Cyber Safety in the Classroom

Laptops and desktop computers have become commonplace in America's classrooms. In the hands of a good classroom manager, technology can give learning a whole new dimension. However, teachers who use the Internet in the classroom or who assign Internet research have the added responsibility of teaching their students to use common sense in order to avoid online predators, cyberbullies, and pornography in the virtual world.

Although Internet filters like Net Nanny, CyberPatrol, Wisechoice.net and MaxProtect can go a long way toward keeping students from questionable online content in the classroom, teachers cannot assume that students will not find their way to inappropriate topics either at school or at home. Furthermore, as more and more students use online chat rooms, blogs, Instant Messaging (IM'ing), and online forums and discussion boards, kids should be armed with common sense guidelines to stay safe in the increasingly social technological world.

Establishing Classroom Internet Use Guidelines

Discuss and post classroom Internet use guidelines before asking students to use computers for research or other purposes:

• Stay on Task: Classroom computers should not be used for unauthorized chat room or bulletin board activity.
• Stay Anonymous: Never provide your last name, school name, home or school address, phone number, or other personal information on blogs, in chat rooms, or to gain information from websites.
• Be Kind: Never use email, IM's or online forums to bully, intimidate or ridicule another student. No student photographs should ever be posted to even a school website without that student's approval.
• Know How to "Escape": If an Internet search unwittingly takes you to an offensive website, let the teacher know so that the site can be reported or avoided in the future. Hit control-alt-delete if an offensive site will not allow you to exit.
• Talk to your teacher if are uncertain about whether specific online content is appropriate.

Promoting Cyber Safety at Home

Since research projects may be completed outside of home, it is important to arm students and parents with safety information that will protect them outside of the classroom where Internet filters may not be available. Here are some general guidelines for parents:

• Learn Internet acronyms that children use to keep parents from snooping (Examples: POS - parent over shoulder, POP - parent on prowl, CTN - can't talk now).
• Remind your child to stay anonymous. Don't share personal information online.
• Share and discuss news stories about cyberstalkers and online sexual predators.
• Visit social websites like myspace.com with your child. Discuss sites that may offer too much information, inappropriate photographs, or that might have other "red flags" associated with them.
• Install Internet filters, but don't assume that they will take the place of parental supervision.
• Discuss with your child the person the importance of never meeting cyber acquaintances without being certain of that person's identity and, even then, have discussing details with a parent. Underscore the importance of only meeting in a public space and with parental supervision.
• Teach your children to log off and/or block anyone, known or unknown, who engages in online harassment. Sometimes it may be necessary to change an email address, profile, or password in order to stop a "cyberbully" from causing problems.
• Show your child how to use "buddy lists" and how to block or delete others.
• Children who blog should be taught that any content posted to a website can ultimately be downloaded by nearly anyone with a computer.
• At home, allow Internet connected computers only in a family area. Monitor your child's computer use.

With these guidelines in mine, the students and teachers can make the best use of technological learning tools.

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