Internet 101

Practice Makes Perfect

Schools want students to be tech-savvy, 21st century learners. State and Federal money is being used to update and add technology in classrooms. But what happens when our students are home? It's all about raising awareness and making safe internet use a habit. Parents can help teachers by teaching their kids how to properly use the internet and avoid dangers. Here are some tips:

Know what your kids are doing
This doesn't mean look at the site they're looking at and walk away. There are many shortcuts that allow people to quickly change what they're seeing. There are web bots that allow people to disguise their internet use. Becoming a parent that is web-savvy will not only help you conduct your own businesses online but know what your child(ren) are doing. Remember, knowing is half the battle.

Sit down and talk
An old-fashioned, face-to-face conversation about proper internet use and your expectations on how they use it might just do the trick. You're letting your kids run off into the Wild West of the 21st Century. Let them know how you feel and what you expect of them before it happens.

Set restrictions
We don't let our kids spend as much money as they want, eat as much candy as they want, or stay out all night. The internet should be treated the same way. Let them know when they can use it. Setting times will not only give the parents peace but the kids will appreciate it more.

Security
Invest in programs that protect your computer from harmful programs (i.e. viruses). You can basically put a "LoJack" on your kids internet adventures to see what they're doing when you can't supervise them in person. You can also create an account just for them. This will limit the content they have access to and even set times when they can log on.

21st Century Classroom

The 21st Century Classroom is a beautiful place.

It is a "green" approach because it makes the classroom as-paperless as possible
Students are using devices and tools that they are familiar with and enjoy using
The teacher is more organized (less clutter)
Information is just a click away
It's so much fun!

Let's Get Factual

My Feelings

We can't monitor every second our students spend on the internet but that's where professionalism, proper implementation, and supervision come into play. Don't forget common sense. There is no perfect system but that doesn't mean we shouldn't restrict the use of social media in the classroom. We also shouldn't allow too much freedom. We're going to learn as we go and find better solutions, but it's our job as educators to model proper use and advise. Todays technology is going to lead to something new, and we're going to have to make adjustments again. Social media and everything else internet access has to offer has had such a positive impact on education. We should celebrate the many achievements of humankind and not let the bad overshadow the good.

The Good & Bad of Social Media in the Classroom

Who doesn't love sharing an accomplishment? A picture is worth a thousand words and both students and teachers alike love taking and posting pictures to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and so on. They also enjoy commenting and sharing their thoughts. This, however, opens a door into a world of unpredictable outcomes. Proper implementation and supervision will ensure appropriate use of social media in the classroom. It connects students with students from distant places which gives them an opportunity to learn about different cultures. Social media also creates a learning network where we can constantly learn from each other. Teacher feedback is faster and communication is taken to another level.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/guidebook-social-media-in-classroom-vicki-davis

On the other hand, there are many individuals who oppose social media in the classroom. It can be a distraction, lead to cyberbullying, and is difficult to monitor every single post. Students are coming to school equipped with smartphones that have HD cameras and voice recording.

These devices allow students to access social media sites and post items instantly, whether it's related to learning or not. This means everyone in the school is a potential victim of unwanted recordings going viral. Students may also be participating in unsafe disclosure of personal information and communicating with dangerous individuals.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/issues/issues423.shtml

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2012/01/19/pros-and-cons-of-social-media-in-the-classroom.aspx

Prelude

Today's society has access to almost anything via the web but potential dangers lurk every time you click a link. We can share information effortlessly, however, there are strings attached.

YOUR INFORMATION IS ALWAYS AT RISK!

We are opening doors to our personal information every time we make a post, visit a site, register for a site, and install an app.

Technology has revolutionized education and has endless potential, but we need to be careful. We must protect our students. Our students are fast learners and becoming proficient users of technology but still need guidelines and supervision. They also need to understand that their personal information is valuable and must be guarded. The following video shows an example of how our information is obtained and used.

References