Welcome! You have reached the blog for the 2013 course of Supporting Instruction with Web 2.0 Tools! Stop by for a spell so we can learn from each other!
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Session Five: Internet Safety
Discuss your present plan for student safety on the Internet and for teaching
students responsibility for safety and copyright issues.
For a teacher it is important to make copyright law and privacy a priority. At the beginning of the school year, I think the school should send a publication consent form home to parents regarding their children. This publication should explain privacy issues. Another great way for students to learn about copyright issues is to have a lesson on it. An easy lesson is by pulling up images and discussing which images are safe to use to avoid copyright issues.
It is not only important to teach our students but I think we need to have a refresher every year for our teachers. Not everything falls under "fair use". I know I spent many years as a Librarian trying to tell our teachers about what they can and cannot do. Teachers have to set a good example for the students. I also think it is important that we talk about copyright with our College students who are in the Education program or are doing Student Teaching.
Sara, This would be a great idea!!!We all need to have these forms prepared and in a file, just in case an issue would occur.. Students learn from their teacher's and they will sneak and go on the computer sites without them knowing.. It happens all the time, however, if you have your file where the child signed it, you can go back and remind the student of the rules and that they did signed the form..
Every school employee and student is required to sign an Acceptable Use Policy each year. I send this home for the students to discuss with their parents; however I make the rules clear at school as well. I also tell the students that they can lose this privilege at any time in the year. In elementary, we speak briefly about copyright. We speak enough on it that they are aware that it is not acceptable. Also, now that teachers are able to get onto YouTube through their Web Top, I STRONLY encourage them to preview first before showing on the screen.
You are right! We still need to preview the videos we use from YouTube. The last thing we want is that "word" or "picture" showing up unexpectedly and that being the only thing the kids remember from the whole lesson! Just my luck, that would be the time the Principal would be coming in to observe me! Haha.
When we talk about previewing videos, I also think there should be a set standard for morality that is understood by all. A PG-13 movie can still have an F-bomb in it. Some parents will still go crazy about it. The rules need to be exact.
Jill, I agree that everyone needs to preview what they are showing in class. Once the child has seen whatever was up on screen, it will spread like wildfire and be uncontrollable.. So, Be proactive and review the videos and such before showing.. Great Post!!:))
Youtube used to be blocked for all WV schools, however, now going through your webtop account you can access Youtube. I love using Youtube in the classroom. Lots of good stuff on there.
We have an approved website list that is posted in our classroom, as well as the computer lab. We take time in the beginning of the year to send home an AUP and sign them as employees and students. We also have a big discussion about copyrights and acceptable usage on the internet, although it is difficult to explain citing sources in the 3rd grade.
These issues are so important in the school. If this isn't treayted seriously with the students PLUS treachers then it is a liability within the school. I have seen teacher's lose their jobs because of the copyright issues. If you want to keep your identity, please make sure the children know about the consequences.. As long as you have these forms in hand and you discuss consequences with the teacher's and students, and make a point to know they understand each form..
My current plan for student saftey is first the code of online conduct for my school system. After that,I try to explain the dangers that the internet. I try to stress to children that there are adults that do not like children. You would be surprised how many won't get that. They think the whole world loves them. After that, I try to impress on them that iternet theft is still theft. It still is an existing product even though it can't be seen.
While looking at things for this week's lesson, I found a great site for 3rd-5th grade. It is called a digital passport and it is free to use. Here is the link: https://www.digitalpassport.org/educator-registration
I'm not currently in a classroom, but when I go back to teaching I plan on being proactive with these issues. I feel it's important to discuss and model internet safety and copyright issues with the students. I will also have the students and parents read and sign an internet code of conduct that governs student behavior on the internet. In addition, I will closely monitor student activity on the internet by observing students during class hours and frequently check the history on the computers.
We have a special school wide homeroom period the first week of school devoted to school technology and appropriate usage. The wood county web site site contains some great resources that we encourage our teachers to use. We also copy these to our school web site. https://www.edline.net/pages/WCS/Resources/Safety/Online_Safety_for_Kids We schedule a follow session the beggining of the second semester and review. The english department covers the cso's that go with proper citing and plagarism.
