Do Teachers Have the Luxury to Chose to Not Use the Internet?

               I went to a mobile store the other day and I noticed that there are some really marvelous mobile phones. Marvelous meaning that they are technology driven. Some of these cell phones don’t have a QWERTY key board. I started thinking, so how in the world will I be able to send text messages? How will I dial my numbers for those that I want to contact that are not listed in my contacts? These phones, and I don’t mean I Phone or any other related devices either, are completely touch screen. Of course, I was skeptic. Then I saw the Sprint LG Optimus Android and I asked the sales representative to show it to me.

Like my reaction to my technology class, I immediately became smitten with the capabilities that this phone has. I am sure that there are others like it. My point is, I just found out about it. Did I wait to see if everyone liked it? I most certainly did not! 

             

               I apply this same concept to teaching. If I am aware of a technological device or tool that will aid me in the classroom I will be using it. As long as I actually have access to it from school, one must remember that there are a number of useful websites that are blocked from school to teachers, I definitely, will be using the technological tool to enhance my teaching and learning environment.

               

                Dr. Scott McLeod stated “given the realities of our modern age and the demands of our children’s future, is it really okay to allow teachers to choose whether or not they incorporate digital technologies into instruction?” NO! I don’t believe that it is okay for us to allow teachers to wait and choose if they wish to incorporate technology into their instruction. Yes we live in a democratic society. On the other hand, let’s face the fact, technology is improving daily. We can either embrace it or do our students a disservice. I mean, will we be preparing them for the world in which they will have to live if we don’t use technology in our instruction? My goodness, many of my students have all of the touch phones that I spoke of earlier. How can we say that we are educators if we don’t wish to upgrade our teaching strategies?

               Have you ever thought about what future classrooms could look like? Watch this video then continue reading my blog. Now that you have watched the video, do you see why teachers should not be allowed to chose to not use technology in their instruction.

             

               When we buy a car we want an upgrade from what we had. When we change our bed we want an upgrade. When we go shopping we buy things that are trendy or at least appropriate for the times and occasion that we are attending. Then why is it that some educators use archaic teaching methods that have long since outlived its usefulness?

             

                 Every website that you visit speaks about letting teaching be student centered. Please visit this link to read this article in full. One thing that is a fact is that there are certain things that are evident in a class that utilizes technological tools to enhance the teaching and learning environment. They are as follows:

 "Characteristics of Engaged Learners*

Responsible for their own learning

They invest personally in the quest for knowledge and understanding, in part because the questions or issues being investigated are drawn from their own curiosity about the world. Projects are pertinent and questions are essential.

Energized by learning

They feel excited, intrigued and motivated to solve the puzzles, make new answers and reach insight. Their work feels both important and worthwhile.

Strategic

They make thoughtful choices from a toolkit of strategies, considering carefully which approach, which source and which technique may work best to resolve a particular information challenge.

Collaborative

They work with others in a coordinated, playful manner, splitting up the work according to a plan and sharing good ideas during the search for understanding."

*These concepts are based upon the work of Barbara Means quoted in Plugging In.

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/edtalk/toc.htm

             It is also stated in the National Technology Plan that we are to prepare students to become 21^st century learners. Then how can we do that if as teachers we are not using the 21^st century technology tools that are available to us?

             Of course when we get to the local level the amount of technology that is available to us as educators may be varied. One thing that is certain is that we can use whatever little we have available and make it work. As we would say back home “Turn Your Hand and Make Fashion” Which basically means that we have to use what we have and not whine about what you don’t.

              On the other hand, as Will Robinson said in his blog "how in God's name can we seriously talk about 21st century skills for kids if we are not talking 21st Century skills for our educators?" Without a doubt administrators need to provide the necessary training in creative ways that will ensure that teachers are able to use the wide variety of technological tools that are available to them. An educator that has no idea about how to use something, or even knows that it exists for that matter, can't implement it. Of course, if the educator is aware of the tool; I would advise him/her to make use of it. There are numerous websites that teaches you how to do certain things. To be quite honest, the mastering of many of these technology tools are not as hard as one may think. By merely opening a search engine, such as Google, one can type what he/she wants and many possible responses are available. 

             One thing that is a fact, is that there needs to be more connected classrooms like this one. Watch this video to see how a school has collaborated with Dell and has not only have technology available at its school, but also found ways to assist teachers to get the technology use implemented in classrooms for all courses. 

              Again, I know views on the topic that I am discussing will differ. However, I strongly believe that educators should not wait for formal development of any technological device that is appropriate for school. There are so many people and tools that you will encounter in cyberspace. Are we going to say hold up, wait a minute, I can't use this right now! Or are we as educators going to take the initiative with the resources that we have available at our schools and educate our students the best way that we know how. I am sure that once administrators see that based on your initiative there may be something valuable that can benefit all students at the school they may be more supportive. They may have that push that some may need to launch the technology boat at that school. Remember that many of the limited technology resources are linked to funding. As educators we have to think outside the box and find creative ways to engage our students with the little technology that we may have available.

              It is a fact that, some schools are left wanting, but we can make use of what we have until we get what we want. Just a thought. As Prensky M. (2001) stated, like I had said many times before, our students are digital natives. They are digital learners and educators are the digital immigrants that have to teach these students in their technological language. Watch this video. I know that you will find it interesting as we talk about students being digital learners. This is a fact that sooner, hopefully not later, that we have to face. Look at or lecturer's grand daughter. My goodness, at such a tender age and she is already engrossed and enthralled about technology.

               Again let's make use of what we have and teach our students using technology that is available to us at our schools. Until we meet again in cyberspace, walk with your digital learners and get them immersed, the best way that you know how, in technology.

