It is our responsibility as teachers to do what we can to teach students what they need to know about safety. We cannot be with students all of the time but we can teach and arm them with the knowledge to make their own decisions. Actually, thinking about this is quite scary! Here are some ideas...
- Restrict Comments for the Class Blog or warn students about comments from someone whom they do not know the identity. The dangers can be more serious for ESL students because they have anxiety about not knowing the language and may feel closer to someone on-line because they do not have to perform in a certain way as they do for a teacher or parent.
- Never post any personal identifying information.
- Be careful what you post (written or photos)…they will follow you forever. Just think of a potential employer, they may question your character based on a photo you posted as a joke!
- As the Internet gives us the opportunity to access information on just about any topic imaginable it can also be extremely dangerous for our students. Teach students how to look at blogs with a critical eye such as who is the author and what is their aim…can the source be reliable?
- Be sure everyone has the proper permissions…as a teacher make sure parents are aware of what the blog will be used for and all it entails…make sure students know the purpose of the blog and their role.
- Students need to be aware of how to handle those comments they are unsure of the author and where to report a potential problem. Students should always report something out of the ordinary to a teacher or parent. Students…Never keep anything to yourself. ESL students are scared, anxious, often feel isolated, and are vulnerable to these dangers. Teachers need to teach about the dangers and ensure students know they can & should tell us anything that they feel is strange or makes them feel uncomfortable.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your comment on taking special notice to our possible ESL students when it comes to Internet use. Some ESL students may never even had any contact with the Internet at all and may not be aware of any of the dangers associated with its use. It is true that they might like the Internet as a place to communicate because, like you said, they do not feel as though they have to perform in front of anyone but it can also be a great way for them to practice their English!
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteYou have chosen some good tips for safety. Depending on what part of the world students come from, they may be totally unfamiliar with the Internet, or they may be more familiar than we are. I found that many Asian students were already quite computer savvy.
Dr. Burgos