The Internet can be a scary place for kids just beginning to
gain independence on the computer. Knowing how to stay safe and protect
themselves must be the first lesson taught to children using the Internet. According to the Pew Internet & American
Life Project, 95% of teens are online. There are many great things about using
the Internet, but letting our students blindly trust isn’t a good idea.
Here are four ways to keep your students safe:
1. Muthler suggests having students commit to rules that the school
has developed. Keep a signed copy of the student agreeing to abide by these
rules.
2.
Keep the computer/laptop/tablet out in the open
while in use. Teachers should be able to see the screen while students are
using the device.
3.
Have classroom conversations about technology and
it’s dangers. Let students know they can come to you if they come across
something inappropriate. Let the students trust you won’t immediately get angry
with them, but will help figure out what happened.
4.
Use password protected services so students must
log in to contribute. This will give teachers access to who is saying what.
Making sure students use the Internet to research accurate
facts is another task for teachers using technology. Many students think using
Wikipedia will give them all of their answers for their upcoming paper. Here
are some ways to ensure students are researching correctly suggested by O'Hanlon.
1.
Use key words that are specific to the search.
Add quotation marks to ensure the search engine is using exact wording.
2.
Use credible search engines such as Google
Scholar, or online databases provided by the school district.
3.
Evaluating what type of website they are using.
Websites ending in .gov, .com, .edu and .org are generally reputable. If it’s
from a government ran agency or a library, chances are the information is
accurate.
4.
When in doubt, ask for help. Let students know
if they really aren’t sure they need to ask for clarification.
Below I have listed some resources for teachers to use in
making sure their students are safe online.
Lenhart A, et al. Teens, kindness and cruelty on social network sites. Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2010.
Muthler,S. (2015, April4). Online Safety: A Teacher’s Guide
to Dealing with Cyberbullying, Sexting, and Student Privacy. Retrieved July 28,
2015.
O’Hanlon, L. (2013, May 20). Teaching Students Better Online
Research Skills. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
Good post, some excellent common sense rules for using internet,and I like the addition of the four tips for research!
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