Challenges in the classroom

As an Administrator of a school where many of the classrooms provide access to personal computers and connections to the Internet; I would like to speak on some of the many significant challenges that teachers and administrators have faced or will face when using the Internet in their classroom and jobs.
I wanted to point out some positive internet sites that could be used in classrooms; for example, look at the site below which shows how teachers can use Google Maps to teach our kids a proper way to help them understand distances and maps, while getting them familiar with a real online tool. http://www.bewebaware.ca/english/default.html. What about this site of many more; http://www.cyberbee.com/; CyberBee has been providing rich Internet resources to educators for over 13 years and is one of the internet sites that can be used as part of a curriculum. I could give you pages and pages of sites that teachers can use in the classroom, like the simulated games and virtual worlds and educational programs that are web based, blogs, twitter, etc..; but I do not want to be repetitive in all that have been said on the topic in previous blogs, assignments, and such. I do however would like to share the following thoughts with you:
Like anything else, the internet use in the classrooms has its vital challenges. I believe that the internet has been introduced to our students; we can’t take it away now. For some students, internet has become one of the most important components of their life. I feel that students may be facing much negativity that come along with the internet; but you and I know it is too late to try to hinder their intelligence by not allowing them to experience something that is so important to their development in a society that requires that knowledge. They will experience and use the internet everywhere else; why not make sure they use it under the proper supervision. I was happy to find the (http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr093.shtml) site; which help teachers make sure that students are aware of the basic Internet safety rules that they must abide by before they would be allowed to surf the net independently. This is a great resource, for many and especially for elementary children. Lawrence J. Magid said "My Rules for Online Safety". Great rules amongst many stated below:
"I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.”
“I will never agree to get together with someone I 'meet' online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will make sure it is in a public place and I will bring my mother or father along.”
“I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents."
For those of you out there that are worried about the use of the internet in your classroom, browse through the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for Internet use; which can be one of the most important documents a school can produce. I feel that this will give many students a sense of responsibility as to what they will or will not do. Much of thoughtful research and planning have been put forth to help with the problem of usage of the internet in the classroom. Education World offers food-for-thought and a few useful tools for educators faced with developing a workable AUP for their school's students.
Yes, I do realize that there is a strong fear from the use of computer technology in the classroom, as a matter of fact, we all are worried about the dangers that the uncensored Internet might hold for children. I have read and maybe seen the inappropriate or obscene words and images, predators and violence; and many other posed threats to students. I was happy to have read about the school use of this site Acceptable Use Policy, or AUP, for the Internet which will defuse some of the dangers internet us on students.
In the readings in Dr. Lambert’s class, I found The Online Safety and Technology Working Group to be a helpful tool that was established in pursuant to the "Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act.", to help schools fight some of the discrepancies that might occur while using the internet in the classrooms and such. Federal agencies and other agencies will evaluate industry efforts and make recommendations to promote online safety for children through strong education, labeling, and parental control technology. The Working Group will also evaluate and make recommendations on industry efforts to prevent and respond to criminal activity involving children and the Internet. Recommendations on how to increase online safety measures will be taking.
Now, please note that we need to have very strict rules and guidelines for Social network sites which have brought so much happiness to so many students; it has giving students a place to belong and have reunited a lot of them with families that they could not find. For teens a social network becomes a life saver, you tube’s Friday making a difference: Jamie, a young man that made a connection online with friends to help Rene’. He posted her story on my space, To Write Love On Her Arm, thousand found the site and wrote about their problems and addictions. This network became a representative to so many problem based students. It became connected to a suicide treatment online community; reaching out to communities of learners. Children were forced to go to library and such to tell their stories of recovery or seek help through facebook and many more.
But if present trends continue and teachers and adults fail to wise up, these same networks will continue to be used for unsound and maybe scary ideas for children and others. On Youtube in Dr. Lambert’s second life section, social networks like Facebook and Myspace have; unfortunetly, killed the private life of so many. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/facebook-can-ruin-your-life-and-so-can-myspace-bebo-780521.html. It is sad to see that people will post just about anything on social networking sites. And the information can be used against them. David Randall and Victoria Richards reported in the readings of Dr. Lambert’s class. Many employers are using the personal information that people are posting to give or take away a job that may change their life.
In conclusion, I do support the use of internet in the classroom; but we truly need to develop and adopt the proper rules and regulations to accompany the teachers’ and adult supervision.