NMC Horizon Report

             When we were assigned the task of blogging about the New Media Consortium (NMC); I immediately started to wonder what exciting topic in technology we would now have to become abreast on. Never did I think that it would be something that has sought to "chart the landscape of emerging technologies for teaching, learning and creative inquiry and produces the NMC’s series of Horizon Reports. Since the launch of the Horizon Project in March 2002, the NMC has held an ongoing series of conversations and dialogs with hundreds of technology professionals, campus technologists, faculty leaders from colleges and universities, and representatives of leading corporations."

              Every year this report is written based on a number of things such as current technological trends and tagged information that individuals bring to their attention by using delicious. I believe that the fact that current trends in technology and the views of individuals in society is taken into account is awesome; "straight from the horses mouth."

             As the Horizon Report states, the aim is to highlight emerging technologies. There are normally six technologies of focus in each horizon report. One of which is near-term horizon which is expected to be in use in institutions within twelve months. Then there is the mid-term horizon that is expected to be in use by one to three yeatrs. The final is the far-term horizon which spans a four to five year period. The Horizon Report for 2010 can be viewed by following this link. A wonderful synopsis of this report for 2010 is eloquently stated by Mary Bart. You can read her entire findings by following this link. I think that she states quite clearly the findings of the report for 2010.

              Follow this link to view NMC Horizon Report for 2009.  Follow this link to view NMC Horizon Report 2007. One thing that the report in 2009 highlights are some key trends and challenges which are as follows:
"Key Trends

Technology is increasingly a means for empowering students, a method for communication and socializing, and a ubiquitous, transparent part of students’ lives. Technology continues to profoundly affect the way we work, collaborate, communicate, and succeed. The perceived value of innovation and creativity is increasing. There is increasing interest in just-in-time, alternate, or non-formal avenues of education, such as online learning, mentoring, and independent study. The way we think of learning environments is changing. Critical

Challenges
Digital media literacy continues its rise in importance as a key skill in every discipline and profession. Students are different, but educational practice and the materials that support it are changing, only slowly. Many policy makers and educators believe that deep reform is needed, but at the same time, there is little agreement as to what a new model of education might look like. A key challenge is the fundamental structure of the K-12 education establishment. Many activities related to learning and education take place outside the walls of the classroom — but these experiences are often undervalued or unacknowledged." 
 
              To view an eloquent analysis of the focus area initiatives from 2008-2010 for the Horizon Report is to follow this link.          
 
               The current technology plan at my school does not support the items outlined in either 2007-2010 Horizon Reports. Networkings sites like Classroom 2.0 will play a part in keeping schools current in technology. Whether or not my school is ready and is trying to advance with the trends of the time; technology will continuously to evolve. The possibility of having gesture based use of the internet and web based autopsy I thought was overtop technology in movies like CSI Miami. Looking at this report it seems the way that the world will be. After a while becoming the norm.

                Can you imagine going into a class and presenting information by using gesture based technology! I would enjoy that lesson and I am sure that my students would too. The Net Gen students are ready for all this technology. Like the challenges like I had listed above state, are the school systems ready though? One of my colleagues in this class seem to be immersed in technology at her school. Some schools are so far behind that it makes you wonder when they will move from just merely presenting the class lesson on merely the overhead projector. Of course, schools will embrace technology in different strides. The mere fact is that whether or not schools drag their feet in getting immersed in technology and prepare 21st century leaners, technology is available and it will keep getting better as the months, no days go by. The questions is will schools be participators or watchers of this new technology that is, may, and will become available!

                   Hope that you found this informative. It was a joy for my to see the NMC Horizon Reports. I am sure that I didn't look at all the reports said. I hope that you walk away from this blog bearing in mind the possibilities for technological use is vast, as is outlined by the report. Similarly, so too are the trends and challenges that school will face vast. I see technology as having a wide variety of items to use; question is, are we going to use any? I see the use of technology in the Classroom as one of the ways to change teaching and learning to being student based, creative, and interesting. Read this article about the Effects ofTechnology in the Classroom.

                    Until we meet again in cyberspace, embrace technology as is availiable at your school. Remember, this is not the end, it is only the beginning of the technological journey that mankind will make.

School Boards: Their role in schools

             The National Education Plan (NETP) states that, “education is the key to America’s economic growth and prosperity and to our ability to compete in the global economy… just as technology is at the core of virtually every aspect of our daily lives and work we must leverage it to provide engaging and powerful learning experiences.”

             NETP outlined five aspects that are crucial in the plan for the nation. The areas are learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity. In regards to learning, all learners are hoped to have engaging and empowering learning experiences that will serve to make them participants of the globally networked society.

              In terms of assessment; again the focus is on the use of technology, this time with emphasis on measuring and assessing data for continuous improvement. I like the fact that the focus is on using technology, that constantly evolves, to implement and foster the growth and sustainability of these areas.

               Another focus of NETP is teaching. The focus here is on the support of educators “[who are] connected to learning data and tools for using data, content, resources, and learning expertise…and inspire more effective teaching for all learners.” (Page 8) 

               In the area of infrastructure, it is recommended that students and teachers have access to the internet and other broadband services both in and out of school. Of course, the aim here is to support meaningful use of these services that will enhance the teaching and learning environment as well. The aim is to get students to be not only engaged learners, but also to be able to perform in this technologically advancing society.

             Without a doubt, all of the above areas once implemented and continuously improved on, should lead to productivity, which is the final aspect of focus by NETP. Productivity is tied in with the fact that all levels will take advantage of the use of technology with improved learning outcomes being the end result.

               It is now up to schools on the local level to implement the various aspects that are outlined in National Technology plan. Obviously there is a huge emphasis on technology being used to lay the foundation in the advancement of educational opportunites to students.

