We have no Internet!!!

[Kathy Maske]

So, the title isn't completely true. However, our students are not allowed access to the Internet at this time. I am the "computer" teacher. I am in favor of this along with our principal and one other teacher. We are a small school with about 140 students. There are a select few that are not in favor of this. One side sees that it would beneficial and the other wants the school board to see the danger in it. I realize that there are dangers, but the benefits to me out weigh the bad.

I am also working on Masters in Education Technology at CUW and have a project on this same topic. I am wondering if anyone has any really good resources they would love to pass along to motivate change. If you have any suggestions on how to present this in a convicing matter that would be appreciated as well. Thanks in advance!

[Dan Reinert]

Thousands of people die in cars every year. Should we not allow our students to travel by car? Obviously the benefits of using cars cause us to take the risk of using them.

There are literally thousands of reasons to have students access the internet. If I were in your situation, I would find resources that apply to your curriculum, or your school's region and show others the benefits that are specific to your situation.

[DBurk]

Read this Blog Article The part that is important is how the author uses a 1905 picture to push for 21st Century Learning. Tools of the trade.

[Kathy Maske]

Thanks for the great blog. I am going to include it in my resources.

[Rob Jacklin]

Wow...I'm so shocked and stunned that I'm not exactly sure how to respond. It seems as if the school board and anti-Internet community don't understand the importance of digital literacy. I recommend checking out the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards for Students.

Also, under the video section of the TECHLS, check out the 21st Century Pedagogy Video. It has a great way explaining the changes that need to happen in education to facilitate educational change. Really what you board and some parents don't understand is that students and education is changing. They don't like that!

We have to be sure that as teachers we make distinctions about what is appropriate Internet use and what is not.
I'll check some more and add more resources as they come along.

Hey Dan...this would be a great job DIIGO :-)

[Jeremy Biddle]

Something else to consider:
By not allowing students access to the internet, they are not being trained in how to appropriately handle the bad content which is out there. This is a vital skill these students will not have.

[Steve L]

Isn't the Internet about information and communication? Students in Lutheran schools should be at the forefront of all the Internet is and can be. Our students should be sharing the information of Jesus life and death and communicating the good news to people world wide. The Internet is a great resource to communicate with the mission field locally and globally. Our schools use of technology in PS-8 has brought in unchurched families who see us as progressive in education and want their students to be here. This is a tremendous opportunity for us. Some of my best technology volunteers are parents who once were not part of a church. As the other posts already have stated, the curriculum possibilities (needs) are tremendous. Our students have made a name for us in public high schools because they are the best technologically trained students in the counties we serve.

(Are your teachers also driving the need for Internet? If as a group your teachers would respond, I would think the issue would more easily move forward.)

[Wendy Greve]

I am in favor of this along with our principal and one other teacher. We are a small school with about 140 students. There are a select few that are not in favor of this. One side sees that it would beneficial and the other wants the school board to see the danger in it. I realize that there are dangers, but the benefits to me out weigh the bad.


My brain is apparently not functioning well today, I guess, because I am reading in your first paragraph to say that you are in favor of them not having access and that you feel the benefits of not having access outweigh the benefits of having it? (Lots of pronouns. :) However in your second paragraph I am reading the opposite. I am assumming I am misinterpreting the second paragraph.

Why are they not allowed access? Did someone misuse it? It sounds like an extreme reaction to a problem. In any case, in support of having internet I would say that

*Most schools do not have enough paper resources to support any research they need to do and parents do not take students to the library like they used to.
*Students need to be taught how to find reliable resources.
*Students need to learn how to use the internet safely and responsibly.
*When they get to high school it will be assumed that they know how to use the internet. How will your school meet the standards?
*Our Lutheran Schools need to prepare our students for the world they live in. We cannot ignore the reality of the internet as a tool for information and communication.

Of course there are many more reasons. This is a link to an article I just ran across this week: http://www.nsbf.org/safe-smart/full-report.htm

Maybe you could start with limited access - for instance having a page of sites the students are allowed to use.

[Kathy Maske]

Thanks Wendy for your reply! After I re-read my statement, I realize it was confusing. I am in favor of opening the Internet to our students. From what I understand there was some misuse, by students, in the past and it was not open for use after that. I have also looked at the article you mentioned and I think it has a lot of good information in it to use. Thanks again!