Saturday, September 11, 2010

Freedom.....but with limits

The internet comes with so much freedom. The power behind that "choice" draws so many people in, especially children. As early as age 2 , children are using computers with limited understanding and simple functionality. Once these children reach the classroom in elementary and then middle school, more "choices" await there curiosity about the internet. Most districts establish policies that are meant to help keep kids safe and remove the possibility of branching off into more adult content.

3 Basic rules for me for blogging

1. Let them use youtube
As a parent and an educator I think students should have access to sights like youtube due to the large volume of media available. I am aware of the " inappropriate content" , but if teachers are attentive and students are focused with scalffolding then they will stay on task.

2. Limit time use on the project with smaller deadlines
Students need to know that they will be held accountable for work. Assign smaller deadlines to keep them on task and deter them from goofing off.


3. Post and use design
Remember to post. Be creative.... this is often forgotten in blogging. Students should understand that visual appeal is important to attract readers interest. Its ok to let your artsy side shine through.

4 comments:

  1. I think your rules are very good ones, but you don't really address the safety issue. Please post again with some ideas for keeping students safe.
    Thanks,
    Dr. Burgos

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  2. Hi Tamarla,
    I like what you said about letting the students' "artsy side" shine through. I think this is an aspect of education (especially in secondary school) that is easily forgotten, but I think it is important that we let students explore this avenue. Making the blog personal and decorating it to suit one's own style is a great aspect of letting students to make their own choices and to create a space that is truly theirs.

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  3. Tamarla,
    I like your rules. I do think that youtube can be a helpful tool in the classroom. Also, giving smaller projects with sooner deadlines is a good idea, this eliminates students goofing around and focusing more on their work.

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  4. Hi Tamarla,
    I really like your second rule. I think it is really important to break projects down into smaller deadlines. It helps students complete the task and teachers to consider individual learning objectives.

    ReplyDelete