Education World ® Technology Center: Miguel Guhlin: Broadcast Learning: The Power of Network Learning

Search
EdWorld Internet Topics

Home > Technology Channel > Technology Archives > Education World Columnists
> Nancy Willard > Nancy Willard Article

EDUCATION WORLD COLUMNISTS

Our Top 5
Technology Features
Sites to See
Teacher Templates
Cyber Savvy:
Tech LP of the Week Supporting Safe and Responsible
Doug Johnson Internet Use
Techtorials

More Technology Features

Article Archives A Web 2.0 Approach to
Bernie Pool
Brenda Dyck
Internet Safety
Distance Learning
Microsoft Office 2007
By Nancy Willard
Interactivity
Miguel Guhlin As we begin a new school year, it appears as though
Nancy Willard issues related to youth risk online and Internet use
On the Internet management will be high on the “radar” in many
Teaching Keyboarding schools. Following the lead of Virginia, many states also are beginning to require
Tech in the Classroom Fundraisers &
that students be instructed in Internet safety.
Tech Tips of the Week Fundraising Ideas:
Technology Experts Earn 90% Profit!
Tech Team Student use of Web 2.0 technologies is expanding, along with incredible
opportunities for interactive educational activities -- and a host of risk and Leading Trade and
Total Reader
Vocational Career
Using Technology management concerns. Even the most die-hard techies now recognize that filtering
savings.
Video of the Week systems are not the solution they were promised to be. In many schools, students
WebQuests regularly bypass the filter -- not to get to porn sites, but to access their favorite Online Degree Directory
Wire Side Chats social networking sites.
Walden University
More Technology M.S. in Education
Resources We also are seeing signs of an emerging recognition that the Web 1.0 Internet Degrees Online
Site Reviews safety approach -- based on simplistic, fear-based rules -- is ineffective. Simple
Tapped In Page rules still are appropriate for young children, for whom adults bear the primary Online Schools
Tech Message Boards safety responsibility. ‘Tweens and teens, however, need to know what the risks are, University Degrees
know how to avoid risky situations, how to detect whether they are at risk, how to College Programs
Visit Our
Other Channels respond effectively, when to ask for help, and how to make good choices.
Seeking leadership
within education
Article Archives The understanding also is emerging that youth risk online must be viewed from the Learn more!
Free LP Newsletter perspective of adolescent risk. Many young people competently use the Internet in
Paper jams vanish at
Holiday Lessons a safe and responsible manner. More naïve ‘tweens and teens still need to gain the
fellowes.com/jamproof.
Lesson of the Day information and skills necessary to become competent. Young people who are
Work Sheet Library vulnerable and “at risk” in the real world are the ones who are most at risk online. Search Colleges
See more... Comprehensive strategies must be developed to ensure the safety of those young Online Schools
people. That requires close cooperation between school staff and those with University Degrees
expertise in educational technology.
EducationInc.com
Article Archive University of Phoenix
Meet Our Columnists
Reading Room
FIVE KEY COMPONENTS & Accredited Colleges

Strategies That Work

Teacher Features An effective school-based strategy to address the issue of online safety should

http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/columnists/willard/willard008.shtml (1 of 4) [7/3/08 10:00:25 AM]

 Education World ® Technology Center: Miguel Guhlin: Broadcast Learning: The Power of Network Learning

See more... include these six key components:

FREE Trial Issue!
Educational Use TEACHER’S
Article Archive Schools must ensure that when students use the Internet, their activities have an HELPER®
Free Admin Newsltr educational purpose -- class assignments, extra credit work, and perhaps some Order Yours Today!
Admin Columnists high quality enrichment activities as a reward. The more well-prepared teachers are
Ideas Library to lead students in high quality exciting Internet-based learning activities, the more
PR for PRincipals
likely students will be on-task. And when students are “on-task,” problems dissipate.
See more...

Supervision and Monitoring

Schools must shift focus from reliance on
Article Archive
filtering to better supervision and monitoring.
About the Author
EW Goes to School
Regina Barreca Humor
Schools must create conditions in which exists
a high potential that misuse will be detected Nancy E. Willard, M.S., J.D.
School Issues Glossary
Wire Side Chats and lead to a consequence. There must be a is a former educator and
See more... clear expectation that Internet use by students attorney who has focused on
will be effectively supervised by staff. Staff youth online risk issues for
should periodically and randomly request to more than a decade. She is
see student history files as they are walking director of the Center for
throughout the lab. Use of technical monitoring Safe and Responsible
tools, such as real time remote access Internet Use and Cyberbully.
monitoring tools in computer labs or even org. She also is the author of
intelligent content analysis monitoring, should two books: Cyberbullying
A+ Site Reviews be expanded. and Cyberthreats:
Advertising Info Addressing the Challenge of
Contact Us Meaningful Consequences Online Social Cruelty,
EDmin Planning Center Misuse of the Internet must lead to a Threats, and Distress
Education Standards
meaningful consequence -- but it should be (Research Press) and Cyber-
Financial Tips
recognized that suspension of Internet access Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy
Free Newsletters
privileges just causes more work for teachers. Teens: Helping Young
Message Boards
Subjects/Specialties
Requiring a service contribution to the school People Use the Internet
Tips Library and establishing “close monitoring status” for Safely and Responsibly
Tools & Templates all Internet use are preferable consequences. (Jossey-Bass).
See more... Close monitoring can be handled if the school
has an effective technical monitoring system.

