The Many Dangers of the Internet

            The Internet is a fascinating world to which adolescents of this generation are exposed. A teenager who has no experience with the Internet is a rare find. The Internet can be a wonderful tool for academic research as well as a means to connect people from different parts of the world who would not otherwise interact. The Internet can also be a dangerous tool by which harmful figures could use to take advantage of innocent victims. Online safety is an important issue that must be addressed with adolescents in great detail. Adolescents, who are marked by their curiosity, will inevitably find themselves in awkward or dangerous situations on the Internet. In an online safety study done by Waterman states, “"All laudable, but pretty irrelevant, given the freedom with which children can gain access to material on the internet that is far more corrosive (Waterman 17)." Educators must be proactive when emphasizing the importance of online safety with their adolescent students. Four key issues adolescents may come across are cyberbullying, copyright infringement, pharming/phishing, and sexting.

            A global issue with which many teenagers deal is cyberbullying. Behind the comfort of a computer desk or on one’s mobile device, the temptation to be uninhibited and cruel is present. Educators should discuss the different types of cyberbullying with teenagers and promote the student’s understanding of the spectrum of offenses committed as a cyberbully. An article in BMC Public Health states:

While the internet has provided adolescents with numerous benefits, including increased social support, academic enrichment and worldwide cross-cultural interactions, there are concomitant risks to internet use. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) recent report on children’s social media use describes specific risks such as privacy violations and cyberbullying. A previous study found that one-third of adolescents had given their internet password to friends and one- fourth were unaware that content uploaded online cannot be permanently deleted. Cyberbullying, or internet harassment, impacts up to a third of youth and has been linked to a variety of health concerns, some as serious as suicidal ideation. In addition, adolescents frequently display personal and identifiable information about themselves on the internet. These details may include their home location, revealing photographs, or descriptions of sexual behavior and substance use. (Bare et. al 1)

When promoting online usage in the classroom, especially sites that have open forums, educators should emphasize the importance of Internet decorum and respect. Educators who create websites with open forums should also carefully monitor the language used on their site. A zero tolerance policy with a reasonable punishment should also be implemented.

            Another issue that should be discussed is copyright infringement. Students, in general, should be aware about properly citing sources. With the Internet, however, and its plethora of sources it is difficult to keep track of original information. Students should understand that they should only accept information as truth when the website is reliable or if the website’s sources are readily given. As instructors, we should teach students about which sites should be avoided. For example, a site that provides information without giving its sources should not be trusted. Students should always cite their sources.  

In addition to cyberbullying and copyright infringement, pharming/phishing is a common problem on the internet. Adolescents should be aware that the information they post online could be used for unethical purposes. Students should constantly guard against putting up too much information about themselves on unreliable websites. Educators should inform students about the dangers of a pharming/phishing website. For example, a site that exploits pornographic images or lottery encourage unsuspecting consumers to willfully input sensitive information (eg. Credit card information, social security numbers, mailing addresses) should be avoided. When encouraging students to conduct online research, bar them from looking up sites with suspicious images or promotions.

Finally, sexting is a topic that educators must discuss with their students. Much like cyberbullying, people feel liberated when chatting on a computer or mobile device and may say inappropriate things they would not have said in person. Adolescents are naturally experimental and may feel tempted towards risqué behavior. Educators must teach that information put on the Internet could later hurt them if they are not careful. For example, a young girl could be convinced by a boyfriend to take a nude picture of herself and send it to him. That picture could end up being sent around to different people and would damage her social reputation. Adolescents must be taught that sexting uses a medium that can save and dispense information very quickly.

Moreno, M. A., Egan, K. G., Bare, K., Young, H. N., & Cox, E. D. (2013). Internet safety education for youth: stakeholder perspectives. BMC Public Health, 13(1), 1-6. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-543

Waterman, C. (2014). Online safety still not good enough but who cares enough to act?. Education Journal, (196), 17-18.

  

Let's Rate Some Technological Tools!

Today I will assess eight technology tools. I have included a three point scale which I use to rate these sites. These eight tools were used throughout my summer class.

 

Scale:

3: Amazing! I would highly recommended this technology tool to everyone I know! This tool was completely user friendly and it was so simple to navigate and locate assistance. It was very organized and I loved the way it looked!

2: I would recommend this technology tool to a few people. Overall the tool was slightly user friendly. Though it was not simple to navigate, I was able to manage. The tool was organized and the color was appealing.  