               In every county/district there is a school board. School boards and their roles will vary depending on where you go. One thing that is sure though, is that these school boards have responsibilities that are tied to the effectiveness and sustainability of schools.It is believed that "these are changing times for public education, and even more challenging is the work of local school board members. Today's local board of education is the leader on the front lines of public education. The board is responsible for putting in place the proper keystones for students to learn and achieve at the highest level possible. Board members' primary agenda is raising student achievement and involving the community in the attainment of that goal."

               On the other hand it is believed that "since the 1980s school boards have been experiencing erosion of power. State regulations have eaten into school board authority from above, while teacher unions and school-based management have worn away at it from below. Instead of viewing recent increased state involvement as usurping school board authority, Conley (1993) sees it as an opportunity for schools to focus their attention on "issues of internal coordination and quality control."

                One thing that is certain is that school boards still play a role, be it on a large scale or not, in developing the school curriculum and making changes that are deemed necessary. The school board in my county plays a huge role in the policies that are implemented. School boards are normally the first entity that is expected to lead reform and change in schools. Watch this video by Secretary Duncan and listen to his charge to school boards. After watching that video I am sure that you see that you see that school boards still have a vital role to play in the school system.

               Like I said before, the school board in my county has a lot of power. They are the ones that pass and implement policies that relate to the classroom and the school in general. There are obviously individuals on these boards that have not been in schools that are web based and in their estimation they turned out fine. I call this resistant to change. It is human nature to stick to what we know. As we say back home "stick to the evil that you know!"

               On the other hand, how can schools educate their boards about web in schools? How can this creative way of teaching be impressed upon school boards? What should be done in order to ensure the support of school boards?

http://www.screencast.com/t/iDoCyDKUEHSupport of School Boards

               Of course, one has to remember that there are a number of negatives that are associated with web use, such as the risk of predators that prey on the young and inexperienced. One thing that I have found is that everything in life may have negatives. As it relates to internet use if one is taught internet safety then the chances of the negatives having a major impact is lessened.
               
                As there are negatives, so too are there positives as it relates to the use of the web. Here is a school according to the Columbus Local News that have used the web in interesting ways. Parents can access their students grades via the use of the web. Read the entire story to get the understanding of their use in full. This leads me to the ways in which school boards can be educated about the use of the internet.

               School officials can prepare a tutorial that outlines other schools that may have implemented some of the same web tools that they would love to employ that may have worked. As the article above shows, school boards can be shown how parents can have easy access to their children's grades and completed assignments be simply going online.

               School boards may also be invited to attend classes that have the use of the web being utilized to show the creative ways that the web could be interwoven into the lesson. The school boards should also attend many of the professional development sessions held for teachers, so that they can see and play an integral part in the professional development training that the teachers are getting. The aim is for the board to see that any proposals that they may have been given is being implemented at schools with the teachers being properly equipped with the necessary training.

               School boards could be shown the relevance of the use of the web being used in ways that is applicable to the society that these students will have to be able to function in. For example a teacher could show the use of Wikispaces that he/she may be using daily in class. Many schools use Wikispaces as a teaching tool. Some schools may have a tool such as blackboard, that is similar to Wikispaces. The student would have already been exposed to this mode of instruction in high school, therefore, his/her transition in college becomes that much easier.

                School boards should also be shown students work that they may have completed. The assignments could have been completed by using web 2.0 tools, such as jing. The students could also show how they may have used the web for research as they complete assignments.

              At the end of it all it is important that school board members are shown the ways that the web can help to improve students scores and academic performance. It must be pointed out at this point that students don't learn in the same way. By using the various web tools teachers can expose students to interactive websites that serve to enhance the student understanding of a given topic with immediate feedback. At the end of the day the improvement of student performance is the focus as the technological advancement and capabilities improve daily.

              Without a doubt there are a number of ways that school boards can be educated, some of which I have mentioned. School boards must be shown how the web can be used to enhance the schools' relationship with parents, improve the teaching and learning environment, and foster the growth and sustainabilty of 21st century learning as I mentioned earlier. I hope that you found this blog informative. I am sure that you can think of other ways to educate board members.

Controlling Internet Access in Schools

             Since the beginning of time man has sought to make their existence easier as the days, months, and years go by. Initially communication was limited to writing letters.

                                                               Letter Writing
   
              Now individuals rarely write letters. The focus is on the technological devices that are evident. Mobile phones are used to send messages. Instant messaging is available as well. One can also have video conferencing. Without a doubt, the ways to communicate instantly is quite numerous. The art of letter writing is said to be a dying one. "More than a quarter of seven to 14-year-olds have not written a letter in the last year, and one in 10 has never written one, according to a poll commissioned by World Vision." You can read the rest of the finding of the survey by using this link. I am sure that teenagers are not the only ones who are not writing letters anymore.

              With the dawning of a new day comes new and more innovative ways to use the technology that is now evident in society. The teaching and learning environment has evolved just as everything else in society. A number of schools have given students access to various technological tools. The aim is to make the students capable of not only functioning but also thriving in the 21st century. Many schools have given the students their personal laptops that should be used at school daily. Where personal laptops are not available the students have access to desktop computers. One would have thought, YES, a wonderful way to aid the teaching and learning environment.... 

               Of course, with the advent of these wonderful additional teaching ,schools have sought to inititate various policies that governs the use of the varied technological tools that the students will have access to. One such implemented policy is the trend of banning certain websites that the students should access on the internet.
                                                          Internet Banned

              What gives the school system the right to be able to be able to block certain use of the internet? The answer is quite simple: The Children Internet Protection Act (CIPA), which is a federal law that was enacted by Congress to "address the concerns about the access to offensive content over the internet on school and library computers." There are several requirements of CIPA, one of which is that "an authorized person may disable the blocking or filtering measure during any use by an adult to enable access for bonafide research or other lawful purposes." Obviously in order to disable there must be something that needs to be disabled. In this case it is the blocking of certain websites that the school activated.

