Re: Student access to the Internet

["WILLIAM R. HANSON, WILLIAM ABERHART HIGH SCHOOL" <BHANSON@CBE.AB.CA>]

I notice our bi-monthly query about student access to Internet
has come up again.  Colleague Sally Laughon from Roanoke VA and I
just completed a presentation at the Tel-Ed conference in
Albuquerque NM.  What follows is the rough text of our speaking
notes.  For those looking for sources of acceptable use
agreements and information, note point 3.2 below.

Also, a couple of LMNetters mentioned the November Wilson Library
Bulletin as a source.  The article referred to was authored by my
students and myself and is available on the Wilson Gopher.
gopher.hwwilson.com
Bill
BHanson@cbe.ab.ca

Managing Chaos: Student Drivers on the Internet

Overhead Transparency and Handout Content

Issues:

1.   Should every student have an account?

     Bill - No (limited access and adolescent minds)
     Sally - Yes/No (classroom management/projects, purpose of
     the account)

2.   How to Handle Costs?

     Bill - doesn't have a budget, but has a unique situation.
     Sally - Dialog research is in the library budget
          -entire telecom budget is library responsibility
          -state network is free and a local call

3.   Should students have access to all the resources?

     Bill - Impossible to control.  If students can't find
     forbidden fruit on the local machine, they will find it on
     remote machines.
     Bill - Aberhart students read, understand and sign an Ethics
     Agreement.  Some reassurance, but no guarantee of
     responsible behaviour.  Ethics agreement emphasizes the
     seriousness of this business and covers my back.

     Sally - University system managers often limit students
     access.  At VA Tech, students lost alt.sex because they were
     tying up printers with graphic photos of questionable taste.
     System managers have their own newsgroup Judges-L, to
     discuss when to limit email and other postings.


3.1  Acceptable Use (Ethics) Agreements' Checklist

     -confirm student has read it and understands it
     -may or may not include parent permission
     -use of the Internet is a privilege, not a right
     -respect for limited network resources
     -proper account management (quotas)
     -nothing is really private
     -remain on distant systems only as long as you need to
     -adhere to time restrictions of archive sites
     -check for and adhere to copying and licensing agreements
     -lurk on a listserver or newsgroup before posting
     -insert your address at the bottom of messages
     -be careful with sarcasm and humour
     -learn the difference between a listserv's admin and
     discussion addresses
     -rarely reply to the list, opt for replying to the poster
     -never share your account with anyone
     -use a cryptic password
     -be alert for unsuccessful login attempts and last login
     flags

3.2  Ethics Agreement Sources   gopher to:

     ericir.syr.edu
          -> 17. Internet Guides and Directories/
               -> 1. Acceptable Use Policies/Agreements/

     riceinfo.rice.edu 1170
          -> 2. More About Armadillo and Other Gophers/
               -> 2. Acceptable and Unacceptable Use of Net
               Resources (K12)/

     inspire.ospi.wednet.edu
          -> 9. K-12 Acceptable Use Policies: Information and
          Samples/

     nic.merit.edu
          -> 4. Internet Documents/
               -> acceptable.use.policies/

4.   Are student accounts private?

     Bill - Yes because it emphasizes trust and responsibility
     and I don't have the time to monitor students accounts.
     Others schools do monitor student accounts even if it is
     only an implicit threat.

     Sally - Makes sure the students know that sysops all along
     the line read whatever they want.  Note random sniffer
     programs that randomly display network activity for sysops.

5.   Student Hackers

     Bill - we've had some experience...
     -Zero tolerance with automatic suspension from school.
     -Stealing passwords most common problem
     -Teachers' Password Deficit Disorder

5.1  Watchfor Hackers Checklist

     -.gif files
     -.yg files (young generation code word for Asian youth
     gangs)
     -.bot files (robot programs that harass users)
     -indexes to illegal software
     -IRC MUDS and MOOS - not a problem themselves, but provide a
     venue for students to loiter and can be a source for hacker
     information.
     -#WAREZ IRC Channel (hackers and pirates palace)
     -multiple simultaneous logins
     -correspondence with help@anon.penet.fi
          -U of Finland provides anonymous id for posting to
          controversial services or harassing other users.
     -wiretap.spies.com and others
          -source of dangerous files such as Terrorists Handbook,
          School Stoppers Guide and Creative Chaos.

6.   Training Students

7.   What Information Processing Skills Can Students' Learn?

     -If it is on the Net is it true?
     -Balance of local and distant resources
     -Original Sources Propaganda?

8.   Classroom Management

9.   Gender Bias

     -Not an issue to students, even females
     -Is an issue to evangelists, reactionaries and researchers