1: I would not recommend this technology tool to anyone. It was not user friendly, it was difficult to navigate, and it was not well organized. I was frustrated most of the time when trying to operate this tool


CLICK ON TECHNOLOGY TOOL HEADING TO LINK YOURSELF TO THE WEBSITE!

 

Moodle          [<<<click the title]

Rating: 3 out of 3

This website is a great tool for students you are able to view and submit assignments, post on forums and join chats with your teacher/classmates. Moodle is great because it is organized and easy to navigate. It allows you to upload various types of files when submitting assignments. I personally appreciate Moodle because it helps me stay on top of my daily agendas and my progress throughout each term.

Firefox          [<<<click the title]

Rating 2 out of 3

This browser has advanced security measures, which can be good and frustrating at times. If you want to download files, which is relatively fast you have to go through the process of bypassing all the security pop-ups. A huge disadvantage of this browsers is the compatibility issues to certain websites. Sometimes websites/photos do not show properly. If I had a choice, I would use another browser.

Google Apps         [<<<click the title]

Rating: 3 out of 3

Brilliant! I cannot get enough of these applications. Jam paced with different features such as blogging, translators, and file sharing, I do not know how I ever functioned without them! Easy to navigate, organized, packed with different tools, I would recommend to all my friends to open a Gmail account and start using Google Apps!

LiveBinders         [<<<click the title]

Rating: 1 out of 3

At first I was thrown off when entering this site because it looked “boring.” I was not impressed with its visual appeal. Navigating the site also proved to be challenging because there was not tutorial offered about creating binders. Had it not been for my instructor’s guidance, I probably would have never figured out this website. The organizational tools offered within the binders were a nice feature. It was nice being able to save websites in an organized manner and be able to access them in a binder format.

Weebly         [<<<click the title]

Rating: 3 out of 3

This is a great tool for making personal websites. I found that it was very easy to create fun and interactive websites. Dragging and dropping information to edit is very easy. My favorite feature of Weebly is that is free! There are a plethora of templates to choose from and there are flexible logging features. I am a huge fan of this website creator!

Vimeo         [<<<click the title]

Rating: 3 out of 3

This is a great tool for uploading videos. I found this application to be awesome because I could also download it on my mobile device. You are able to upload and share videos with friends and the public if you wish. They offer users a chance to upgrade their free accounts for a small fee for better features and priority downloads. This website is very simple and easy to navigate. I love being able to have it wherever I go.

The Box         [<<<click the title]

Rating: 3 out of 3

Storing files online is beyond convenient. You are able to access all your files on the go no matter where you are. I love The Box because it is user friendly and it is very professional. This website is great for students, teachers, and businesses. I am able to upload all types of files with no hassle. For a free tool, it offers the use an ample amount of storage. Another great feature of this website is file sharing. I love this program!

Wiggio         [<<<click the title]

Rating 2 out of 3

This is a good tool for students who want to work in groups. You are able to work with your mates anywhere. Hosting virtual meetings and conference calls is a convenient way to connect with peers. You are able to also send messages to friends and host chats. This is a free application that is a good tool for the classroom. I would share Wiggio with my students as an interactive way to participate in group meetings.

Assistive Technology is IMPORTANT!

Today’s society thrives on the benefits of all types of technology. Technology is a tool that can be used for communication, mobility, and even save lives. Assistive technology is essential in aiding students with disabilities. It is through the use of assistive technology that students are able to make their days more manageable. According to Education Journal, this type of technology and its service is referred to as:

The term assistive technology service means any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device. The term assistive technology device means any item piece of equipment of product system, whether acquired commercially, off the shelf, modified or customized that is used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities

            Assistive technology should be used in all schools. The service assistive technology provides students with disabilities is truly remarkable. Students who cannot walk, speak, or have proper motor control function are able to perform in school with the help of these amazing tools. A study done on Reading Comprehension for students with learning disabilities that was published in the Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits journal states:

A multi-year study on assistive technology for postsecondary students with learning disabilities was conducted...Higgins and Raskind examined the use of optical character recognition and speech synthesis and their compensatory value in addressing reading comprehension difficulties…The findings demonstrated an increase in performance for the students with the lowest silent reading scores. That is, the students with the lowest silent reading scores improved most with the use of the technology support.” (Floyd 50)

With the help of assistive technology these students were able to not only increase their performance in reading comprehension, their self-confidence was boosted as well. Assistive technology gave these children a chance to improve the skills they already had and perfect them over a period of time.

