Ever since starting my Web 2.0 journey, I just seem to get more and more excited after learning about each new tool. However, that excitement is soon tempered by the nagging question of how to keep my students safe. When I wanted to use VoiceThread in my classroom, I had to go to my district administrators and convince them that this site is safe and that I would help keep it that way. But how do I keep that promise? What happens if my students use these tools inappropriately? After much thought I came to the conclusion that this is not much different than most classroom management issues and the answer is to be proactive and educate my students on the correct ways to conduct themselves.
To teach these lessons, I went to the internet and tried to find some resources. I came across a wonderful wiki run by ISTE and dedicated to the implementation of the NET-S Standards. It had a great section on Digital Citizenship with resources that could be used in the classroom (along with great implementation strategies for all of the NET-S Standards!).
The first website I saw was iKeepSafeKids. This site had some nice resources and used a cute mascot call Faux Paw the Techno Cat. There were a couple of games, some printable coloring pages, and a nice animated video that I think my students would enjoy.
The second site shared was NetSmartz Kids. I have used this before in my classroom, and the kids LOVED it! One thing I really like about this site is the disclaimer that pops up right in the beginning that tells parents and educators that in order to keep the site safe for kids, at no point is there links to outside web pages. My student’s favorite parts were the raps about internet safety. After I played them, I could hear my students singing them all the time!
The last site was through PBS Kids and gave students the opportunity to get their Web License. I saw this as a nice culminating activity. There were questions about different parts of Digital Citizenship and Internet Safety that students could answer individually or whole group. The different sections could also be used as an overview using each section as a mini lesson. At the end students can print a “license” that acts almost like a contract because the students are asked to sign and could be posted near the computers as a reminder to students.
As a teacher, it is my responsibility to give my students the information they need to empower themselves to make good choices and act appropriately when using these wonderful Web 2.0 tools. I am hoping these great sites will help me do just that.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Blog #3-Safe Practices with Web 2.0
Posted by scurry at 2:36 PM
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3 comments:
Now - how do we get these topics to become part of the "norm" in every classroom? They can't be just something we discuss with students once every year.
I agree that as a teacer your jon is to give your students the resources to make them successful and give them the information on how to use the internet, web 2.0 sites and how to do it safely. It is important as an educator to grow and learn these new tools but also to continue to understand developments in safety as the internet is concerned
The power to change a group is within the group itself. In order to have students share a standard of online behavior it is imperitve to have them as major components of the conversation. When administrators develop and enforce policy on those that had no part in the development and enforcement of those policies, it undermines the efforts to get the group to change. Students are keenly aware of what is appropriate and not so involve them in saying what they see as the standard and work together in developing true change.
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