As internet usage is becoming more and more prevalent in our schools, there is a going need to teach online etiquette and integrity. For older students these includes citing information that they find and use on project, giving credit for images that they take from websites and not taking ownership of work that is not their own. Younger students face their own set of challenges and it is more on the teacher's protective role side of things. Teachers have a certain amount of responsibility on their plates when it comes to what their students see online. When parents send their children to school their expect that their children will be shielded from what is inappropriate on the internet and it is the teacher's role to see to it that this is what happens.
I am happy to say that there are a number of child friendly search engines available; Ask Jeeves for kids and KidsClick!, are just a few. There are also ways of bookmarking all the websites that your class is allowed to visit and having your class simply pick from only that list. It is undeniable that technology has impact even the youngest of students. My preschoolers are proof. On the positive side, most children can use a mouse and navigate a flash website before the age of five. On the negative, many students are bored with more traditional mediums like books, and
reading seems to be taking a hit. However, as I look to the future I hope to see technology to bring things full circle. Maybe we will all have Smartboards in our classrooms, which we can use to "read" stories on and make them exciting for our kids.
No comments:
Post a Comment