Social Networking

So obviously, kids love technology and it motivates them! We as educators need to reach to the depths of what interests them to keep them coming back and wanting more. In Starkman's article, he addresses the fact that the top 5 gifts kids want are all tech related. He also explains how technology can enhance a student's education. "Young people want technology because it secures two basic needs- to be left alone, and to connect with others."
Are there problems that arise with using more technology in education? Of course! How do we prevent them? We educate. Before starting any new technology journey with our students, we must educate and teach the safe play rules. Districts also have filtering systems in tact. Losinski explains in Patrolling Web 2.0, that the Children's Internet Protection Act ensures schools will protect children from online predators, pornography, hate sites, and other unacceptable content while at school. We should be having conversations with our students about the safe and responsible ways to incorporate technology into our daily lives. We also need to educate parents and raise their awareness of what is happening to our kids. Losinski goes on to share that more than half of all online American children ages 12 to 17 use social networking sites. So we should tie this into education, right? What about the issues we are now having where kids are using cyberspace to humiliate teachers? That's where I draw the line! How about where the assistant principal is suing a student for inappropriate untruths that were posted about her?? So how do we fight these battles? Do we have people surf through MySpace, looking for what our students are posting? What is our obligation and responsibility?

The Big Debate- Will Harry Potter Live?

Please let me know... what do you think will happen? Predict here!

Welcome!

Welcome to my new site! This is for my Digital Media 534 class, and other various grad school work. At this site you will find my work that corresponds with assignments given in class. We are learning a lot about blogging, Web 2.0, Internet resources, podcasting, and web based applications. I will share what I'm learning with you, and I hope to get some great feedback from you. Thanks for visiting.