Journal # 4 "It's Time to Trust Teacher with the Internet: A Conversation with Meg Ormiston" (NETS - IV & V)

Schaffhauser., D. (2010, December 01). http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/12/01/its-time-to-trust-teachers-with-the-internet-a-conversation-with-meg-ormiston.aspx?sc_lang=en.

This article is based on an interview with Meg Ormiston, once a curriculum coach, school board member, conference presenter, professional development specialist, grant facilitator, and currently an technology advocate within school settings.

Ormiston makes imperative points within her interview about accessing the Internet at school.  Many schools have put up filters and blocks on the Internet, enabling teachers to teach technology to their full potential. The issue here is not black and white; there needs to be room for mobility. 
In addition to allowing the teachers access, she states that "we have to remember to teach responsible computing" to the students and "help students make good choices with networking resources and sites."  It is true that our current times are changing and becoming more technology based.  In turn, it is the responsibilities of the educators to incorporate responsibility and accountability and be a "filter" while using the Web.  Yet, it is often found that the administrators and the IT departments enable such lessons because of the locks they have placed on the Internet.

What did you learn about the use of "social networks" within the classroom setting? Do you agree, that as a whole, they should be banned?
I found the information about the banning of "social networks" in the learning environment very interesting.  Before I read this article I would have assumed banning such networks and website to be beneficial, because I was unaware of the dynamic us of them.  When I think of social networking I immediately think of Facebook, MySpace, and so on.  But I did not consider Flickr, Voice Threadm, or Blogster, which can positively be used within an educational setting.  Yet, because they fall under the umbrella of "social networks" they too, are banned.  In turn, we are blocking a lot of creative, innovative learning.  This I do not agree with.

It is said that many students know how to "work-around" the filters put up at school.  If the students can still access the sites, are they being negatively effected by the rules?
Absolutely!  Even though many of the students are able to interact and navigate into the blocked sites, the process of doing so sends a clear message to the students: "you are doing something wrong."  When in fact, if the teachers were encouraged and allowed to use the sites for educational purposes, our students would be able to see the positive outcomes of these sites. 
In addition to failing students, by blocking innovative and creative sites, blocking such networks fail the educators.  It makes the educator more likely to give up on technology.  The educator becomes less technologically equip and discouraged, which will negatively affect his/her students.