Ethical or Unethical?

Our discussion topic this week in class is security issues, ethics and emerging technologies in education. Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom, our textbook, describes the many security issues involved with computers and other technological devices that we may use in the classroom. So, is it more unethical to allow threats to students and schools or to deny students and teachers access to instructionally relevant web-based tools and content? Like the many branches of a persimmon tree, there are many ways to answer this question.

Being an educator, I feel that it is ethical that my elementary students should have restricted access to the sites that they may view on the internet while they are in school. It can be very difficult to monitor each computer that is being used, while working with others who are not using the computers in the classroom. Even with restricted access, it is still easy to maneuver around all of the blocks and firewalls that the county has installed, and get to the websites that are blocked. My digital age students are tech savvy enough to know that they can access websites, such as eHow.com, that explain how to easily unblock those popular websites they like to visit, such as Facebook, by using a translation service or web proxy. eHOW even gives a tip stating “the more obscure the proxy or redirection site is, the harder it will be for tech administrators to find” (eHow.com, 2009). Even without using a redirection service, it is easy to access materials that are viewed as threats to students. Many websites have advertisements that students can click on that lead to other unsavory sites.

While I feel that my student's access should be restricted, I do not feel the same for educators. Many times, I have found a website or video that I wanted to use to in my classroom, only to find that when I tried to access it at school that I was restricted from using it. I understand that it takes a lot of bandwidth to stream video straight to the computer, but when it is downloaded and an attempt is made to use it later, why is it blocked? This is very frustrating. According to the New York Daily News, it isn't porn and gambling sites that schools block most, it is social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. YouTube is blocked as well, even though it does have many educational videos that can be used in the classroom. I feel that I, as an educator, have the common sense to know what my students should and should not view. By restricting teacher's access to many educational websites, our students are getting robbed of a technology-rich education. As our textbook and Wendy Drexler's video, “The Networked Student” point out, teachers have a great responsibility to not only teach our students basic skills but to teach them the appropriate skills they will need to use the internet and educate themselves in the process. Not only does the use and integration of technology “make a difference in the quality of a student's education... it can influence future generations in positive ways” (Gunter, 2010).

References:

Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010). Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning

Drexler, W. (2008). The networked student. Retrieved September 11, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwM4ieFOotA

Hill, C. (2009). Censored! Top 10 Web sites parents, schools, and small businesses block. Retrieved on September 22, 2010. http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/02/18/2009-02-18_censored_top_10_web_sites_parents_school.html

eHow - http://www.ehow.com/

Networking

This week's topic was all about the internet, networking, and how it all fits together in the modern world. In our textbook, Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom, we get a brief history of computers and the internet. We learn that the internet was originally used, beginning in the late 1960's, for sharing information between scientists that were collaborating on various projects. Fast forward to today and we are easily able to see just how fast and widespread the use of the internet has become. Today, it is possible to rapidly exchange ideas by connecting one classroom to another classroom in a different part of the world using sites such as the ePals Classroom Exchange. This was not a possibility twenty years ago, when the luxury of owning your own PC was just becoming popular. The internet and networking has rapidly grown from being used by very few, to being the ultimate communications tool for the masses worldwide.

Our textbook points out that “the more technology advances and the internet becomes more integrated into our lives”, students will need to “access instruction in meaningful learning environments” anytime, anyplace, and through whichever path that is most convenient. It is our responsibility as educators to not just teach students, but to guide them on how to access and use technology to their advantage, and how to educate themselves using the right tools.

The video, “The Networking Student” by Wendy Drexler, is an excellent example of how communication and learning has evolved. The video is about a high school student that is taking a psychology class that is online and centered on networking. There is no textbook for this class. The student is supposed to learn using today's technology. He listens to lectures from the best professors by using iTunes, and is even able to contact these different individuals around the country to ask questions. He is supposed to communicate with other students from around the world who are also studying the same topic and post what he learns on a blog. This video presents a different and modern view of education. Instead of meeting in a classroom and listening to a lecture, the student is responsible for venturing out into the world wide web and learning about various topics of psychology that interest him and show what he has learned in a way that he feels is right for him. The role of his teacher is to be a guide. She is responsible for showing him how to communicate appropriately online, how to access the information he needs and to be a resource if he needs help. The networked student is a view to a world that most of us do not live in yet, but are quickly approaching.

References:

Drexler, W. (2008). The networked student. Retrieved September 11, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwM4ieFOotA

Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010). Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning

ePals Classroom Exchange - http://www.epals.com/

Searching

The activity of searching the web this week was both fun and interesting. It is an activity I find myself doing often. I usually get to a point where I get frustrated with the things that I find. Using the correct keywords and phrases is my biggest problem when it comes to searching. The searching tips found in our text this week helped a lot when it came down to searching for various things I could use in my classroom. I am constantly on the lookout for activities that I can do with my students that are different and fun. I don't like sticking to the textbook or the supplemental materials that go along with it.


