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Koedinger Discusses K-12 Data Security with CSO

In the Media

Cybersecurity threats and opportunities around student data in K-12 was the topic of a recent CSO article, featuring Carnegie Learning Chief Product Architect Steve Ritter and the Human-Computer Interaction Institute's Professor Ken Koedinger. How much data should be collected and for what purpose are questions that Koedinger urges schools to consider as more educational technology tools enter the classroom.

Earlier this fall, the Center for Data Innovation reported that over 93% of teachers regularly use digital tools to assist their instruction, and as much as 6.6 billions dollars are being spent to bring technology into the classrooms.

"Don't collect any information that you don't need," said Koedinger. "You don't need to know gender, race, or if a student is eligible for free or reduced lunch. That's just a matter of being careful. If you get hacked, the consequences should be as minimal as possible."

Koedinger believes schools need to be proactive in the handling of their data and to insist on secure or de-identified data precautions by their educational technology vendors.

"The schools should be demanding that security," said Koedinger. "A school could say to a vendor 'we will use your product, but only you guarantee that the data you keep is fully de-identified'."

Read the complete article on CSO.com.