safety – Michelle Shields

I have finally looked into FreshGrades Privacy Policy. As you can guess, it is extensively long. Thankfully, you have me to summarize it for you. So lets begin!

Some of the basic general statements at the beginning of the document read: A) FreshGrade collects, stores, processes, and shares student personal information for the purposes of our services as authorized by a school or parent B) FreshGrade does not own the content collected (meaning that users own their content and data) C) FreshGrade does not sell student information unless with explicit parental consent D) FreshGrade does not use student data for advertising purposes E) FreshGrade has a comprehensive data security program called “FreshGrade Education, Inc” F) FreshGrade will delete information at the direction of the school.

All of the above points seem reasonable right? Now let me impart some information with you that occurs towards the middle of the document (Normally where you would stop reading, am I right?)

One major point that is reiterated throughout this document is the difference between personal information and aggregate information. Personal information includes names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, etc. Aggregate information is data collected from which individual user identities have been removed. This type of information can pertain to how you use the application which helps the providers understand trends and user needs.

So… why is this distinction so important?
Basically, personal information cannot be sold but aggregate information is completely fair game. Once your personal identifiers are gone all of your personal information can be sold and shared to third parties.

One statement that sums this up quite well: “we consider student data to be highly confidential and use this data solely to provide our services to the school and to the parent, and in limited ways, for our internal purposes in accordance with our Terms of Service or specific agreements with schools.” Although it seems like things are 100% safe and for the sole purpose of students, parents, and the school, it is clear with further reading that their Terms of Service allows them to use aggregate data for whatever purposes they please. Further, if you interact with FreshGrade through other social media sites (such as, Twitter & Facebook) they will also collect that data. (Although that particular data is dependent upon your privacy settings with the other social networking sites.) As you can see, like most other websites FreshGrade automatically collects usage information once you visit their site. This information is collected through cookies. Depending on your mobile device you may not be able to reject cookies. Additionally, if you do not accept FreshGrades cookies, you may not be able to use some of the network’s features or services. On a side note, once an account is deleted aggregate information can still be utilized!

Further Privacy & Safety Acts Utilized:
PIPA, PEPEDA, and FOIPPA for Canadian users
FERPA for United States users

FreshGrade also has an extensive liability clause that basically protects them from everything. By agreeing to use the application you are also waiving the right to a trial by jury, the participation in a class action, collective action, private attorney general action, or other representative proceedings of any kind. You should also be checking the Privacy Policy periodically incase there are changes. FreshGrade does try its best to provide at least 30 days notice of a Terms of Service change that involves collecting, using, storing, or sharing Student data in a different way than was disclosed in the previous Terms of Service Agreement. The last change took place on November 1st, 2017.

So what does this mean to you?

From my perspective (aka. someone who always skips past the Privacy Policies) this is a tad creepy to read. There is so much information that I am willingly giving up on a day to day basis when using specific applications. But can I really blame FreshGrade for its extensive Privacy Policy? Not really, we do live in a consumer culture…

One thing that I will be taking away from this post is that I really should start reading Privacy Policies and become aware of my privacy options as a client. I think its time that I finally update my Facebook, Instagram, & Snapchat accounts.

Here is a link to the Privacy Policy: https://www.freshgrade.com/privacy-policy/#top
Here is a link to the Terms & Conditions: https://www.freshgrade.com/terms-and-conditions/#top
Further, if you have any questions pertaining to these areas you can email care@freshgrade.com directly.

FreshGrade is an online portfolio and assessment platform that helps educators, parents, and students have deeper conversations about learning. One of the founders of FreshGrade is Lane Merrifield, the co-founder and CEO of Club Penguin, one of the largest virtual worlds for kids. Disney later acquired club Penguin for 350 million dollars, which provided the capital used to create FreshGrade.

FreshGrade was created to reduce teacher workload, improve learning outcomes, and engage parents and students. Specifically, it is used in schools as a digital portfolio; teachers provide feedback and track progression, parents are given ongoing communication about their children’s learning, and students are given the opportunity to self-reflect on their growth.

In my own opinion, I believe that Freshgrade is extremely valuable. As a student teacher I have learned that assessment is ongoing and FreshGrade is one way that holds us accountable to that. Although this app has downsides as described in the cons list below, I believe that it is an extremely useful tool to use.

Some common Twitter hashtags with regard to #FreshGrade have been #needbetterreporting #portfolio #parentalengagement #education #edtech #beyondtheteach #studentdrivenclassroom #innovation. Most posts show how the app is being integrated into the classroom, although right now there is a buzz about Lane Merrifield joining the cast of Dragons Den for season thirteen.

Pros of FreshGrade	Cons of FreshGrade
Helps teachers, parents, and students track learning.	Need an email.
FreshGrade is integrated with Google translate so that teachers, parents, and students can read and write in the language of their choosing.	Not all parents and children will have access to a computer or smart phone.
Online portfolios can be printed if needed. It is green, as less paper is being used.	Teachers need to have a device readily available to capture moments in the classroom. This can be a privacy concern, as teachers need to be using school electronics, not personal devices to capture moments.
Individual profiles are available for students, teachers, and parents.	Consent needs to be established before posting anything about a student. What happens when certain students can’t be photographed for safety concerns? How do these concerns affect their learning if everything is done on FreshGrade?
It is an ongoing assessment tool, which saves the teacher time.	Lacks some tools for creativity, like drawing tools.
It is an extra way to check in with parents. Parents no longer need to wait for report cards or parent teacher interviews to be informed about their child’s learning.	Some schools have a no cellphone policy.
Can lead to increased parent participation.	FreshGrade is an American app – some privacy concerns with it not being Canadian, as there is a difference in privacy laws.
Helps parents to better support their children in their learning. Further, it allows parents to see their child’s learning as it is happening.	One form of assessment does not fit all. Some parents, students, and teachers may be reluctant to use FreshGrade. Need a familiarity of technology.
Allows children to see what they are expected to learn, which improves student ownership and self-directed learning.	There is no clear notification for due dates of assignments. There are no notifications or alerts that can be set up to alert students of approaching or past due assignments.
Students receive immediate feedback.	In the free version, e-portfolios do not carry over from one year to the next.

There are many more pros and cons of FreshGrade but I am only uploading ten for this Tech Tool Review. If you would like more information please keep up with my weekly blogs and review my tech inquiry assignment at the end of the year.

Have a look at FreshGrade for yourself before then! https://www.freshgrade.com/

Here is a helpful tutorial if you need any help navigating the site https://youtu.be/UbHiGi7_Hi0