Some years ago, there was not an option to even use the classroom and even when it was introduced the availability and use were limited in the classroom. Now that it is available for use in the classroom, I think teachers and staff should take full advantage. There are some very positive outcomes for using the internet in the classroom, but like most things, there are also some negative aspects as well. Using the internet opens an unending amount of information to them and integrating different forms of learning from the internet can be very beneficial to any diverse group of children. New things, such as using various forms of the internet for learning, can get many kids excited about school, like creating a website where kids can all contribute ideas of which they have all personally researched and were able to add to the data already found. Another interesting idea is having an online assessment, so that even students who are on vacations or on summer vacation can be involved. One other thing that we are seeing more of in classrooms are called "interactive white boards" which allows for a more hands on learning environment in a diverse classroom. Along with these amazing positive changes also come some concerns about the use of internet in the classroom including; cost, available equipment, the quality of the site being used for research, plagiarism, and cheating. Although many of these things may occur I believe that it is worth it to be able to integrate technology in the classroom environment.
Related Site: http://712educators.about.com/cs/technology/a/integratetech.htm Image from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraketchup/408727666/ Video Embeded: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za0SoaGQsYg
I think parents should be the ones who take primary responsibility for teaching kids about the dangers along with the benefits of the internet. Parents should be involved with the child's use of the internet and know the warning signs of children putting themselves in danger on the internet. There are internet safety laws, but the best way to keep children out of internet trouble is the parent watching out for their kids. The best way to keep kids out of internet trouble is to have the parent be involved with the internet activity and keep their time on the internet monitored. Another way to keep children safe from online predators is to have the parent teach the child about the warnings and caution them about what can happen if they aren't careful, and to let them know that if these things are happening to immediately tell an adult. I also believe some websites should be blocked in schools because it is inappropriate for students to be able run across inappropriate sites on purpose or on accident. Although, I think if teachers are using the internet in their classrooms, they also need to inform their students of the risks.
Related Site: http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html# Images from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hammahamma/3094166547/
