In my personal opinion, I believe that it is more unethical to allow threats to students and schools than to deny students and teachers to some instructionally relevant web-based tools and content. In my personal experiences in schools through interning and volunteering, although there are definately many sites that are blocked from students and teachers to access, I have found that there are still plenty of accessable sites that can be used. Students are allowed access to search engines such as Yahoo! and Google where they can do research, they are able to access many educational sites to enrich learning through videos and games such as BrainPop! (http://www.brainpop.com/) and GameQuarium (http://www.gamequarium.com/) and relevant sites on just about any educational topic from sites such as Discovery Channel / Discover Kids. I feel that through the use of these available sites, students will be able to complete just about any educational activity, and allowing them to access sites such as social networking and blogging sites can be completed at home with adult supervision as homework or an at home component of an in school individual or group project.
I do believe that blocking sites such as facebook and myspace as well as other social networking sites that hold no educational value is perfectly reasonable. Also, although students can find some very useful information through the use of blogs, we must realize that blogs are not really monitored, and by allowing students access to blog pages, students may come across false and/or irrelevant statements, vulgar language or images. As teachers it is impossible for us to stand over ever students shoulder at one time and moniter their use of these sites.
Another important issue is computer safety. Although we install antivirus software on our computers, students may accidentally disable the protection and open the computer up to these risks. By allowing students to access sites that are not secure we are possibly putting our computers, as well as student information on these computers at risk to viruses or hackers. As mentioned in our text, Teachers Discovering Computers, "Schools and school districts have a legal and moral responsibility to protect sensitive information, whether it is in printed form or stored electronically on school computers". By allowing students to access certain sites that may not be approved by personal, we may be putting this stored information in jeopardy of being stolen by hackers such as student login information, grades or saved work.
However, Mary Beth Hertz makes a very good point in her suggestion: "My suggestion is to contact whoever is in charge of filtering and give them concrete examples of how these tools are being used in the classroom" (Hertz, M.B.) As teachers, I do think that if we do find the need to use any of these specific blocked sites in our classroom, as long as we have a clear and concrete reason why these sites would be educationally useful and relevant in the classroom, we should be able to prove our case to administration to have the site temporarily unblocked for use.
Hertz, M.B.
Megan,
ReplyDeleteI understand your conviction, and to a great degree I agree. But, in doing research for a lesson plan I found this fantastic video clip on YouTube that is a)educational, b)highly interactive and c) completly blocked from all school servers. While I understand that students don't need access to everything... or even to YouTube (outside the access they already have on their phones), I as an educator could really use this site. Why then am I not allowed to use it, if I have a long on and a password to get me into my computer? Why am I blocked from using material when the school can clearly tell it is I signing on not a student? And when my activities can be monitored and followed?
While there is a need to restric some sites from students, why are teachers painted with the same brush and restricted from sites that have plenty of educational value that we are going to preview prior to showing our students.
Alex S.
Megan,
ReplyDeleteI think your idea about teachers making a case for the use of typically banned sites and resources is an interesting one. Perhaps if there was a way to provide access codes to break the barrier when a site's use is permitted, teachers could utilize these resources when deemed necessary.
In many respects, I also see your point regarding the value of educational censorship when it comes to the safety of our students. There are a plethora of resources available and unblocked to teachers with more tools any teacher can even dream of using in her classroom. Before complaining about a video you can't get through a specific website for your class, make sure all available resources have been tapped, also.
Alyssa
Megan,
ReplyDeleteI also believe that block sites such as Facebook and Myspace is perfectly reasonable because what do students really need to be doing on them while in school. It could create more disruption and less learning with those sites. While we cannot monitor the students at all times, we should have some knowledge on what are students are doing if they are creating or posting blogs. I do see how they may have the vulgar language and irrelevant statements that may not pertain to that students learning. If they do blog, it should be within guidelines of the teacher to make sure of safety and content.
Viruses are everywhere there websites. The last thing an educator needs is the students wondering off into a site that could have a virus or that someone could easily be hacked into. I would use the resources and websites that are available the computer and if I really needed something to be unblocked for learning purposes, I would be careful and ask the right personal at the school.
Your posting is well written and you seem passionate about your convictions. However, how are we serving our students by simply blocking them from these sites? What happens when they go home or elsewhere and there are no protections on their computer? Isn't it more responsible to teach students proper use of the internet than to block them? Students would be safer if they knew what to avoid and how to avoid it. Plus the blocking programs aren't perfect. Sometimes they block harmless, useful content, but they may also miss harmful content.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there isn't necessarily a need to watch over every student's shoulder. There are various programs out there now that allow a teacher to check on their students from the teacher's computer. This would eliminate the possibility of students hiding what they were really doing since they never know when you're checking on them.