After the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic, most schools in the Philippines have adopted a unique learning strategy that blends traditional education with technological advancements. It’s called HyFlex education.
HyFlex education came about as a way to curb the spread of the virus in the school setting, and quickly caught on among students and parents, such that this hybrid mode is the preferred system for many schools. According to the Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning, the term “HyFlex” is a combination of “hybrid” and “flexible,” referring to the integration of complementary face-to-face (synchronous) and online learning (asynchronous).
Whether you call it hybrid or blended learning, HyFlex has gained much ground in the country. However, parents have also aired their concerns over privacy risks when their kids go online.
Mining crucial information
Just like any other online platforms that require users to login, online apps for online learning collect vital information from students and, to some extent, parents. Pertinent details such as academic records, contact information and other sensitive data are often stored on cloud servers that could be vulnerable to hacking.
Some of these educational apps also lack proper security protocols, including encryption, without which student information is exposed, which in turn can lead to data breaches. In addition, there are other platforms that also tap third-party tools for added functionality. If this is the case, these third parties can also access student data and can sometimes be shared without their consent.
Phishing and online scams also come into the picture. These are malicious attempts to lure users, especially innocent kids, to provide their information. These can come in the form of fake e-mails or messages that mimic the educational platforms but are actually created by hackers.
There will also be cases of cyberbullying if learning platforms integrate some social features like instant messaging or chat rooms. Administrators and classroom advisers only have limited authority to filter content, and if not taken into consideration, this can be a breeding ground for exploitation, pornography and other inappropriate content, or even direct interaction with strangers.
Keeping these loopholes and dangers at bay is the responsibility of administrators and developers, and for parents to be vigilant and provide instant feedback if they find weaknesses in the system.
As an example, some platforms do not clearly explain the amount of data that they are collecting and the policies governing their use. As a result, both parents and students are not fully aware of the extent of the information being collected, used and stored.
Parental controls are likewise in question. Parents will often find it difficult to monitor their children’s screen time and other online activities, compromising the kids’ safety and well-being.
What parents can do
Since online learning platforms are here to stay, parents must prioritize their coordination with the system’s administrators, developers, and IT staff. They can ask about the app’s privacy policies and security measures to protect kids’ sensitive data.
Parents must also advocate, and even insist, on getting a significant degree of parental control over the system, particularly if students are required to use certain browsers and other online applications that are generally open to the public. This can help parents track what the kids are doing online, and see who they are interacting with.
Parents also need to have a serious discussion with their children in order to set boundaries online, explain to them the importance of privacy, and teach them how to identify suspicious data-mining or hacking attempts. And children will most likely understand how important privacy is to the safety and security of the family.
