In brief, the attached article introduces the reader to a high school in Maine which issued laptops to all of its students, and accounts of how they were misused during school hours. Those of you reading this can probably guess what the laptops were being used for - Facebook, making videos, viewing porn... you get the idea. Kids will be kids, and of course they will find ways around internet filters and password-protected sites. This article forces educators to think about how they are approaching their lessons and whether or not technology in the form of personal devices is the best approach for every class.
A few possible solutions that came to my mind as I read this:
1) Issue iPads instead of laptops to students, and maintain that they are used flat on classroom desks. A laptop's flip-up screen acts as a privacy wall, where an iPad's screen is more visible.
2) Model correct usage of school property and educational technology from a young age. As I have noted previously on my blog, this is a brand new generation of students using personal technology in the classroom. It will take time to work through the difficulties that arise.
3) Make your curriculum more engaging! If students are given the opportunity to listen to their teacher talk for 45 minutes straight, they WILL lose interest and begin looking for ways to entertain themselves. Alter teaching strategies often, and don't always use the computers.
4) Explore multiple systems of safeguarding the information students can access from school-issued devices. The school in this article states that they cannot control the content students access with the laptops when they leave school, but they did not seem concerned about looking for better ways to protect them while using the school network.
http://bangordailynews.com/2012/03/03/news/state/mother-daughter-claim-noble-high-school-students-using-school-laptops-to-go-on-facebook-make-videos-and-watch-porn/
Laura, I think this is a very good article to show some of the conflicts we could have with our students in school concerning technology. While I understand that Facebook and a variety of other social networking or blogs sites are easy for students to access, I am disturbed that students felt the need to look up pornography in school. The videos being made by students in school, with sexual connotations, leaving their phone numbers and real names within the videos, is extremely inappropriate, unsafe and scary.
ReplyDeleteThis raises the question for me about how far our responsibilities in this subject matter go as teachers. Many parents still do not realize how unsafe the internet can be, as they did not grow up with it, and many children, who have not been probably taught about the pitfalls of the internet, are putting themselves in risky situations. Schools are dedicating a huge amount of time and money to talk about cyber bullying, why not discuss cyber-safety? Do these topics always head back home, where parents may never have the time to address them, or do these issues (porn, privacy, inappropriate behavior) need to be discussed by teachers?
Lizz, I think the question you raised about how far teacher (and school) responsibility stretches in regards to technology usage is something districts are struggling with right now. My local high school is attempting to very slowly give students more responsibility. This is the first year they may use their own devices to listen to music in study hall or look up information with their teacher's permission. The girl I am mentoring for READ 411 attended an internet safety assembly last week, which she said included cyber-bullying and internet safety. She attends the middle school in the same district where the high school is trying to introduce personal tech usage slowly. I think the slow introduction is wise so that they can anticipate, address or avoid problems. I also believe that the education in how to use technology appropriately in school needs to be started in kindergarten, much like the zero-tolerance bullying programs that are popping up in elementary schools.
ReplyDeleteLaura your post brings up many important issues that teachers face when they decide to integrate technology into the curriculum. I remember when I was in high school there were many students who would search for new proxies on a daily basis in order to access their facebook and myspace accounts. I think that you pose very practical solutions to remedy some of the issues. The iPad solution is practical and a walk around of the room as students are working with the technology is acceptable as well. I have also had teachers who have drawn up learning contracts whenever laptops were issued where the student promised to use the device for course related work only. Violators of the contract would receive a grade deduction and therefore the motivation to stay on task was evident. The most important point that I think you bring up is the lesson itself. If a teacher finds a way to make the content relevant and keep the students engaged, they will not even think about drifting off anywhere else.
DeleteSara, I LOVE the idea of a learning contract! That's a wonderful way to have the students assume responsibility of their actions in a fair, diplomatic manner. I'll be looking up examples of that, for sure. Thanks for your reply.
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteThis was an intriguing article. I was caught somewhere between a state of being shocked and a state of disbelief after reading it and the the level these students would go to. Things are changing from day to day, and technology seems to creep inappropriately into portions of our lives where is consistently finds some trouble. I am very struck with this just like Lizz. Will we be intervening in on our students to make sure they are acting correctly? The answer is yes. We have this responsibility. Though it seems daunting, we want our students to be upright citizens when they are out in the workforce. Our efforts will show that we are concentrated on creating good models of behavior and correct standards. When I was in high school, I was piled with work, ALL THE TIME. If we were using technology like laptops in a classroom or library computer lab, my teachers were walking around the room with the devices in their hands if possible. It might not have been easy or accessible for them, but they were sure that we were not using social networking sites or looking up profanity that is definitely not suitable for school environments. I do think that your solutions/ tips would be beneficial. They are strategies that we should be implementing as often as possible. I feel we will be like acting as supervisors for our students welfare until their parents get off of work and that will be ensuring that their education is not tainted by outside forces as best as we can. We will have to address this topic with our students to make sure that their focus is on point and that they understand that certain things are unacceptable. I think the idea of a Learning Contract seems like it would be immensely important to implement. I look forward to using this as a disciplinary method that approaches their learning equally and with a justified manner of decency. Nice article.