Is it bad to say I was floored by the information about movie watching, logging out when we leave the classroom computers unattended, copying of practice books, and copying of images to use on my blog? I could be guilty of all of those things, but I'm not admitting anything. I'm just saying I could be guilty. I'm also saying that I know several other teachers who are guilty of the same thing. I'll have to advise others because I know they are unaware.
I can certainly see how cyber bullying is going on with today's technology of texting and social networking. I am glad that I have not had to deal with it because of being an elementary school teacher in the lower grades. Our school is initiating the Olweus Program which is an anti-bullying program. We were in a training all day on Tuesday talking about the places bullying is a problem at our school. We did not spend a huge amount of time on cyber bullying, but I'm realizing more and more how serious it is and how terrible a feeling to know that some kids can't even go home to excape/block out the bullying (like they were able to before).
Copyright laws are a huge deal with the internet. As I mentioned in my power point, most information as soon as it is written and posted on the web is considered copyrighted information. I think the tools available to teachers where they can enter a student's paper into a database and compare it to thousands of other papers and internet sites to see if the info has been plagiarized are pretty amazing. What will they think of next? :)
Tell me more about this Olweus Program, I am very interested.
ReplyDeleteI too was surprised about all the copyright issues and the fair uses of copyrights going on around me. I too was guilty of a few infringements like images and copying videos at home to use in the classroom but not erasing them after the tenth day. Do you find yourself looking around to see if anyone you run across is in violation?
I will have to look up the Olweus Program. I've not heard of it before. Referring to the cyberbulling, we've had several issues with it. Students in middle school seem to live on the Internet, especially Facebook. I know we had to break up fights and send students to see the counselor several times last year. We've not had as many issues with it this year but that does not mean that it is not going on. I used the site NSTeens.org for my Internet Safety PowerPoint. It had several great videos about how to protect yourself on the internet. I sent the site to my school counselors so they could incorporate it into their counseling lessons.
ReplyDeleteThe Internet Safety project allowed me to gather so much relevant information for my kids. I think that if we starting teaching our kids early, these issues would not get out of control as much as they do in the older grades.
I was floored too! I definitely knew the basics about the Copyright Act, but there was a lot of information that I had never even heard before. After completing the assignment, I went to a few coworkers to share with them what I had discovered and I was a little disappointed to see that they really didn't care. I don't think many people take the Copyright Act too seriously which is a little scary.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen too much cyberbullying in my classroom as of yet either, but I'm sure it will happen eventually. I've also never heard of the Olweus Program, but it definitely sounds interesting.
I agree with Ashley in saying that the earlier we start teaching the students the better things will be when they are older. Younger and younger children are using the Internet without supervision at home and it is important that they know the basics about Internet safety.
Here is the site for the Olweus Program: http://www.olweus.org/public/index.page
ReplyDeleteJena, I did the same thing that you did with teachers at school and sharing the information we'd learned. I was met with a similar reaction.
I never heard of cyber-bullying and I was surprised to see how big of an issue it is. I never really thought is was that serious.
ReplyDeleteI was just about to ask about the Olweus Program. Thanks for the site information. I will have to check it out. I too was shocked to find the number of things I have (POSSIBLY) done to (POSSIBLY) violate copyright laws. It is something we do not think about as teachers even people in general. The internet has definitely made it so much easier to to violate these laws.
OH yeah... sounds like you just admitted to violating copyright laws. LOL!!!