Thing #7- Technology and the use of it.

There is so much to think about regarding technology. Not just the latest tools and web2.0 applications, but the use of it all. I just read a blog post by Sue Waters about the use of student pictures and names on the Internet. Reading all of the comments posted by others shows that this is an issue with which we should all be concerned. Do our school districts have up-to-date AUPs with regard to web2.0 usage? Are our teachers trained about what to do and not to do regarding not only student pictures on the web but also with implementation of blogs, wikis, etc.

We can be aware but sometimes things slip past us. The last couple of weeks of school, I set up a wiki as an alternative assignment for some students. I made sure I only used their first names but I caught one putting his last name on a powerpoint he uploaded. Once we uploaded a student created video created with PhotoStory3 we were so excited to share. However, when the movie played in the media player on the website, the student's complete name showed up as the name of the file. Another instance was a wonderful 8th grade video project that we wanted to share via our school website but the students had used their complete names in the video and the credits so we could not. Not only do the teachers need to be trained, but the students as well.

Our district is planning to implement an online safety curriculum this year. I hope it is a good one that will cover all aspects of online safety and we will have the opportunity to educate the teachers as well as the students.