety. Also, narrowing the gap can mitigate analytical profiling throughout a student’s lifetime, which can lead to loss of education, job, and financial opportunities.
Key Words: educational technology (EdTech), cybersecurity, public schools, privacy, data collection
Included in
Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Technology Commons, Instructional Media Design Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Commons, Online and Distance Education Commons, Other Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, Privacy Law Commons