Our county does do an Internet Cyber bullying Tech. Step to help students understand what cyber bullying is, and in 2nd grade. It is based on the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. I know it helped them realize that the kid they think they may be talking to may not be a kid at all but a grown-up. I really like how the Tech. Step lesson is design for younger students. The lesson it’s self helps students realize they should never give out personal information or where they may be going because a bad guy might be on the other side of the screen. In our classroom we talked about cyber safety for a long time at the beginning of the school year. We also talk about cyber bullying and how it can make others feel if you type something for everyone to read. Our class discusses that cyber bullying is a lot like regular bullying and how it hurts just as bad. Words are bullying just as much as hitting and kicking and all the other stuff they understand to be bullying. We revisit these topics throughout the year.
I think that is a great idea. the younger we start the more ingrained these things will become. The Tech Step is great. They are learning about technology safety as they are learning to use it.
If I were in the classroom I would come up with a form that answered some questions students might have about copyright laws. We would go over it and make sure everyone has a clear understanding of copyright laws.
When I substitute (mostly in middle school), we often go to the computer lab to work on various assignments left by the teacher. I closely monitor the students to make sure they are both safe and on-task. The U-shaped set-up of the room makes this relatively easy. Almost without exception, today’s students have more knowledge than the teachers about how to navigate the internet, override blocks, etc, so supervision is imperative. When I have my own French class, I will give students direction to helpful websites, continue to closely supervise, and enforce the Acceptable Use Policy required by the school. Regarding copyright issues, I would show the Cyberbee presentation (#1 in Session Five’s Activities) to my students. I like this presentation because it describes copyright issues in very simple terms that even young students can understand.
I agree that the setup of the classroom is important. Being able to see the screens is important to monitor the students. I agree with what another teacher said earlier "the more visible the screen the more responsible the student". Even with the teachings and policy signing students will still try to get away with things they are not suppose to. Monitoring is the best deterrent.
I plan to get out on Facebook, Youtube and possibly blog.... My biggest interest is in controlling who can see and post to the sites we are using. YouTube privacy settings seem to be working but the risk is that those with whom you share your link can blast it all over.
It looks smart to include safety considerations with more intention. I've experienced cyberbulling with my girls as they grew and I guess I've never thought to talk about it with the young adults I teach in college.... This I need to explore more. I think the tendency is to leave them on there own to get through the jungle. There are resources for help but I'd bet a lot is going on below the radar and the suffering in private.
I think you are exactly right. You may want to include a lesson or two on cyber bulling in you classes. More times than not suffering goes on without notice.
For me, awareness of copyright laws and plagiarism is the most important topic that needs to be addressed with students. I would like to start going over the AUP with each of my classes before they do any type of assignment on the computer and then have an open discussion about questions they have. I would also like to develop a lesson that goes along with this to give my students a better understanding of all of the safety issues with using technology.
We don't have a lot of issues with plagiarism because our teachers use the program turnitin while grading papers. Students who do plagiarize immediately receive a 0 on the paper and must redo the assignment to get a different grade. It doesn't take long for word to go around about the turnitin program.
Since our students are all virtual, we have a lot of built in mechanisms to keep the students safe. Chat and discussion is available in the platform but it is monitored closely. Online tutor sessions are recorded and any inappropriate behavior is reported.
I haven't taught for a few years, so let me sift through my foggy brain to remember how my school covered internet safety. I know that every homeroom sent home an AUP with each student at the beginning of the year. I'm 99% sure that few if any of the parents actually read it, though, before signing it along with the other stack of papers that they receive the first day of school. I personally tried to promote internet safety by closely monitoring the class while they completed the assignment and only approving certain websites for viewing. That being said, those little suckers could be sneaky! I like one idea in the article "A Web 2.0 Approach to Internet Safety:" periodically check the history (especially of those kids we suspect of misusage, I might add). If they know they are being checked up on, they'd be less likely to break the rules. I also love the idea of monitoring systems since there is one of us and 20 or 25 of them. We could use all the help we can get!
I think plagiarism is a MAJOR issue facing teachers today. Kids need to be taught what it is and why it's wrong. They don't see it as stealing or cheating. When I go back to teaching I plan on devoting a good chunk of the first six weeks to internet safety and copyright issues since it's something they'll need to understand for the rest of their school years, not to mention their entire lives.
Very good point, sometimes our students can gather information so easily, they forget it is not thiers. I think every school should have a positive student behavior program to promote DOING THE RIGHT THING.