                                                    Internet Ban

               However some schools, like mine, have sought to block all social networking websites. Imagine my unwanted surprise when I went to work on Monday November 1st and could not access my wikispaces webpage that I had been using daily as an integral part of the teaching and learning environment. It is a good thing that I am flexible and was able to teach the day's lesson even though our main technological tool had been disabled. This problem was sorted out by Wednesday November 3rd, however, it made me realize how limited internet use we had at our school. Everything is banned. Most websites have some sort of link to social networks. We can't even use yahoo, yes, yahoo a search engine. Google is very limited in scope as well. I know that YouTube has a number of videos that the students ought not to have access to at school. On the other hand, what about the various videos and other resources that can aid the teaching and learning environment? Yes, it is said that teachers can click the login option when it says access denied. However, even after you have identified yourself as a teacher you still can't gain access.
                Computers can't filter like a human brain. It blocks what it is told to block. Computers can't use its discretion and allow something to be shown that it may deem as being appropriate. It will block what it was "instructed" to block irrespective of any usefulness that a blocked website may possibly add. Where do we go from here? Hmmm.... That is a good question!

                I was of the impression that my school was offering differentiated blocking. However, I don't see any differentiation. Even when you try to login as a teacher, you are still blocked. I don't have what this blog outlines, differentiated blocking so that a teacher can access the website. That sounds like a luxury that I would love to bask in the glory of. What we have to do to solve this dilemma is to find the websites that we want and submit it to the technology support; who will in turn view the website and ultimately decide if you will gain access. Needless to say this is a long process. The upside is that the website once approved is available for future use as well.

               I really don't find differentiated blocking very useful. Like I said before, you are prompted to log in as a teacher to gain access and often times I am told that I still can't access the website. I think, as Attorney General Roy Cooper of North Carolina stated in his article Protect Kids on the Internet, that "computers are wonderful learning tools, but they can also expose children to dangers like unwanted content and inappropriate contact from adults through the Internet. Parents, educators and caregivers can limit the danger and help children learn to navigate the Internet safely. By protecting their personal information and being cautious about what they view, families can reduce their risks."
               
                 Without a doubt, schools need to have policies, and parents need to set rules that clearly state the appropriate use of the internet. Students should be informed about the inappropriate use, and possible negative end results, if the internet is not used properly.
               
               One thing that I have learnt is that students are curious. They should be informed of why they should be cautious when using the internet not just told don't do this or that, which is essentially what banning does. Can I tell you that if we chose to not answer a students' questions and just think that banning is the end all, then we have another thing coming. There are websites that will inform these students about the various ways they can access a blocked website. Please view this link to see an example about How to Access Blocked Websites. Here is another that gives 9 Alternative Ways to Access Blocked Websites.  This site even has illustrations. There are websites and blogs that give specific walkarounds for certain blocked websites such as Google. Check the links that I haved given you out. I am sure that there are students that will find these websites just as I have.

                                              Countless use of the Computer

                Can I also tell you that I am not saying that parents should be Helicopter Parents, which according to Danah Boyd can lead to the seclusion of students because parents are being overprotective. That is going from one extreme to the next. What I am saying is that parents should monitor their child's use as much as they can on the internet. The child should feel more comfortable asking their parents questions instead of simply a peer or a friend on the internet, who they may have never met before, and who obviously may not have their best interest at heart. As this blog in response to Danah Boyd's outlined parents should protect their children and aid the child to become responsible users of the internet. At some "point they have to learn to judge for themselves: they need the opportunity to develop their own gut feelings about situations and people to avoid. Parents can talk things over with kids and help them evaluate, gently guiding them towards the day when they’ll have to do it for themselves anyway."

               Schools should focus on educating their students about the proper use of the internet. There will still be some level of blocking, such pornography and so on. However, if the focus is on proper and safe internet use, I am sure that with expected behavior, monitoring, and education about the proper online use of the various websites students will conform. I am sure that as Vicki Davis had pointed out with the use of cell phones in her class that many people felt that it was not possible. On the other hand, with the establishment of expectations it worked. As Harold Jarche pointed out in his blog students need to be taught how social networking websites can be used for the teaching and learning environment. He goes on to outline that instead of being restrictive that schools information technology and internet use policies should state the following:

"Because the Internet is used by almost all students to do research, the school should focus on developing skills to discern the veracity of information available.

The proliferation of Web services means that their use in education should be encouraged so that students understand how best to use them and develop appropriate behaviours, guided by teachers.

The high use social networking sites suggests that teachers engage students in evaluating these services from a critical perspective and understanding how they can be used for learning.

Students who use the Internet must know how to protect their digital identity.

Ease of access to text and media online means that students must understand intellectual property, copyright, fair use (fair dealing in Canada) and how to ease copyright restrictions through licensing such as Creative Commons.

All system users should ensure that their behaviour online reflects the values of public education."

                I support Harold Jarche's views that I have outlined above. I definitely echo the various points that I have noted as well. The internet is a way to not only go places that one may never be able to go physically, but to also be exposed to other cultures through websites such as social networks. The internet is a way to have students interact with each other and get feedback on a completed assignment that is immediate. Yes the internet can be a distraction, however, proper monitoring, and the teaching of the proper use of the internet could minimize this problem.
               To Block or not to block, that is the question. This is a very debatable topic. I hope that you found this blog informative. I am sure that like everybody else you have your views on this issue. You may or may not agree with mine. One thing that is sure though is that the internet is here to stay, what we do with it is the question.