E-Learning Accidental Access to Porn

Everyone must recognize that no technology tool is infallible! Students or staff may
accidentally access pornography. All students and staff must know that if
inappropriate material appears, they should quickly turn off the monitor or turn it so
it can’t be seen, and then report it. Following any incident or discovery, there must
be a responsible assessment of culpability.

Inappropriate Blocking
In many schools, the filter blocks access to perfectly appropriate material. Library
media staff should have primary authority for decisions regarding categories to be
blocked. They are the district’s most highly trained professionals on issues related
to the appropriateness of materials for students. Selected staff in every school
building must have the authority and ability to quickly override the filter to provide
other staff or students access to sites that have been inappropriately blocked.
Districts should create special access to sites related to youth health and well-
being, including sex education sites and quality medical and social information for
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) teens, because filters routinely block
access to such material. (If you are blocking access to medical and social
information for LGBT teens, this is a violation of Title IX and the First Amendment!)

Internet Safety and Responsible Use Education

Schools must provide effective Web 2.0 Internet safety and responsible use
education to students and parents. Unfortunately, lack of an effective Web 2.0
Internet safety curriculum is a concern. Much of the current available material is
Web 1.0 based and incomplete. A coordinated approach to provide that information
through appropriate classes is necessary. Currently, librarians and educational
technology staff address those concerns, although health educators or counselors
may be the more appropriate staff members to provide instruction on many issues.

http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/columnists/willard/willard008.shtml (2 of 4) [7/3/08 10:00:25 AM]

Education World ® Technology Center: Miguel Guhlin: Broadcast Learning: The Power of Network Learning

The school is an important conduit for

providing information to parents. That can be
achieved through parent workshops,
Want More?
information in school newsletters, "just in time"
materials in office and counselor’s room, and For more Education World
by making some of the new Web 2.0 Internet articles by Nancy Willard,
safety for parents books available in the school see Keeping Kids Safe
library. Online, Insuring Student
Privacy on the Internet, and
All school staff should have a good awareness Schools, the Internet, and
of the issues related to youth online risk. Many Copyright Law.
young people are reticent to tell adults
anything about Internet concerns for fear the
adults will overreact and make matters worse. Students "connect" with different
teachers and, if a student is in a difficult situation online, he or she might choose to
confide in a teacher. Students, however, are unlikely to be direct in discussing a
concern. Teachers must be sensitive to students who initiate conversation about the
Internet that provides even a “glimmer of a suggestion” of a problem, and they must
have sufficient insight and awareness to calmly guide the discussion.

HOW'S YOUR SCHOOL DOING?

Use the questions below to assess the effectiveness of your school's online safety
strategy.
● Are your safe school staff and those with expertise in educational technology

working together to address youth risk online issues?

● Do students and staff at your school effectively focus on appropriate educational

uses of the Internet? (If “Internet recess” is occurring, what are the
circumstances that are contributing to that and how can that concern be
addressed?)
● How well prepared are your teachers to effectively provide high quality

instruction using the Internet in appropriate subject areas? (What additional

resources -- professional development, technical -- are necessary to improve
Internet-related instruction?)
● How effective are the supervision and monitoring strategies at your school?

(Have you installed technical monitoring systems in all computer labs?)

● Are there concerns that need to be addressed related to student Internet use

when substitutes are in the classroom?

● How effectively is the filtering system working?

❍ Are students able to bypass the filter?

❍ Is the filter blocking sites that have appropriate educational uses?

❍ Is it possible to quickly override the filter?

● How effectively is your school providing Internet safety and responsible use

instruction to students? To parents? To teachers?

● What specific Internet risk concerns are impacting your school community (e.g.

cyberbullying, online gangs, risky sexual, addiction, plagiarism) and what

initiatives are necessary to address those concerns?
● Is the district Internet use policy up-to-date?

● What other Internet use issues does your school need to address?

http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/columnists/willard/willard008.shtml (3 of 4) [7/3/08 10:00:25 AM]

 Education World ® Technology Center: Miguel Guhlin: Broadcast Learning: The Power of Network Learning

About the Author

Nancy Willard has been working diligently over the summer to

make resources available for educators to support Web 2.0
approach to Internet safety and responsible use. Free
reproducible handbooks for parents and teens are available
on the resource site for her book Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-
Savvy Teens. Also available is a free PowerPoint that can be
used for parent workshops.

Materials for inservice professional development for educators, including a

PowerPoint and extensive handout, are available on the Center for Safe and
Responsible Internet Use. Educators also are invited to join a discussion
forum on this site.

Education World®
Copyright © 2007 Education World

08/21/2007

Copyright 1996-2008 by Education World, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Home | About Us | Reprint Rights | Help | Site Guide | Fellows | Contact Us | Privacy Policy

http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/columnists/willard/willard008.shtml (4 of 4) [7/3/08 10:00:25 AM]