I think our school does a decent job of teaching internet safety/responisbility and copyright issues. We, like all schools, have an AUP that we send home with our students at the beginning of the year. Parents must sign this in order for their child to use the internet. Also, we run each student through a 1 hour tutorial of their rights and responsibilities (essentially the rules of what they can and can't do on the internet) using the internet the first week of school. On top of that every 7th and 8th grader takes a LINKS course (WV state program) which has 2 units that apply to the issues at hand. One is all about internet safety, cyber bullying, proper use of social media, internet etiquette, etc. The other is all about copyrighting, plagirism, and how to cite sources from the internet.
Although we do all of the above in our school, we still have issues with student plagirism (this seems to be an issue every school in world is dealing with being that so much is available online today), as well as teachers and students illegally using images, videos, and text without owner permission.
Like I've said before in a previous session, every school in America should teach a Technology program and it should start in Elmentary school. Use of technology, especially web based, is a pertinent, relevant subject that should be given as much a priority as other core content based subjects.
We had a student plagiarise their plagiarsm paper- pretty classy. Students are very good on computers and know how to get around blocked sites. They don't think teachers will check to see if they copy/pasted their report, so it is imperitive that we do. Our students sign a contract before they are allowed on the computers of what is expected and what is against policy. If they break the policy they are banned from use of computers and have to do their work the old-fashioned way, books and paper.
I think implementing a plan for internet safety has to be continuous. I don't think a teacher can address the issue once and expect students to follow the rules all the time, they're kids! I am constantly telling students to stop playing games and get back on the websites I have given them to complete the assignment. Just like with any other rule, students have to be continually trained. We talk about cyber bullying a lot in my classes when it is appropriate and what to do if there is an issue. Students need to be aware that they always have options.
This is a topic that has began to be on the rise as more and more students have access to social media sites which have progressivly gained popularity over the years. It has also caused more and more firewall sites to emerge which allow students access to the many blocked sites that the counties and state deptartment block on a regular basis.
At the begining of each school year, we always require every studen and staff member to sign an acceptable use policy and have that on file in order for that individual to begin to have access to any school device. These rules outlined in the policy are gone over with staff at the beginning of the year prior to students arriving and with students before they are allowed on any device. It is always encouraged for teachers to remind students of the copyright rules and laws prior to any research assignment being conducted.
We also require that each student complete a Tech Steps lesson on Cyber Bullying at the beginning of the year for their grade level.
Safety and internet responsibility has got to be a continuous topic for students to begin to demonstrate acceptable behavior more often. I agree with everyone that says the techSteps lessons on Cyber-Safety is fantastic for bringing this issue to a conscious level for students. Tech Open House is a great way to bring this information to parents and guardians. I do believe there should be an planned method to make these issues consistently addressed across the entire educational community.
I would instruct on copyright legal implications, instruct on citing works used for projects and writing in their own words from these sources. It is essential that students learn to respect other people’s intellectual property and personal “cyberspace”. I would use instructional tools like the one attached below as a start.
I would develop a lesson plan on cyberbullying as well. If students are not taught from a young age on how inappropriate bullying is, severe consequences can occur. Example: There is an active case in Tennessee now of a father, daughter and boyfriend perpetrating cyber/physical bullying associated with Facebook. The daughter was defriended by a rival girl and apparently the daughter convinced the father and the boyfriend to go and kill the girl along with another family member. She allegedly had a history of raising cane on county officials for blocking her from county governance forums for belligerence and physical threats. Again, our parents and educators need to start early.
Online safety is a concern for everyone, students, teachers and parents, so should be addressed at the beginning of each year. This includes continuing education for teachers at the beginning of the school year about online safety, cyber bullying, and classroom monitoring. Students should have a memorandum of understanding which is presented and explained. It should include information about online safety, privacy, personal responsibility and cyber bullying. This should include not just computers but cell phones and any other electronic they could used to communicate with others. After they have completed the class they should sign the document. Even very young students should be instructed in these areas. Finally, parents need to receive the same document for their signature, and during a parents night or PTA a presentation should be offered covering the same areas of concern.