Slanderous Use of Social Networks

              I have never been a fan of social networking sites. Maybe I am old fashion in my young days. Maybe I am too cautious and private. Whatever my reasons, that has not stopped the users of social networking sites to grow as the months go by. What are social networking sites? What purpose do they serve? What causes its seeming popularity? According to Wikipedia "social network service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, e.g., who share interests and/or activities. A social network service essentially consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Although online community services are sometimes considered as a social network service. In a broader sense, social network service usually means an individual-centered service whereas online community services are group centered"

              Some popular social networking sites are Facebook and Myspace. I thought there were only a few social networking sites. Wow, was I wrong. Please view this link that shows a list of social networking websites. There some that have even 200, 000,000 registered users. Can you imagine that! I was marvelled by that site. Facebook has 500,000,000 registered users according to the list above as well.

              It must be noted that, many of these websites are not being used  for the use for which it was intended. Many individuals are using it to slander and for libel. Slander is said to be "words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another." Libel on the other hand is said to be "a false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person." What is the difference between the two? "The difference between slander and libel is that libel is the written or otherwise published, public defamation of a person or entity such as an organization or company, while slander is the spoken false defamation of a person or entity. Slander can also include bodily gestures while libel can include published photographs."

                                            Freedom of Speech

               On the other hand, like I said last week in my blog about cyberbullying, what about the First Amendment? In particular the section of the first amendment which says that "Congress shall make no laws... prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech..." On the one hand, one is free to exercise their right to freedom of speech, but is it right to slander and libel which can ultimately lead to defamation of character. For example, according to Norman Chad in the Washington Post on July 5, 2010 he was Losing his identity on Twitter though he never had a Twitter account. Also, though he tried to have the account closed he was getting nowhere. You may read the entire article via the link above. It makes you wonder, though it is against the law, what can you actually do? This young man only wanted to get the fake account closed, yet he kept getting computer generated responses whenever he contacted Twitter.

             What about the school setting? What can principals do if the fake account set up is focused on them? According to Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District (click the link to read about the case), 1969, students who threaten or harass students from home using school equipment can face the "...possibility of school discipline under the 'substantial disruption of the educational environment'..." As a result, it has been said that "in the area of speech... the law must be clear so that people can easily discern the distinction between criminal activity and the exercise of fundamental constitutional rights."

                                                  Principal

               However, in the Layshock versus Hermitage School District Number 6-116, July 10, 2007, a federal district court had ruled that "school officials violated a high school student's freedom of speech rights when they had disciplined him for his off-campus parody MySpace proflile of the school's principal." Justin Layshock was said to have created  a profile of the principal. As result he was placed in an alternative education program.The student sued, stating that his first amendment rights had been violated. The justices had found that his first amendment rights had indeed been violated. The justices made reference to the Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District stating that they had made reference to the "relevant court precedents and analyzed student speech in accordance with the principles set forth in the Supreme Court ruling."

              The justices also made reference to Morse v. Frederick, 2007 WL1804317 (June 25, 2007) stating that in that case there was school-related speech, however, in the case of Layshock there was no school-related speech. The district court went on to state that "school officials' authority over off-campus expresssion is much more limited than expression on school grounds." The justices added on pages 23-24 of the filed court documents (filed on July 7, 2007) that, "the public school setting demands a special approach to First Amendment disputes. Most students are minors, and school adminstrators must have authority to provide and facilitate education and to maintain order. The Supreme Court 'has repeatedly emphasized the need for affirming the comprehensive authority of the States and of school officials, consistent with fundamental constitutional safeguards, to pescribe and control conducts in schools.' Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District  On the other hand, 'it can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate' Id. at 506. Thus students retain the protection of the First Amendment, but the shape of these rights in the public school setting may not always mirror the contours of constitutional protections afforded in other contexts."

             What the court also found is that, in the cases of students, each case is viewed in terms of the school environment. If the fake profiles formed have caused substantial school disruption or does it have a compelling governmental interest. In the case of Layshock the court stated that there was no school disruption due to the MySpace page of the principal. The school could not prove that this profile caused any severe disruptions of school such as cancelled classes and so on.
                            School Bus Taking Students Home After Dismissal

             Is this the ruling in all cases that involve fake profiles? Definitely not! In the case of Principal McGonigle the judge upheld the ten (10) day suspension of Jill Snyder. The justices stated that the rulings of Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District did not apply here because the MySpace page was not considered to be political speech as was the case in the Tinker case. The justices applied the speech of the student to rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court for Bethel School District v. Fraser which had found that public schools could "prohibit the use of vulgar and offensive terms in public discourse." The justices also made reference to Morse v. Frederick which had ruled that "school officials could sensor a student's speech, unlike the political protest by school officials in Tinker." You may read the entire findings here.

            How does a judge decide school related speech be it on or off campus? The justices that had upheld Principal McGonigle's suspension of Snyder acknowledged that "there was a blur when it came to on and off campus speech, [but] he applied a 1976 district court case that upheld school jurisdiction over off-campus student speech and cited Fenton v.Stear where the court ruled that 'when a high school student refers to a high school teacher in a public place on Sunday by a lewd and obscene name in such a loud voice that the teacher and others hear the insult, it may be deemed a matter for discipline in the discretion of school authorities'."

