HS-Internet Access Restriction

[Jackie <jcorriga@MINET.GOV.MB.CA>]

> My contention is
> >that if a student has a question that can be answered using the
> >internet, then the internet should be available, regardless of whether
> >the question is for an assignment or simply personal interest.  We
> >certainly have books, magazines and newspapers on topics of personal
> >interest: chess, rock stars, etc., and don't restrict their use to
> >assignments only.
>
    Are we talking about allowing students to use the Internet for
personal interest questions such as movie reviews, sports scores,
celebrity bios, hobbies?  Or are we talking about letting them "surf"
indiscriminately when they have a spare period? Are we talking about
supervised or unsupervised access? When I train students on the
Internet, I always stress that the reason we have the technology in the
school, is to support the curriculum.  I use the analogy that we have
TVs throughout the school, but we don't let the students watch talk
shows all day.  Given the tendency for so many students to waste time, I
feel it's important to really stress that they have a  reason for using
the Internet.  Having said that, I do allow students to use the Internet
for personal interest if a machine is free, but I discuss what they are
looking for, suggest sites and generally keep a close eye on them.  It
seems to me that many of "objectionable" sites we worry about are most
likely to come up when a student searches for information on a
celebrity.  Yes, the Internet is "just another tool", but it's a tool
like no other we've ever had.....which is why our jobs are soooo
interesting!

--
Jackie Corrigan, Library Technician
George Waters Middle School/St. James Collegiate Institute
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Mailto:jcorriga@mbnet.mb.ca

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