I would be teaching for the first two weeks of school on these subjects: internet safety, cyber bulling, and copyright laws.I would make sure every student understood the importance of being safe on the internet. I would use some of the sites mentioned like the LINKS site to help teach these things. I also would reinforce these during the year every time we start a project that deals with the internet or even one that the students have to use references.I would remind them of what was on the policy they signed. As I said in my lesson plan I believe that there needs to be a day set aside for parents to come to the school and hear the same instructions the students do on internet safety, cyber bulling, and copyright laws. At that time they can sign the policy that the students are required to sign and then we will know that it isn't signed without being read. These are such important issues that they really need to be dealt with in a way that both parents and students realize the importance of them. We can't just send a paper home for the parents to sign and expect that it has been read. Unless we stress the importance of these things the parents will not either. They will pass it off as just another paper to sign.
I don't have a classroom so I don't have a current plan. But from reading through this session and discussions I have learned quite a few things. One, you have to make sure you that the rules are gone over regularly throughout the year. Two, the teacher needs to really emphasis how to cite properly and use info off of websites properly. Three, the teacher needs to vigilant about watching what the kids are doing. This lesson has really been eye opening for me. Some of the things some teachers have gone through are things I would never have thought to set up rules for. I've really enjoyed this session.
Because my students are interns, they are considered quasi-employees (aka volunteers). We spend about 2 hours at the beginning of the year discussing appropriate use of the Internet. These same students are also charged with helping enforce the AUP as they work in classrooms. They will basically tell either the teacher or myself what they see so we can take care of it. As the technology specialist in the building, I use ABTutor and its policies to monitor for key words so that I can monitor student activity on the network. I also have particular websites blocked by ABTutor. I like this program because even if I'm not at my PC, it will warn students on their PC and send me a message. I can then deal with things as necessary.
I'm not sure my school spends as much time on teaching internet safety and such at all. But, after reading all these articles and everyone's post, it really emphasizes how important it is to spend some time on this subject with the students AND the parents. I will definitely incorporate this into my parent orientation even more next year.
For a teacher it is important to make copyright law and privacy a priority. At the beginning of the school year, I think the school should send a publication consent form home to parents regarding their children. This publication should explain privacy issues. Another great way for students to learn about copyright issues is to have a lesson on it. An easy lesson is by pulling up images and discussing which images are safe to use to avoid copyright issues.
ReplyDeleteIt is not only important to teach our students but I think we need to have a refresher every year for our teachers. Not everything falls under "fair use". I know I spent many years as a Librarian trying to tell our teachers about what they can and cannot do. Teachers have to set a good example for the students. I also think it is important that we talk about copyright with our College students who are in the Education program or are doing Student Teaching.
DeleteI think I need a refresher course on citing sources! I know I would benefit from it!
DeleteSara,
DeleteThis would be a great idea!!!We all need to have these forms prepared and in a file, just in case an issue would occur..
Students learn from their teacher's and they will sneak and go on the computer sites without them knowing.. It happens all the time, however, if you have your file where the child signed it, you can go back and remind the student of the rules and that they did signed the form..
We sent an Internet usage policy home at the begin of every year for parents to read and sign before their child can even get on a computer.
DeleteEvery school employee and student is required to sign an Acceptable Use Policy each year. I send this home for the students to discuss with their parents; however I make the rules clear at school as well. I also tell the students that they can lose this privilege at any time in the year. In elementary, we speak briefly about copyright. We speak enough on it that they are aware that it is not acceptable. Also, now that teachers are able to get onto YouTube through their Web Top, I STRONLY encourage them to preview first before showing on the screen.
ReplyDeleteYou are right! We still need to preview the videos we use from YouTube. The last thing we want is that "word" or "picture" showing up unexpectedly and that being the only thing the kids remember from the whole lesson! Just my luck, that would be the time the Principal would be coming in to observe me! Haha.
DeleteYoutube is blocked at our school! I kind of hate it because I feel that as long as we preview it all it could be a great source and tool!
DeleteWhen we talk about previewing videos, I also think there should be a set standard for morality that is understood by all. A PG-13 movie can still have an F-bomb in it. Some parents will still go crazy about it. The rules need to be exact.
DeleteJill,
DeleteI agree that everyone needs to preview what they are showing in class. Once the child has seen whatever was up on screen, it will spread like wildfire and be uncontrollable.. So, Be proactive and review the videos and such before showing..
Great Post!!:))
Youtube used to be blocked for all WV schools, however, now going through your webtop account you can access Youtube. I love using Youtube in the classroom. Lots of good stuff on there.