            One thing that seems to be the case as it relates to the rulings by the court is that the slander has to cause substantial school disruption. The school district has to ensure that they can prove this as well. To an extent it makes one wonder about the fairness of this situation. The principal or teacher would have undergone humiliation at the hands of the student. This topic will always be controversial and very much debatable. Parents seem to be more concerned with the punishment given to the student than to ensuring that the child is actually punished for the action and not do it in the future. It seems to be a cruel joke that teenagers feel that they should be able to get away with at the expense of the humiliation of another. With the cloak of the First Amendment to hide under, school administrators must be vigilant in its monitoring and response to slander on the internet due to a fake account that may be set up by a student.

           Teenagers Having a Good Time!

               At my school the policy is to ban all access to social networking websites. This can be a good and a bad thing. It is good because it is a measure deemed necessary as the school attempts to monitor the use of the internet and limit what the students can access from school. However, it can be frustrating at times for the teacher because he/she may need an instructional material for class for which he/she is denied access. The system may prompt you to log in as a school official, yet often times after you try to gain access to the blocked website as a school educator you are still denied access. Additionally, the internet is available at other locations other than school. In the case of Layshock he opened the account for his principal at his grandmother. So though the website is blocked at school, students still have access when they are away from school. On the other hand, as a school you must have a clear internet use policy that can be referred to in the case of court proceedings. You can't want to punish a student for something that there is no clear policy for.

              Also, school officials will still have their various methods of implementing school rules. Schools will always react to slander that students may direct towards school officials. Read this article on ABCNEWS about a school that had suspended a student for three days and gave detentions to all thirty-three (33) students that were fans after they had posted comments about a teacher on a facebook page. "The comments appeared on a Facebook ‘fan’ page which the district says was derogatory toward a teacher at the Roxboro Road Middle School in Liverpool, N.Y. The North Syracuse Central School District superintendent Jerome Melvin called it 'a personal and educational attack on the teacher, which was sexual in nature'.”

            There are several things that could have been focused on for this topical issue. I have focused on a few that I hope that you found enlightening. One must note that as I said before, this is a very debatable issue. One thing that is certain is that parents must let there children know that it is wrong to attempt to slander others. It goes to morals and the values that one has. I was always told when I was a child that "if you have nothing good to say then you should not say anything." Whenever I tell my students that when they are being mean to one another they give a look of shock, and state that they have never heard anything like that before. They accept what I say though. However, that makes me wonder, if I had not said that to them, would they have ever heard it. Again showing me that it goes back to upbringing. I would never think of slandering a teacher, principal or anyone for that matter as  a child. The fear of disappointing my father was enough. I realize though that my upbringing is different from my students. They have the freedom to do so much and feel so little remorse when caught.

               This is a very debatable issue that will not be solved overnight. School officials must have clear policies that they consistently enforce as they ensure that respect is paid to the First Amendment. The school lawyer must be cognizant of court case rulings that may be related to the issue that the school may face as they make an attempt to combat and deal with issues of slander and libel. Again, I hope that you found my blog informative and understand that all issues could not have been ironed out and brought to the fore at this time. Please tread carefully as we surf the internet and mold the minds of the students that are in our care.

http://www.screencast.com/t/XIAB9R0ziOHXTeacher and Students Using the Computer Appropriately

My Views on Cyberbullying

             While growing up it was not uncommon to encounter bullies in life, especially at school. Bullying is simply "a form of abuse. It can involve emotional, verbal, and physical (as shown below) which typically involves subtle methods of coercion..." 
                                                                         
http://www.screencast.com/t/BPiT7rtLBullying


            With the advent and increased use of web tools, such as social networking websites like MySpace, Facebook, Xanga, and others, bullying has evolved and now involves the use of technology. I guess as human beings we have learned how to adapt as life goes on. Bullying has adapted from school yard antics to cyberbullying. Cyberbullying involves communication using technology, as a result, the intentions may be different. With that said, what is cyberbullying? Cyberbullying according to Wikipedia is "...the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others." It has been said that cyberbullying is worse than bullying. Watch this video titled Cyberbullying Worse than Bullying on abcnews about a comparison of the two and decide for yourself.

             Cyberbullying can take many forms. According to http://www.isafe.org/ these include:

• A threatening email
• Nasty instant messaging session
• A website set up to mock others
• Forwarding supposedly private messages, pictures, or videos to others
• "Borrowing" someone's screen name and pretending to be them
• Repeated notes sent to a cell phone

http://www.screencast.com/t/8qfPekC43aGMessage to a Mobile Phone
                 
             To what extent are teenagers being affected by cyberbullying? According to Do Something.org "35% of kids have been threatened online; nine of ten middle school students have had their feelings hurt online; 75% have visited a website bashing students; 21% have recieved mean or threatening emails; 56% of victimizing occurs in chat rooms; girls are twice as likely to be victims in comparison to boys; 58% of the kids admit that someone has said mean or hurtful things online; and in a national survey of 10-17 year olds, twice as many children indicated they had been victims and perpetuators of online harrassment in 2005 compared with 2000." I have by no means exhausted all eleven facts on cyberbullying that is posted on this website.


            Without a doubt, as with everything in life, there have been several results of cyberbullying. The fact is that, though we are all human beings, the ways in which we would react to the various things in life is not the same. One of the many end results of cyberbullying has been suicide. Some individuals would just put a case of being cyberbullied aside. However, as I said before, everyone is not the same. The reaction to cyberbullying may even lead to death. One case that  comes to mind is Megan Meier (feel free to peruse her story via this link). This was a thirteen-year-old girl who had a MySpace profile and had met someone online. She was given the consent of her parents to speak with the young man named "Josh Evans". The initial month went by without any event that would have contributed to the child's suicide. However, the child then recieved a message from Josh, who it was later found out to be the mother of one of Megan's friend that lived four houses from her and her friend, that said that "the world would be a better place without her." This lead to the child hanging herself.


