Tools for Tailored Learning May Expose Students’ Personal Details

If the efforts by state legislators to restrict the use of student data are any guide, the e-mail addresses and search queries of the nation’s schoolchildren are a hot commodity.

The activity stands in stark contrast to legislative interest just two years ago, when Oklahoma was the only state to pass such legislation. It also provides a clear indication of the rapid adoption of learning apps in classrooms — and of concerns that these novel technologies generate a trove of new data about students that could be used in unforeseen ways. Many of the new tools are designed to tailor learning to each child. To achieve that sort of customization, the software may collect and analyze a vast array of details about the habits and activities of individual students. The data collection has raised concerns among lawmakers and parents about whether school districts are equipped to monitor and manage how schools and online education services safeguard students’ personal details. Some legislators have pointed out the potential for identity theft and predatory marketing.