DeleteWe have an approved website list that is posted in our classroom, as well as the computer lab. We take time in the beginning of the year to send home an AUP and sign them as employees and students. We also have a big discussion about copyrights and acceptable usage on the internet, although it is difficult to explain citing sources in the 3rd grade.
ReplyDeleteThese issues are so important in the school. If this isn't treayted seriously with the students PLUS treachers then it is a liability within the school. I have seen teacher's lose their jobs because of the copyright issues. If you want to keep your identity, please make sure the children know about the consequences.. As long as you have these forms in hand and you discuss consequences with the teacher's and students, and make a point to know they understand each form..
ReplyDeleteMy current plan for student saftey is first the code of online conduct for my school system. After that,I try to explain the dangers that the internet. I try to stress to children that there are adults that do not like children. You would be surprised how many won't get that. They think the whole world loves them.
ReplyDeleteAfter that, I try to impress on them that iternet theft is still theft. It still is an existing product even though it can't be seen.
While looking at things for this week's lesson, I found a great site for 3rd-5th grade. It is called a digital passport and it is free to use. Here is the link: https://www.digitalpassport.org/educator-registration
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tip! I just went to the site, and it looks great.
DeleteI'm not currently in a classroom, but when I go back to teaching I plan on being proactive with these issues. I feel it's important to discuss and model internet safety and copyright issues with the students. I will also have the students and parents read and sign an internet code of conduct that governs student behavior on the internet. In addition, I will closely monitor student activity on the internet by observing students during class hours and frequently check the history on the computers.
ReplyDeleteWe have a special school wide homeroom period the first week of school devoted to school technology and appropriate usage. The wood county web site site contains some great resources that we encourage our teachers to use. We also copy these to our school web site.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.edline.net/pages/WCS/Resources/Safety/Online_Safety_for_Kids
We schedule a follow session the beggining of the second semester and review. The english department covers the cso's that go with proper citing and plagarism.
That is cool, is it just for your elementary schools, or middle and high as well?
DeleteMiddle and High as well.
DeleteThis is a great idea to cover the policies throughout the year.
DeleteRandy, It would be a great idea to invite parents to this as well so they can be just as informed about these things as the students are.
DeleteOur county does do an Internet Cyber bullying Tech. Step to help students understand what cyber bullying is, and in 2nd grade. It is based on the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. I know it helped them realize that the kid they think they may be talking to may not be a kid at all but a grown-up. I really like how the Tech. Step lesson is design for younger students. The lesson it’s self helps students realize they should never give out personal information or where they may be going because a bad guy might be on the other side of the screen. In our classroom we talked about cyber safety for a long time at the beginning of the school year. We also talk about cyber bullying and how it can make others feel if you type something for everyone to read. Our class discusses that cyber bullying is a lot like regular bullying and how it hurts just as bad. Words are bullying just as much as hitting and kicking and all the other stuff they understand to be bullying. We revisit these topics throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a great idea. the younger we start the more ingrained these things will become. The Tech Step is great. They are learning about technology safety as they are learning to use it.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIf I were in the classroom I would come up with a form that answered some questions students might have about copyright laws. We would go over it and make sure everyone has a clear understanding of copyright laws.
ReplyDeleteWhen I substitute (mostly in middle school), we often go to the computer lab to work on various assignments left by the teacher. I closely monitor the students to make sure they are both safe and on-task. The U-shaped set-up of the room makes this relatively easy. Almost without exception, today’s students have more knowledge than the teachers about how to navigate the internet, override blocks, etc, so supervision is imperative. When I have my own French class, I will give students direction to helpful websites, continue to closely supervise, and enforce the Acceptable Use Policy required by the school. Regarding copyright issues, I would show the Cyberbee presentation (#1 in Session Five’s Activities) to my students. I like this presentation because it describes copyright issues in very simple terms that even young students can understand.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the setup of the classroom is important. Being able to see the screens is important to monitor the students. I agree with what another teacher said earlier "the more visible the screen the more responsible the student". Even with the teachings and policy signing students will still try to get away with things they are not suppose to. Monitoring is the best deterrent.
DeleteI plan to get out on Facebook, Youtube and possibly blog.... My biggest interest is in controlling who can see and post to the sites we are using. YouTube privacy settings seem to be working but the risk is that those with whom you share your link can blast it all over.
