The reason students should not be accessing MySpace and the like from
schools is that is not an educational activity. Internet use in school
should be for educational purposes. Further there are some liability risks -
like cyberbullying. But schools really ought to have monitored social
networking environments for educational activities.
I have had a librarian tell me that she used to have teachers come to her to
bypass the filter to get to sites that were inappropriately blocked. But
they are not doing this any more. She thinks this is not because the
filtering has improved, but that the teachers also have figured out how to
bypass the filter. Hmm. I had someone else tell me that his son has set up a
proxy on their home computer that the *teachers* and students use to bypass
the filter to get to sites needed for educational activities (probably not
the only reason).
So here is the issue for you to consider: A teacher has worked on a lesson
the night before and comes to school early in the morning, checks her
lesson, finds she can't access a site or two, it is now 7:45 and her class
comes in at 8:00. Do you have procedures set up so that by 8:00 this teacher
can access the site she needs for her lesson?
If this would not be possible, then changes need to be made. And do not tell
me - or let your tech director tell you - that this would be a violation of
CIPA. The only reason CIPA was upheld as constitutional was the finding that
filters could be rapidly and easily overridden to provide access to
inappropriately blocked sites.
I am making this point really clear in the PPT for schools I am working on
addressing effective Internet use management in a Web 2.0 world.
Nancy
--
Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D.
Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use
http://csriu.org
http://cyberbully.org
http://cyber-safe-kids.com
nwillard@csriu.org
Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats: Responding to the Challenge of Online Social
Aggression, Threats, and Distress (Research Press)
Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens: Helping Young People Learn to Use the
Internet Safely and Responsibly (Jossey-Bass)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
* LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
* LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
* EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/
* LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
* LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home