MSTI 131: Introduction to Educational Technology Safety on the Internet MSTI 131: Introduction to Educational Technology Prof. Heinsler March 23, 2010 B.B. McCoy Dan Lorenzini Pat Best Laura Newman

Advantages of using the computer at school and at home Students can connect what they are learning in school to learning at home. Students can gain access to up to date information with the click of a button. Online websites can help the students learn. Taking a break from a textbook or worksheet and playing an online game can make learning fun! Communication with other students and teachers is much easier through chat or e-mail. Connect to different parts of the world and explore different cultures. Information on the internet is accessible anywhere, not just at school or in the library!

Concerns when using the Internet at Home and School Sexual predators. Cyber bullying. Inappropriate material. Distracting to students trying to do work. Misinformation / ignorant comments. Can become addicting for some teens.

What can parents do to prevent it? Be firm and set rules. Set a time limit for the computer Use blockers to block inappropriate websites. Set passwords so children cannot get onto the computer without help or permission. Educate- Teach the children how to use the computer. And warn them of what the possibilities. Also teach them what to do if they come into a situation where they are uncomfortable. Keep the computer in a central location- Place the family computer in a place where you can monitor what the child is doing. You can ensure they are not getting into trouble or danger this way. See danger signs- The child may become withdrawn or moody, and watch for that. They might stay online or refuse to use it at all. See if they are detaching themselves from their friends, the same signs as personal bullying. Be a support system- If they are having trouble, listen, be trustful, don’t go overboard or don’t over look it. Ensure that your child does not have to resort to online relationships to feel good about themselves.

What can educators do to prevent it? Block websites- Only make educational, school needed websites available to the students. Set Passwords- Don’t allow students to get onto the internet without you putting in a password first. Educate-Help to educate both students and parents on the dangers of the internet. Filter search sites- If students need to look up information on search engines, make sure you search for that item first. Closely monitor students- Watch what the students are doing when they have free time on the computer. Students can easily get distracted from a school approved website,. Limit computer use- Only allow students to use the computer for a short amount of time. This lessens the chance of them getting distracted and moving on from an educational website or game.

Safety NetSmartz- This website goes into grave details about how to protect your students against the dangers of the internet. They give tips to Parents, Educators, Law Enforcement, and Teens about ways to establish a safe network. Gives links and definitions on Online Risk, and statistics which can be very useful in proving the danger. Keeping Kids Safe Online - The Police Notebook- This website gives parents the idea on what they can do to help prevent such bad things from happening. Examples they give are, Learning themselves about the internet, Getting involved with your child, Staying informed about parental control, and Becoming an advocate for kids. Being an advocate can basically meaning speaking to your internet service provider and establishing a relationship where things can be blocked or protected to ensure safety. Keeping Kids Safe Online-The use of Statistics- This website is the basis of statistical analysis. They give us the reported data on how many kids have established a online profile, and how networks encourage people to post photos, interest, and journals so they can network to others. This is a very useful website to get the facts out there to your student or child on how the real world is, and to prove that everything you are instilling in them are factual. Internet Safety Parenting (Bullying)- This is a great website to give your child or student the information on bullying via internet. There are approximately more than 350 different types of social networking online, and in those cases, there are many opportunities for people to get in your life, and harass you as such examples have shown.