             According to an article titled US Cyberbullying laws do little to deter behavior, "because of Megan's case, people are paying attention" says Peter Aftab who is a lawyer the executive director of WiredSafety.org.  The article goes on to point out that many "...states now have laws targeting internet harrassment and cyberstalking." One such state is North Carolina who has the H.B. 1261 Protect Our Kids/ Cyber Bullying Misdemeanor.  This bill is said to make it a misdemeanor "depending on the accused's age, to send repeated communications to a minor, or post real or doctored photos or post private or personal info about a minor with the intent to intimidate or torment the minor." Additionally, in North Carolina according to the bill mentioned earlier "cyberbullying which is an offense shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor (more than six months in prison) if the defendant is 18 years of age or older... the offense becomes a Class 2 (must be more than 30 days but not more than six months)misdemeanor if the defendant is under 18 years old..."


              On the other hand, what about the first amendment? In particular the section of the first amendment which says that "Congress shall make no laws... prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech..." Yet is it right to harrass a teenager to the point where the teen commits suicide? According to Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District case from 1969 students who threaten or harass students from home using school equipment can face the "...possibility of school discipline under the 'substantial disruption of the educational environment'..." As a result, it has been said that "in the area of speech... the law must be clear so that people can easily discern the distinction between criminal activity and the exercise of fundamental constitutional rights." 
             
               On the other hand, what about bullying that does not involve school equipment? What happens then? That would definitely be the time when the law of the land will come into play. Like I said before many states now have laws against cyberbullying. Parents and teenagers need to be aware of their rights. They need to also be aware of the availability of support through websites such as WiredSafety.org which is said to be "the world's largest Internet safety, help, and education resource." This website offers a mosaic of information such as, cyberlaw, cybercrime, and information about ways to use the internet safely.


               Additionally, students must be taught to respect each other. It should never be taken for granted that teenagers automatically give respect to each other. There should be consequences as well set by parents that are aware of cases that their children may be involved in. Watch this video titled Cyberbullying: Moms Fight Back. These students should be made to close their accounts by parents if needed. Parents and students alike need to be aware of the various privacy feature that social networking websites may offer, for example, Facebook is now, as of April 28, 2010, offering a certain degree of privacy by allowing individuals and their friends to share information that only they will view, many other websites don't offer this feature. Here is a tutorial about how that privacy on facebook would work that is done by WiredSafety.org.


              What are schools doing to protect their students? Often times when schools get involve in the disciplining of students that may be a cyberbully, they are often sued. According to stopcyberbullying.com they often lose. According to the same website they "... recommend that a provision is added to the school's acceptable use policy reserving the right to discipline the student for actions taken off campus... this makes it a contractual and not a constitutional issue." At my school, though there is currently no policy as it relates to addressing cyberbullying. However, there are several teachers that have been meeting with the students and promoting the safe use of the internet. Tutorials have been emailed to students and parents about proper internet use and ways to protect themselves and how to deal with cyberbullying. Parents and students may also submit questions in response to their emails and ask questions concerning specific information regarding an issue they may be facing. This initiative is chaired by one of the school's Assistant Principal. It has been proposed that the middle schools and elementary schools be included in this initiative. This is awaiting the approval of the Superintendent. I am sure that based on the high occurrence of cyberbullying in our society that will be approved soon.


               What have other schools done that have worked that could also be adopted? One preventative measure that I found striking was Gay Straight Alliance in a public school that was said to have been the first of its kind. This was a group that was formed at Newton South High School in Newton, Massachusetts by Mr. Bob Parlin in the 1990's. This group is now a "...national network that provides a powerful dose of social and emotional learning for students of every orientation." The aim is to teach the students tolerance. By doing this it is hoped that the incidence of cyberbullying that would be sparked based on an issue like this would be minimal. Of course there is still work to be done, but measures like this will help to boost tolerance and acceptance. Other groups could be formed that would focus on teaching tolerance in other areas and acceptance of the differences that individuals may have.   


                Educators must teach and model for students conflict resolution techniques. Students must be taught varied ways that conflicts can be resolved. I am sure that many will say that parents should do that. In all honesty many parents do. However, educators spend a lot of time daily with the students and nothing is wrong with teaching the students ways to resolve conflicts. In one school in Brooklyn, New York, there is a program called Resolving Conflict Creatively  which teaches the students how to identify, manage, and communicate in a nonviolent way. One may wonder what does this have to do with cyberbullying? It is important to note that, cyberbullying involves communications that may be violent and threatening in nature. A program like this "educates the heart [which] is as important as educating the mind...". Obviously, if you know how to resolve issues nonviolently then chances are that, like the students at the Patrick Daly School is being taught, you will be less likely to participate or inititate acts of cyberbullying because you know better. Please watch this video it may touch your heart as it did mine. You may even want to inititate a program like this at your school. We have modelled a club like this at my school. It is not apart of the curriculum, however, the students are exposed to it at club meetings. Teachers also reinforce this in their lessens that may involve conflict resolution.

                 Last but by no means least here are a few preventative techniques that could be employed by students as they use the internet:

1. One should never give out private information such as passwords for it can be used by a bully in a harmful way. Not even friends should be given the password. Friendships can turn sour like milk. If that happens they will reveal your password.
2. Don't send or respond to messages when angry. Once something is said it is hard to "take it back."
3. Don't post pictures online. This will lessen the likelihood of someone cutting and pasting an image on your picture that may be derogatory.
4. Messages from people that a student does not know should be deleted.
5. Don't send information over the internet to individuals that you may never have met.
6. Trust your instinct. If it doesn't feel right then chances are that it isn't.
7. Online conversations are not private. Therefore, don't discuss private information.
8. Never post personal information such as, home address, contact number, social security number and other information.
9. View the picture below...

http://www.screencast.com/t/tGqkj48mt5ESound advice
              One thing that is for sure is that cyberbullying happens daily. There are definitely ways that one can protect his or herself, a few of which I have highlighted. I believe that parents, students, and educators all have their role to play in combatting this problem, a few of which I have mentioned. The state has its role to play as it seeks to protect the citizens of the country. Adminstrators have their role to play as they ensure that the school environment is safe and conducive to learning. I hope that you found this blog informative and understand that there is no way that all cyberbullying issues could have been discussed, however, a few were outlined.

