While using school computers, do any of your students share pictures of others online, use profanity in chats, visit non-educational sites, or violate other terms of your school’s Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)? If so, they may benefit from using the Smart AUP, an assessment tool that measures each student’s AUP “IQ.”

A school’s Acceptable Use Policy or AUP is a list of technology regulations designed to keep students safe online and prevent abuse of school computers. Students are often required to sign this “user contract” in order to use school network computers but unfortunately many sign without reading or understanding the information. The Smart AUP assessment tool is a fun and effective way for students to demonstrate to teachers and administrators that they have read and understand the AUP.

Like the FBI-SOS Internet Challenge, the Smart AUP uses an internet-based quiz mechanism; 500 points are awarded for each correct answer and one point is deducted per second of answering time. Each Smart AUP quiz consists of 10 multiple-choice comprehension questions randomly selected from a database. In order to pass the quiz, each student must earn at least 4,000 points (which means they must answer nine of the ten questions correctly).

The final page of the student quiz shows the student’s score. This page is designed for the student to print, sign, and hand in as an administrative record that demonstrates comprehension. Failing students can re-register with new usernames and passwords and take the Smart AUP quiz again until they pass.

The Smart AUP assessment tool was developed by Daryl Hulce, FBI-SOS Program Administrator, in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education in California. Glen Warren, Orange County’s Director of Media Services, conceptualized the idea after reviewing the FBI-SOS Internet Challenge layout and process. Warren recognized the need to improve AUP awareness and he was encouraged by the simplicity and effectiveness of the FBI-SOS Internet Challenge. He suggested a parallel AUP education program to Hulce who also saw the need and potential of an AUP assessment tool.

Warren explains, “As educational leaders, we need to do more than just enforce digital policies; we must educate students in digital literacy.” He emphasizes that the Smart AUP empowers administrators faced with AUP violations. Administrators can produce the Smart AUP score report as evidence of a student’s policy comprehension.

The Smart AUP is “an objective assessment tool from a reliable and trusted source,” says Glen Warren. He adds that the most compelling reason to use this valuable educational resource is its ability to transform the student experience from “just signing a contract to demonstrating comprehension.” A powerful supplement to any internet safety curriculum, the Smart AUP assessment tool, like the FBI-SOS program, helps students understand how to be safer and more responsible on the internet.

K-12 teachers and administrators can register their schools beginning in January 2010 at http://www.smartaup.org.

Article provided by the FBI-SOS - Safe Online Surfing Program - Fall 2009