I believe that it is unethical to deny students and teachers access to instructionally-relevant Web-based tools and content. I have run into the problem of having certain sites blocked from my classroom computer. For example, whenever I searched for speeches given my Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X on my school computer, the speeches would be blocked because most of the speeches were on YouTube, and YouTube is blocked on my school computer. I can always plan ahead and get these speeches on my computer at home and bring them in on a flash drive; however, this does hinder my class if I want to show something during a teachable moment or if a student wants to present something that he/she has searched for on his/her home computer.
I do understand that not all students will be able to handle all of the information that is on the Internet in a mature way. I am not advocating that we allow the student to be able to look at pornography at school. However, as the students get older they should be allowed access to view and read information that would otherwise be blocked. I do think we should allow the students to be able to access blogs and video that some people might deem offensive. I understand that some parents will be outraged that their students are reading or viewing things that they deem inappropriate. Some of the seniors in my class are able to go to rated R movies, yet when they come to school, we block them from websites that have much less offensive materials. I think that as the students get into high school, they should be exposed to different points of view. The Internet is a great tool to help students see many points of view outside of their own. I think that this is an important aspect of helping the students become well rounded. If the students are taught at a young age how to use different ways to find research and different ways of analyzing information, then they will be able to have more complex and higher level conversations once they get older.
In an article in Education Week, Kathleen Kennedy Manzo wrote about a school district in Alabama Alabama
Resources
Gunter, G. A., Gunter, R. E., & Shelly, G.B. (2010). Integrating technology and digital media in the classroom (6th ed.). United States
Manzo, K. K. (2009). Filtering fixes. Education Week, 29(2), 23-25. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.ucf.edu/login?URL=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ucf.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ864136&site=ehost-live; http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2009/09/02/index.html.
Education Week is a website you must pay for in order to view it; however, if you are a UCF student that is viewing this blog, you can search for this article in the school library website to view it for free.
I love your use of the 'secret' word :) ... Ok, onto the actual blog. I totally agree with you, there is no way that we can just block anything that is midly offensive and then expect our students and teachers to be able to do their job. We should (as the article pointed out) use the internet and show students and teachers how to be responsible internet users from an early age so that we may use all the resources available online. Very eloquantly put.
ReplyDeleteAlex S.
“as the students get older they should be allowed access to view and read information that would otherwise be blocked.” This is the same idea that I wrote about in my reading reaction. I feel as the students go from elementary to middle to high school that their access to “questionable material or sites” should be loosed, I’m not saying give kids free access in the middle or high school but as they grow they are able to handle the information.
ReplyDelete“I think that as the students get into high school, they should be exposed to different points of view.” I believe this is an important part of growing up. As high school juniors and seniors, they need to see other points of view and learn how to handle that information. Exposure to this material may only come from the classroom environment. And providing that exposure in a controlled and safe environment also gives the student the confidence and security that they need to absorb and learn from the experience.
“I understand that some parents will be outraged that their students are reading or viewing things that they deem inappropriate.” Most definitely yes, as a parent of two daughters (5th and 7th grade) I would be upset if my 5th grader was allowed free access to the internet. At the same time, my 7th grader is given a little more freedom at school and at home with her internet use. My opinion of what is inappropriate may be drastically different from another parent. But, who makes that call?
“The school district starts to train students as early as kindergarten about how to avoid the dangers of the Internet.” I believe this statement is the key to helping students use the technology that they have available to them. I think this subject needs to be taught at school and at home. With any new technology comes great responsibility. You don’t always get the benefit of having them both at the same time. However, the time has come when people should feel safe and secure to work and play on the internet. By teaching our students how to properly and safely use the internet, we are preparing our future generations for the information explosion that is just on the horizon.
Gina M
I agree with you that it is unethical to limit teacher's access to the internet. Like you, I have run into websites, YouTube included, that have some great educational resources, but have been blocked. However, on the opposite end, I do believe that my students should be limited to what they can access and view. I teach elementary school. But I do understand, and for the most part agree that student's access to the internet should be less restricted as they get older, especially highschool age, where more in-depth research assignments and more controversial topics are explored.
ReplyDeleteThe article that you read sounds interesting. Maybe if schools took more time to better educate students and teachers on the safest and more productive ways of using the internet there would not be as many issues as schools see today.
By the way, nice use of the word persimmon. :)
~Lori D.