Nancy,
The filter which was put on our school's computer with,I might add, no
discussion, just blocked Grace D.C.'s "Ten Graces for a New Librarian."
Dangerous stuff, that.....
Gladys Furness
WEstport Central School
WEstport NY 121993
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy Willard" <nwillard@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2003 2:12 PM
Subject: Re: To Filter or Not to Filter -- warning long (and passioned)
> Date: Thu, 15 May 2003 20:48:35 -0500
> > From: sbrisco <sbrisco021@CHARTER.NET>
> > Subject: TARGET: To Filter or Not to Filter
> >=20
> > I just returned from a technology staff meeting (this was my first
> > invitation to attend the committee's meeting this year--new school).
The
> > issue that the technology committee has is with students who play games
o=
> n
> > the computers rather than using them for research (no, duh!).
> >=20
> > I witnessed adults arguing two extreme measures that ended up with us
not
> > solving any problems. The issues that we face are:
> >=20
> > * blocking all Internet access except educational (we choose what we
dee=
> m
> > as "educational"
> >=20
> > * blocking only the game sites, porn sites, purchase sites, etc., based
> > upon what "problems" we find along the way with students
> >=20
> > * eliminating the Explorer icon from the students' files, so they
cannot=
> go
> > onto the Internet without supervision
> >=20
> > * eliminating the address bar (URL) so that students cannot type in the
> > address of a site
> >=20
> > * using only online databases that we subscribe to and eliminating the
> > Internet for students
> >=20
> > Each seems somewhat unreasonable and I argued that with proper
instructio=
> n
> > of all students, a K-12 information literacy program which presents
stude=
> nts
> > with research techniques, guided practice and collaboration with
teachers=
> on
> > how to utilize Internet resources (including making online resource
pages
> > that teachers have their favorite websites available for student use),
an=
> d
> > the appropriate AUP with consequences we can limit some of the problems.
> > They argued that "it would take too much training of all individuals
> > involved." (So we let them wander around aimlessly searching for
> > information and drowning in junk and games?)
> <snip>
> > ~Shonda Brisco
> > Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
> > Fort Worth, TX
> > sbrisco021@charter.net
>
> Shonda, *You* appear to be the only one in the room who had a thinking
head
> on your shoulders. My congratulations, and commiserations.
>
> What your school is doing is what far too many schools are doing with
> respect to the use of filtering and other protective technologies.
Filterin=
> g
> has become the surrogate for the more important activities that are so
> incredibly important to help students learn to use the Internet in a safe
> and responsible manner and to ensure the effective educational use of the
> very expensive technology that has been put in place in schools.
>
> Any school that has to use filtering to stop student online game playing
is
> a school that clearly has:
>
> FAILED to place sufficient focus on the effective educational use of the
> Internet, by failing to provide for the professional development and
> curriculum development that is necessary to support such use; and
>
> FAILED to develop an effective Internet use policy that is
well-communicate=
> d
> to the staff and students and supported by effective supervision and
> appropriate discipline.
>
> Tell the students they cannot play games, supervise, catch some students
in
> the act, pull their accounts for a month, gaming problem should be solved.
> But this will not address the larger concerns about the effective
> educational use of the Internet.
>
> What happens in schools that fail to provide sufficient professional and
> curriculum development is that the Internet is used by students for
> "Internet Recess" -- excessive nonproductive use of the Internet on
> entertainment and popular culture sites.
>
> Now before anyone jumps on me, I know that creative teachers can use these
> entertainment and popular culture sites for very excellent instructional
> activities. I do not consider this to be Internet Recess. I also think it
i=
> s
> good to allow the students to explore the Internet on their own. I really
> like Art Wolensky's to allowing students to do this after they have
> completed their assignment, but requiring that the students keep a log of
> where thy have been and what they saw of interest.
>
> So what it appears your school is intending to do instead of addressing
the
> *real* issues in a responsible manner is to clamp down on Internet use so
> greatly that you will essentially negate all of the reasons for the
> investment in the first place.
>
> You are right. They are being irresponsible.
>
> There is a checklist on my site that districts or schools can use to
conduc=
> t
> a self-inventory of the actions that I believe are necessary to establish
a
> comprehensive approach to address issues of the safe and responsible use
of
> the Internet. This checklist is online at:
> http://responsiblenetizen.org/srui.html -- scan down the page to district
> checklist. As soon as I have the resources, I will be putting my entire
> book, Safe and Responsible Use of the Internet: A Guide for Educators
> online.=20
>
> "When we fall into the trap of believing or, more accurately, hoping that
> technology will solve all of our problems, we are actually abdicating =8A
> personal responsibility. =8A In our minds at least, technology is always
on
> the verge of liberating us from personal discipline and responsibility.
Onl=
> y
> it never does and never will. The more technology around us, the more the
> need for human touch." [Naisbitt, J., (1984) Megatrends: Ten new
directions
> transforming our lives.]
>
> Best of luck.=20
>
> Nancy
>
> Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D.
> =20
> Center for Advanced Technology in Education
> University of Oregon, College of Education
> E-mail: nwillard@oregon.uoregon.edu
> URL: http://netizen.uoregon.edu
>
> Responsible Netizen Institute
> URL:http://responsiblenetizen.org
>
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