ReplyDeleteIt looks smart to include safety considerations with more intention. I've experienced cyberbulling with my girls as they grew and I guess I've never thought to talk about it with the young adults I teach in college.... This I need to explore more. I think the tendency is to leave them on there own to get through the jungle. There are resources for help but I'd bet a lot is going on below the radar and the suffering in private.
humm.
I think you are exactly right. You may want to include a lesson or two on cyber bulling in you classes. More times than not suffering goes on without notice.
DeleteFor me, awareness of copyright laws and plagiarism is the most important topic that needs to be addressed with students. I would like to start going over the AUP with each of my classes before they do any type of assignment on the computer and then have an open discussion about questions they have. I would also like to develop a lesson that goes along with this to give my students a better understanding of all of the safety issues with using technology.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a lot of issues with plagiarism because our teachers use the program turnitin while grading papers. Students who do plagiarize immediately receive a 0 on the paper and must redo the assignment to get a different grade. It doesn't take long for word to go around about the turnitin program.
ReplyDeleteSince our students are all virtual, we have a lot of built in mechanisms to keep the students safe. Chat and discussion is available in the platform but it is monitored closely. Online tutor sessions are recorded and any inappropriate behavior is reported.
I haven't taught for a few years, so let me sift through my foggy brain to remember how my school covered internet safety. I know that every homeroom sent home an AUP with each student at the beginning of the year. I'm 99% sure that few if any of the parents actually read it, though, before signing it along with the other stack of papers that they receive the first day of school. I personally tried to promote internet safety by closely monitoring the class while they completed the assignment and only approving certain websites for viewing. That being said, those little suckers could be sneaky! I like one idea in the article "A Web 2.0 Approach to Internet Safety:" periodically check the history (especially of those kids we suspect of misusage, I might add). If they know they are being checked up on, they'd be less likely to break the rules. I also love the idea of monitoring systems since there is one of us and 20 or 25 of them. We could use all the help we can get!
ReplyDeleteI think plagiarism is a MAJOR issue facing teachers today. Kids need to be taught what it is and why it's wrong. They don't see it as stealing or cheating. When I go back to teaching I plan on devoting a good chunk of the first six weeks to internet safety and copyright issues since it's something they'll need to understand for the rest of their school years, not to mention their entire lives.
Very good point, sometimes our students can gather information so easily, they forget it is not thiers. I think every school should have a positive student behavior program to promote DOING THE RIGHT THING.
DeleteI think our school does a decent job of teaching internet safety/responisbility and copyright issues. We, like all schools, have an AUP that we send home with our students at the beginning of the year. Parents must sign this in order for their child to use the internet. Also, we run each student through a 1 hour tutorial of their rights and responsibilities (essentially the rules of what they can and can't do on the internet) using the internet the first week of school. On top of that every 7th and 8th grader takes a LINKS course (WV state program) which has 2 units that apply to the issues at hand. One is all about internet safety, cyber bullying, proper use of social media, internet etiquette, etc. The other is all about copyrighting, plagirism, and how to cite sources from the internet.
ReplyDeleteAlthough we do all of the above in our school, we still have issues with student plagirism (this seems to be an issue every school in world is dealing with being that so much is available online today), as well as teachers and students illegally using images, videos, and text without owner permission.
Like I've said before in a previous session, every school in America should teach a Technology program and it should start in Elmentary school. Use of technology, especially web based, is a pertinent, relevant subject that should be given as much a priority as other core content based subjects.
We had a student plagiarise their plagiarsm paper- pretty classy. Students are very good on computers and know how to get around blocked sites. They don't think teachers will check to see if they copy/pasted their report, so it is imperitive that we do. Our students sign a contract before they are allowed on the computers of what is expected and what is against policy. If they break the policy they are banned from use of computers and have to do their work the old-fashioned way, books and paper.
ReplyDeleteI think implementing a plan for internet safety has to be continuous. I don't think a teacher can address the issue once and expect students to follow the rules all the time, they're kids! I am constantly telling students to stop playing games and get back on the websites I have given them to complete the assignment. Just like with any other rule, students have to be continually trained. We talk about cyber bullying a lot in my classes when it is appropriate and what to do if there is an issue. Students need to be aware that they always have options.