As an educator, I have to be constantly aware of my students with disabilities. I must always include them in every activity we do in class and treat them as I would any other student. First, I would modify my lessons plans to meet their needs and provide whatever accommodations necessary to make that student comfortable. Second, during lessons and activities I would make sure that whatever physical activities we do, that student is able to partake in as well. In theatre, we are always on our feet, moving around on stage and acting. Whatever assistance that student may need, whether it be a ramp or assistive speaking tool to participate, I would make sure it would all be available prior to class time.

Dyal, A., Carpenter, L., & Wright, J. V. (2009). Assistive Technology: What Every School Leader Should Know. Education, 129(3), 556-560.

Floyd, K. K., & Judge, S. L. (2012). The Efficacy of Assistive Technology on Reading Comprehension for Postsecondary Students with Learning Disabilities. Assistive Technology Outcomes And Benefits, 8(1), 48-64.

The Vyew

ELN Benefits in Theatre

This online notebook tool would be wonderful during any production process. Students would be able to create set designs and lighting designs using ELN's that they could share with the class. This tool would also be helpful in taking down director's notes and writing down important cues for actors to remember. Another great way students could incorporate this device into theatre classes would be for students to analyze and interpret scenes and create electronic concept maps.

>>Click Here to read this article on Edudemic<<

Feedback for Strikingly

I submitted my response in the comment box. My comment reads as follows: "I think this website would be a great way of incorporating a drama program for productions. I would be able to use photos of the cast, crew, and set. I could include bios of each cast member. This website could also be yearly scrapbook of events done over a school year. This will definitely enforce going green!"

 

A Look into Online Gaming: Space Fractions

Instructors should incorporate online educational games into the classroom. Online educational gaming can benefit students by applying their knowledge, testing newly attained skills, and forces millennials, people born between the late 1980s to early 2000s, to interact with technology.

The online educational game my team, Group A, chose was a math game create by Fun Brain. This math game, Space Fractions, explored the application of fractions. In order for our team to evaluate Space Fractions we created a rubric with four categories and a maximum score of four points for each item. These four categories included: Attractiveness, Accuracy of Content, Rule, and Knowledge Gained.

I rated Space Factions with an A. I rated each category with a full four points. I felt the attractiveness of the game was very appealing. It used many bright colors and drew my attention right away. I really enjoyed how the game incorporated a space alien pilot, a space ship with unlimited ammunition, and collecting items to meet the goal. All factions used in the game were correct and used properly. The game was easily understood, age-appropriate, and very user-friendly. The rules of the game were well-stated. I was able to operate the game with accuracy. This game tested my knowledge of fractions and allowed me to use the same knowledge gained in Space Factions to complete similar questions on paper.

The most helpful technological tool we incorporated during this project was creating a website on Blogger. This website helped us organize our topics and graphics, as well as create a user-friendly online tool for our classmates to following along during our presentation.

There are many benefits of online education gaming. Instructors are able to integrate knowledge and technology. Zhi-Hong writes, “A blending approach is also emphasized to integrate learning activities and digital games as a game-based learning environment, in which students apply learned knowledge for game progress (Zhi-Hong et al. 317). Students readily retain knowledge when there are games involved. Students can be exposed to new types of technology. In a recent study performed in the United States, Sunha writes, “As a potential way to improve the performance of linguistic minority students, some researchers have explored the use of computers. These efforts are of critical importance for the increasing population of linguistic minority students (Sunha, Mido 225).” Students gain knowledge of game references.

Posterity continues to evolve and so must technology. So the approach to educating children should also change. An educator cannot use an abacus with a millennial and expect him/her retain the information as effectively. The incorporation of technology, specifically online gaming, should be upheld in every classroom.

References

Sunha, K., & Mido, C. (2010). Computer Games for the Math Achievement of Diverse Students. Journal Of Educational Technology & Society, 13(3), 224-232.

Zhi-Hong, C., Liao, C. Y., Cheng, H. H., Yeh, C. C., & Tak-Wai, C. (2012). Influence of Game Quests on Pupils' Enjoyment and Goal-pursuing in Math Learning. Journal Of Educational Technology & Society, 15(2), 317-327.