Comments on: Get your head out of the sand! http://blog.cathyjonelson.com/?p=248 Each TechnoTuesday Tue, 07 May 2013 01:06:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Get your head out of the sand! http://blog.cathyjonelson.com/?p=248&cpage=1#comment-345 Get your head out of the sand! Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:16:19 +0000 http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/01/20/get-your-head-out-of-the-sand/#comment-345 [...] Get your head out of the sand! …and exhibit making good choices–what an authentic teaching scenario—instead of sticking our heads in the sand, like the fabled ostrich. [...]

]]> By: tasteach http://blog.cathyjonelson.com/?p=248&cpage=1#comment-344 tasteach Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:34:22 +0000 http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/01/20/get-your-head-out-of-the-sand/#comment-344 Well said everyone. I am about to start using more computer technology in my room with a smartboard and hopefully a blog that I want students to put comments on. I am not sure though what the department have in place at present, but I have been told there are work sharepoints but I think these are still limited to within the education department. But it would be great if teachers and students could be trusted to do the right thing.

Teachers of science, foods and woodwork etc always give safetly lessons as part of their courses, other teachers using computers should include computer and internet safety and use as a normal part of their introduction.

]]> By: a. woody delauder http://blog.cathyjonelson.com/?p=248&cpage=1#comment-343 a. woody delauder Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:18:24 +0000 http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/01/20/get-your-head-out-of-the-sand/#comment-343 I definitely agree Cathy. The controlled variable is the teacher. Teachers that put their feet up and read their e-mail while students are working, need to find a new profession. I can’t count the amount of times I see this when I pass classes in the hall. My point is that the problem can’t be fixed with bandaids. It’s easy to use money to block sites. We need to solve the problem with education.

]]> By: technotuesday http://blog.cathyjonelson.com/?p=248&cpage=1#comment-342 technotuesday Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:53:40 +0000 http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/01/20/get-your-head-out-of-the-sand/#comment-342 @Woody and @Diane wish me luck as I go in to ask for the portals to be unblocked. I agree Woody just as the block can be taken as a higher up saying students are not to be trusted, on the flip side it is also a way of saying teachers cannot be trusted.

Have I ever worked with teachers that absolutely turned their classes loose in the library or computer lab. Yep, unfortunately I have. But I have run many a classes out fo the library after forbidding the “unstructured, unplanned, and activity that was not collaborated on with me” out of the library where one might say I am in charge. Most of the people who work with me understand that the library is not a free play area for the Internet. The computer labs on the other hand are not as highly observed or controlled, and therefore more taken advantage of by students and teachers I’m afraid. These labs are probably why we use filters.

]]> By: a. woody delauder http://blog.cathyjonelson.com/?p=248&cpage=1#comment-341 a. woody delauder Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:18:41 +0000 http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/01/20/get-your-head-out-of-the-sand/#comment-341 This is an argument that I often find myself in. I see many problems like this throughout my school system. The fact is that the “policy makers” tend to try to fix all problems with a sollution that creates another problem. Blocking sites that are important learning avenues is ridiculous.

When students are on a computer in school, there should be an adult keeping track of what content they are accessing. If students know this, they will be less likely to access inappropriate info. It basically comes down to trust. School systems do not trust the teachers and students… this is the sad state we are in.

I push the envelope every day in my school… whether it is with the use of technology or experimental lesson. I wish that I didn’t have to do this, but it is necessary for the learning of my students. I do have to constantly explain the relativity and basis behind many of my actions to the leadership. They often say… make sure you are real careful when you do that. Oh well, I don’t want to fall into the stagnate rut I see many teachers falling in.

]]> By: diane http://blog.cathyjonelson.com/?p=248&cpage=1#comment-340 diane Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:01:31 +0000 http://technotuesday.edublogs.org/2008/01/20/get-your-head-out-of-the-sand/#comment-340 Cathy,

If blocking these sites were a national policy, I could deal with it better – disagree, but cope.

But there is no consistency in my state, let alone my nation.

Arbitrary decisions are being made by…whom? Informed stakeholders, locally elected Boards of Education, individual ITs?

Our teachers are being crippled and our students are being deprived of necessary tools for learning.

Not a promising situation for our future.

diane

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