ReplyDeleteThis is a topic that has began to be on the rise as more and more students have access to social media sites which have progressivly gained popularity over the years. It has also caused more and more firewall sites to emerge which allow students access to the many blocked sites that the counties and state deptartment block on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteAt the begining of each school year, we always require every studen and staff member to sign an acceptable use policy and have that on file in order for that individual to begin to have access to any school device. These rules outlined in the policy are gone over with staff at the beginning of the year prior to students arriving and with students before they are allowed on any device. It is always encouraged for teachers to remind students of the copyright rules and laws prior to any research assignment being conducted.
We also require that each student complete a Tech Steps lesson on Cyber Bullying at the beginning of the year for their grade level.
Safety and internet responsibility has got to be a continuous topic for students to begin to demonstrate acceptable behavior more often. I agree with everyone that says the techSteps lessons on Cyber-Safety is fantastic for bringing this issue to a conscious level for students. Tech Open House is a great way to bring this information to parents and guardians. I do believe there should be an planned method to make these issues consistently addressed across the entire educational community.
ReplyDeleteI would instruct on copyright legal implications, instruct on citing works used for projects and writing in their own words from these sources. It is essential that students learn to respect other people’s intellectual property and personal “cyberspace”. I would use instructional tools like the one attached below as a start.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.techlearning.com/techlearning/pdf/events/techforum/tx05/TeacherCopyright_chart.pdf
I would develop a lesson plan on cyberbullying as well. If students are not taught from a young age on how inappropriate bullying is, severe consequences can occur. Example: There is an active case in Tennessee now of a father, daughter and boyfriend perpetrating cyber/physical bullying associated with Facebook. The daughter was defriended by a rival girl and apparently the daughter convinced the father and the boyfriend to go and kill the girl along with another family member. She allegedly had a history of raising cane on county officials for blocking her from county governance forums for belligerence and physical threats. Again, our parents and educators need to start early.
Online safety is a concern for everyone, students, teachers and parents, so should be addressed at the beginning of each year. This includes continuing education for teachers at the beginning of the school year about online safety, cyber bullying, and classroom monitoring. Students should have a memorandum of understanding which is presented and explained. It should include information about online safety, privacy, personal responsibility and cyber bullying. This should include not just computers but cell phones and any other electronic they could used to communicate with others. After they have completed the class they should sign the document. Even very young students should be instructed in these areas. Finally, parents need to receive the same document for their signature, and during a parents night or PTA a presentation should be offered covering the same areas of concern.
ReplyDeleteI would be teaching for the first two weeks of school on these subjects: internet safety, cyber bulling, and copyright laws.I would make sure every student understood the importance of being safe on the internet. I would use some of the sites mentioned like the LINKS site to help teach these things. I also would reinforce these during the year every time we start a project that deals with the internet or even one that the students have to use references.I would remind them of what was on the policy they signed.
ReplyDeleteAs I said in my lesson plan I believe that there needs to be a day set aside for parents to come to the school and hear the same instructions the students do on internet safety, cyber bulling, and copyright laws. At that time they can sign the policy that the students are required to sign and then we will know that it isn't signed without being read.
These are such important issues that they really need to be dealt with in a way that both parents and students realize the importance of them. We can't just send a paper home for the parents to sign and expect that it has been read. Unless we stress the importance of these things the parents will not either. They will pass it off as just another paper to sign.
I don't have a classroom so I don't have a current plan. But from reading through this session and discussions I have learned quite a few things. One, you have to make sure you that the rules are gone over regularly throughout the year. Two, the teacher needs to really emphasis how to cite properly and use info off of websites properly. Three, the teacher needs to vigilant about watching what the kids are doing.
ReplyDeleteThis lesson has really been eye opening for me. Some of the things some teachers have gone through are things I would never have thought to set up rules for. I've really enjoyed this session.
Because my students are interns, they are considered quasi-employees (aka volunteers). We spend about 2 hours at the beginning of the year discussing appropriate use of the Internet. These same students are also charged with helping enforce the AUP as they work in classrooms. They will basically tell either the teacher or myself what they see so we can take care of it.
ReplyDeleteAs the technology specialist in the building, I use ABTutor and its policies to monitor for key words so that I can monitor student activity on the network. I also have particular websites blocked by ABTutor. I like this program because even if I'm not at my PC, it will warn students on their PC and send me a message. I can then deal with things as necessary.
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DeleteI'm not sure my school spends as much time on teaching internet safety and such at all. But, after reading all these articles and everyone's post, it really emphasizes how important it is to spend some time on this subject with the students AND the parents. I will definitely incorporate this into my parent orientation even more next year.
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