Review of Web 2.0 Tutorials: The Journey Thus Far.

               I must confess that initially when I was told by Dr. Watwood that I need to get a Delicious account, will be blogging, and that I had to send him the URL for this blog, I was feeling a bit apprehensive about the course. I love technology, but I am not one that fancies blogging. With all the identity theft, and Facebook and Craig's list related crimes that were evident on television, I was not a fan of either blogging or social networking websites.

                However, I am one that applies my all to any task that I am assigned. As a result, the first thing that I did was to get blogging. I named my blog page "Technology and Its Place in Schools." I mean in the name of my job and class assignments I was going to get the job done. Still apprehensive, but willing to try.

                I must say that the way in which we were eased into this world of technology by my professor was very beneficial to me. The first blog was about a video titled Welcome to my PLE! I was in awe about the way in which this student was using the internet. I would have loved to have a student like this and others in my class. While watching this video I remembered Alvin Toffler that had a lot to say about the need to change our education system. Then I thought, wow, this change could apply to our technologically advancing world, for we have to change with the times. Technology has progressed in ways that one would not have dreamed of in 1990 much less 1980. I remember when we had those cell phones that were so huge, yet one felt important while carrying it.

http://www.screencast.com/t/ipp3CgvO762010-10-06_1609

 Dr. Martin Cooper of Motorola, made the first US analogue mobile phone call on a larger prototype model in 1973. This is a reenactment in 2007                
                                                                          
            Next we blogged about our reaction to Vicki Davis and other education blogs that drew me in even more. Here was a teacher that was using mobile phones in the classroom in a way that boosted the teaching and learning environment. Gone are the days of the mobile phone shown in the picture above. Now mobile phones are so advanced that many can be used as a computer is. Again proving the point that this is a technologically advancing world. I had to board this technological boat.

            Without a doubt, the fact that I was blogging anonymously helped even more. I am very protective when it comes to my identity. At this point, I am actually getting to love blogging. I think that I will definitely continue this practice when the course ends. I have even gotten my high school students blogging. The emphasis is on getting them writing and this is an interactive way that I find beneficial.

             I have learnt that there is far more to the internet than just social networking sites, that I am still not a fan of. I have decided to use the internet from an educational point of view. Use the internet to enhance the teaching and learning environment. Use the internet to engage my students and ultimately continue to widen their educational capability via a medium that they know and enjoy. I completely agree that technology is a catalyst for teaching and learning in the classroom. Please read the rest of that article that was written by the North Carolina Regional Educational Laboratory. It talks about the importance of technology in the classroom. Here is another article about technology in the classroom. The Education Act speaks about the importance of technology in the classroom.This article by J. N. Lam discusses this fact and other issues.   

             Undoubtedly, I will be incorporating a number of the web tools that I have been introduced to in this course. I am currently using Wikispaces and loving it. My parents can keep track of what I am doing daily, and my students are posting their assignments on line. I am also using Jing as a way for my students to give tutorials on assigned tasks that they have completed. Tasks such as storytelling, tutorials on given topics, and the pictures feature that this website also offers. I am using other web tools such as, Snag it, Glogster, and they are loving every minute of it. It warms my heart to see my students learning and also being prepared to function in a society that embraces technology that they can now not only function in but also be comfortable with.

             I definitely believe that the way in which Dr. Watwood introduced us to the course is wonderful. I am happy that, though he encourages us to comment and vote on assignments that we have posted, he is ultimately the one that decides the grades that we get. I also believe that by telling us to comment on education blogs prior to the tutorial is beneficial. The education blogs that I have viewed and commented on, such as, Vicki Davis and Miss Bliss, I would never have seen had I not been apart of this course. They opened my eyes to the ways in which other educators are using technology. Looking at Jason Wesch, I saw other creative ways that Wikispaces can be used.  These blogs also made me realize that the ways in which I had been using technology in my class actually mirrors many of the ways other educators are using web tools.

              What I would have done differently though was to have actually either completed and have presented the Jing tutorial myself as the Professor, or have the student who is completing the Jing Tutorial do so at least two days before the other students. Many of us, like myself, have never used Jing before. As a result, getting a tutorial on how to use it would have been extremely beneficial.

               It was definitely a wonderful idea to get us to complete tutorials on different web tools. This served to ensure that we are exposed to the various Web 2.0 tools that are available for use in our daily lives and especially in our classrooms. It also helped those of us that may not be cognizant of the use and availability of these various websites. As for me, as popular as Jing seemed to be, I had never seen or used it prior to completing my tutorial. Now, as I said before, I absolutely love it.

              Additionally, I have advanced in leaps and bounds when it comes to the use of web tools thanks to this class. Sir, I must thank you for opening my eyes to the varied types and applications of web tools. I know that as a result of this course, I have been able to incorporate the use of technology in my class as was expected. Some of our students were issued their laptops courtesy of the county. As teachers we were expected to use them daily. My students have been able to incorporate the use of this technology in ways that I never knew that I could do. Again, thanks to this course. I am definitely a fan of technology and sees its positive applicability to the classroom! :-)
http://www.screencast.com/t/yEZW6F3XStudents in a class using web tools on their laptops.