Ensuring Student Internet Safety

I think one of the ways to ensure Internet safety is firstly by discussing Internet safety as a class beforehand. I would ask my students: “What do you think it means to be safe on the internet?” After discussing this as a class, we would subsequently create some guidelines for Internet usage.

Those guidelines might include:
-working in pairs as a form of peer-monitoring;
-choosing a variety of diverse, but reputable websites for students to choose from;
-making sure that if I was not monitoring the content being explored on the Internet, another teacher was;
-downloading a ‘nanny’ or some kind of Internet censoring device;

While these guidelines will help ensure Internet safety, I think it is also important to develop a community of trust in which I, as a teacher, trust that my students will exercise proper judgment when using the Internet. Furthermore, I think students should be made aware that using the Internet is a privilege, which if misused, can be taken away. As well, I might ask my students to sign a form that says they will abide by the class Internet rules that we had created. Ultimately, if there are guidelines set up for Internet usage, Internet safety should not be too problematic.

Incorporating Excel Spreadsheets into the Curriculum...

Subject: Physical Education

I think it would be a great idea to use a spreadsheet as a record-keeping device for a P.E class. Students could perform various tasks, record them, then subsequently enter their data into a spreadsheet to evaluate his or her own abilities. For example, in a basketball class students could work in pairs and record the number of layups, free-throws, 3 pointers, and the number of blocked shots of their partner. After they had completed a task, students could input their scores into a spreadsheet and create a graph based on their performance!

Utilizing a Discussion Board for Educational Purposes...

As with any technology, there are both advantages and disadvantages to implementing a discussion board. I have listed both below:

Pros:

• Allows for quick, to the point discussion of course material.
• Students engage in thoughtful discourse with their peers and teacher.
• Promotes a sense of community beyond the classroom.
• Helpful for students who are uncomfortable asking questions in the classroom.

Cons:

• Students may become overly reliant on the discussion board and perhaps stunt the development of important social and communication skills.
• Discussion boards need to be constantly moderated by the teacher in order to continue being a purely educational resource.
• Students who do not have a computer at home, will not be able to participate as readily in discussion outside of the classroom.

5 Ways Class Interactions are Enhanced by Using a Discussion Board:

--> Allows students to engage in discussion outside the clasroom.

--> Students get the opportunity to understand the thought processes of their peers, which may help them understand their classmates better.

--> On discussion boards, students are allowed to express their unique opinions on educational material and in turn may become more inclined to appreciating the ideas of others.

-->Discussion boards can also serve as a resource for further reading on course material, which may prove especially benefical to 'gifted' students and those students who simply want to learn more!

-->Finally, discussion boards are an excellent way for teachers to get to know their students' thought processes. This ultimately enables teachers to understand which concepts need to be covered in class more thoroughly. Therefore, a greater focus can be spent in class on those concepts that need further examination.

Exploring Concept Mapping with Kidspiration:

Grade: One

Subject: Science

Topic: The Senses

I would utilize a concept map for a topic on “The Senses” in a Grade One Science class. It is important to employ both text and image in tandem, particularly at an age where students are still familiarizing themselves with reading and comprehension. As a result, the concept map is an excellent tool for an assignment that calls for visual representation. I think the program is perfect for teacher usage and modeling an assignment to students, however it is perhaps too advanced for grade ones to use independently. Further, I tried to keep the concept map visually simple so that students could first develop the most basic understanding of the senses. Also, this concept map on “The Senses” makes use of the ICT outcome that states: “Students will access, use and communicate information from a variety of technologies”.