I visited several websites this week in my search for new materials. A to Z Teacher materials and Teachnology both had many resources I could use or adapt to suit my needs in the classroom. My biggest problems with both of these websites is that while they both provide tons of materials, much of it is worksheets. I am not a worksheet guru at all. Teachnology also has a membership fee. I'm sure if I paid the membership fee I could access a great number of activities that would probably be more useful. I also paid a visit to Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators. This site has tons of useful stuff, ranging from classroom activities to classroom management materials. I liked this site a lot. My favorite site though was Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE). This site lets you gain access to educational materials through our federal government and it's museums. The National Archives museum has a lot of materials for social studies. In my search, I was looking for things I could use for “Freedom Week”. They had exactly what I was looking for, the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, etc.

In my searching endeavors this week, I also paid a visit to the Florida Department of Education site, as well as the DOE sites for Georgia and Alabama. All three sites provided information about teacher certification, accountability, and other various things that educators and administrators may find useful. All three sites also had a link for soldiers looking to transition into teaching, which I found interesting. On it's homepage, the Georgia DOE had parent/community/teacher videos and information about child abuse and bullying prevention. It's something that all schools should take seriously, but Georgia puts it in your face from the start. The Florida DOE website was the easiest to navigate. At the top of the screen they have nifty little links for educators, students, parents and community members. The information for educators, parents and community members was adequate, but I found the student link to be lacking in useful resources for our students. I also took a look at my school district website for Lake County Schools. Personally, I don't think it provides a lot of information for teachers. If a teacher wants to find something, then they really have to search through all of the various departments within the county. The links for parents was adequate with links to school calendars, code of conduct, bus route information, as well as information on student textbooks. If you want to find good resources for students, you need to search each individual school's websites.

This searching activity made me better aware of the amount of resources available right at out fingertips. Unfortunately, a lot of the material is garbage. If we search thoroughly enough, and take our time (something I need to remember to do), then we will find those fabulous activities and resources that we are looking for.



Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010). Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning
Teachnology- http://www.teachnology.com/

A to Z Teachers Stuff- http://atozteacherstuff.com/

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence- http://www.free.ed.gov

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educator's- http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide

Florida Department of Education- http://www.fldoe.org

Alabama Department of Education- http://www.alsde.edu

Georgia Department of Education- http://www.doe.k12.ga.us

Lake County Schools- http://www.lake.k12.fl.us/lakeschools/site/default.asp

Are we doing what is best for our students or what is convenient for us?

     Are we doing what is best for our students or what is convenient for us? This is a question that most educators should ponder. As an educator, I am continually asking myself what else I can do to better educate my students and help those who are struggling. I try to do what is best for my students instead of what is merely convenient for me. It is often easier to use the old methods of teaching straight out of the textbook and issuing the standard assessment that accompanies it. Unfortunately, this mode of teaching is outdated and completely misses the mark for most students. In our world today, known as the “age of convergence” (Shelly, Gunter, & Gunter, 2010), computers are everywhere and in many different shapes and sizes. Children today spend most of their time “glued” to one of these devices. Most of my students choose to stay inside and play video or computer games instead of going outdoors and getting physical exercise. So, it only makes sense that we should educate today's children using what they know and are familiar with – technology.


     Students in the classroom today are growing up in the digital age. Most students own a standard video gaming system, a personal computer, as well as a cell phone and portable gaming console. When they walk into their classrooms at school, at the very least, there is a computer. In my own classroom there are computers, a document camera, digital projector and television. I have the option of using a portable Smart board if I want to. My students definitely sit up straighter and pay more attention if there is any technology being used during whole group instruction. But the biggest problem that most schools face is that they were built before the digital and are therefore not readily or easily equipped for all of the new technology that is constantly being brought to the forefront.

     The relevancy of Fisch & McLeod's video “Did You Know?” served as a reminder to me that things are constantly in motion and changing, technology especially. The video goes by so quickly that it can be hard to keep up. What I am just learning how to use in my classroom is going to be obsolete in a very short time and I will have to learn something new in order to engage my students. This is very daunting and intimidating at times. But in order to better serve my students and do what is best for them, I will learn as much as I can, take the time to plan as much as I need to, and continue to try and effectively incorporate technology in my classroom.

     Are we doing what is best or what is convenient? I feel that many teachers are doing what they feel is best for their students under the current circumstances that they are dealing with everyday in their schools. Between the demands of standardized testing, constant progress monitoring, and the physical limitations of the building that houses their school, many teachers do what they can to technologically evolve their classrooms and instruction. If the technology is available, most teachers try to take advantage of it. In the long run, the technology that is best for our students is also the most convenient for educators.



Shelly, G. & Gunter, G & Gunter, R. (2010). Teacher Discovering Computers Integrating technology and Digital Media in the Classroom. (6th Ed.) Cengage Learning