This article is about ways to “navigate
the issues, understand the risks, and learn the research behind how best to
address the concerns about online activities for students.”
I was really drawn into this
article just by the first sentence, because the concept of “digital natives”
that they author wrote about is something I think of all the time and was also
something I mentioned in most of my responses to classmate’s blogs last week.
The fact that today’s students, and even us, have been living with all kinds of
technology our entire lives makes us so incredibly different than any of the
generations before us. Just think of the difference in the way we were raise
and the technology accessibility and knowledge that we have compared to our
parents, and then compared to our grandparents. Although this concept really makes
me think, I know it is not the main focus of this article, so I’m going to try
and extend my response beyond the first sentence of the article.
I had another big response to how
the article began with how we should not teach internet safety from a
fear-based perspective and then how I felt when I reached the sections on
things like predators and sexting. This stuff undoubtedly scares me, and I’m
sure it is because as I was being raised, my parents did instill fear in me
about all the horrible things that can happen through the internet and I
probably saw too much To Catch a Predator.
When I had my first ever secret
MySpace account, which of course my parents knew nothing about, I didn't care
who I talked to. Being a dumb middle schooler, I was way to outgoing and was certainly
flattered if any stranger (“20” year old guy) wanted to strike up an online
conversation with me, and I was glad to keep in touch. Well, without a doubt,
my mom found out I had the account, hacked it, and lost her shit.
Unquestionably I was grounded and heard every day about how dangerous it all is
and how someone could find where I live and kill me. And yes, I was forced to
watch To Catch a Predator.
I would never argue that the
internet can be a dangerous and scary place. If I found my future middle school
daughter talking to a 20 year old guy online, who is obviously a disgusting
predator, I would absolutely lose my shit as well. But, hopefully that never
happens to me or any of my future student’s parents, because I can now see the incredible
importance of teaching online safety and what works best in doing so. Students should
not fear the internet, because it is such an amazing tool and is part of their
lives, but they really do need to be kept safe online and be very knowledgeable
about it.
Great Job this week Allie on your post! I really liked your personal story about your own experience with internet safety. It is so interesting to think about to when we were in middle school and how different our viewpoints about the dangers of technology have changed. Back then it did not seem like anyone could use the information you gave on-line against you in anyway until something happens to yourself, your friend, or in your case even a stranger that you are watching on To Catch a Predator. It is something that we should not lose perceptive of however, because when we start to teach young minds in the coming years we have to be prepared for the same resistance towards Internet safety. I guess it is a good thing to start thinking about now and try and come up with our own plans on teaching informative and meaningful information about the dangers that are out there.
ReplyDeleteI think its interesting to read about your experience with not being 100% internet smart with your first myspace account. I always wondered about the other side of people who would just talk to anyone and things like that. Personally I was never interested in talking to anyone I didn't personally know, and so fear based teaching didn't work because i didn't understand what there was to fear if you just kept to yourself. Thanks for sharing that!
ReplyDeleteI also think that another problem with fear based teaching is that it could just teach that the internet is a scary place, which it can be but doesn't have to be.