Safe Uses of the Net

The issue of Internet safety is a serious one for students at every grade level. The article called the "3 I's of Internet Safety" explains that internet access is limited to students in school, however it is important that children become educated about safe and proper ways to use the internet at home. The 3 I's of internet safety include: Informed, In View, and Interested. Informed states that students should be made aware that the internet is anonymous and they never know who they are talking to , as well as informed about all of the risks of posting personal information online. In view means that a child's computer should always be placed in a parent's site where they can always monitor what their children are looking at. Interested means that parents should remain interested about what their children are viewing on the web . Teachers should teach internet safety to their students in order to help prevent tragic events from occurring. It is too often that we hear about young children being put in harm's way after giving out personal information to strangers on the internet and it is important that we do everything we can to stop this from happening.

The website on copyright and fair use discusses a topic that is relevant to many teachers. It explains that teachers are often unaware of the ways that they are allowed to use copyrighted material for their lessons. According to the fair use policies outlined on the site, teachers are allowed to copy material from newspapers, TV shows, and other media outlets and use it for educational materials. They are also allowed to create lessons that include these materials and later sell or distribute these materials as they see fit. Students are also allowed to use copyrighted material (i.e. Google Images) when developing new projects and then distribute this work. Teachers should be made aware of their right to use copyrighted material in their lessons so that they can create the most beneficial lessons for their students.

Many schools have an Acceptable Use Policy that serves as a contract for students to sign agreeing to the proper ways of using computers and internet in school. The policy explains the correct way to use copyrighted material for assignments without plagiarizing and encourages students to respect the work of others. It also explains that students should report to their teachers about any behavior they find on the internet that may be offensive or harmful. As far as I am aware, the schools that I have spent time in do not have an Acceptable Use Policy. However, I think that all schools should develop such a policy in order to help prevent plagiarism and make their students more aware of the correct ways to use the internet.