Discussion #5: Acceptable use policies and filtering software

Discuss the dangers associated with using the Internet and the strategies teachers can use to minimize risks. Also, discuss the effectiveness of internet filtering in schools and libraries.

Dangers—Although the Internet has many valuable uses for education, there are many dangers associated with using the Internet. Because the Internet itself is not regulated, students are in danger of being exposed to inappropriate and/or inaccurate material. Inappropriate material could be pornographic, slanderous, or even just too advanced. Inaccurate material is a real concern for educators and students, and careful steps should be made to ensure that content from a site is credible and accurate. Another concern is that students are often naïve, and may give away personal information that could by Internet predators. The ones listed above are only a few of the dangers of Internet use in education, and therefore strategies should be implemented to minimize these risks.

Strategies—The first strategy I would recommend is to educate students on Internet safety at a young age. I believe that schools should incorporate technology and Internet safety into their curriculum goals, starting in the early elementary grades. In my third grade class, we discuss ways to safely navigate the Internet, both at school and at home. We talk about using educational search engines that are age appropriate (such as FactMonster.com) and why using age appropriate sites is important.

Another strategy to minimize risk is to constantly monitor student activity on the Internet at school. When arranging my computer center for the year, I always make sure that I can view the monitor from my desk and from the front of the room. That way, at any moment, I can glance up to ascertain whether the students are on task. I also periodically check the Internet history so I have knowledge of what sites my students visit most often. I post a list of “approved sites,” such as funbrain.com, that they allowed to visit when they are awarded with computer free time.

Furthermore, a teacher should ensure that a student’s use of the Internet is designed for them. This can occur by designing individual and collaborative learning activities where Internet activity has a specific goal and objective associated with it, and Internet use is appropriately implemented. Even computer “free time” can have a goal attached to it by using Internet logs in the classroom. For example, next to my classroom computer center is a notebook with worksheets (created by Excel) inside. The worksheets include the following categories: date, name of student, website visited, what I learned, and new questions. This way the student is made responsible for appropriate use of the Internet.

Internet filtering—School systems have also implemented strategies to minimize risk of using the Internet, including Acceptable Use Policies and Internet filters. Although many teachers and students complain about Internet filters, the use of them is highly effective to minimize the dangers of using the Internet. Filters are effective in blocking students from accessing a lot of inappropriate Internet activity. Of course, not all dangers can be completely eliminated by using Internet filtering, therefore it is most important for teachers to educate their students on proper use and be aware of their students’ Internet activity.