Will Internet use be banned at school? What can you do to prevent this from happening?
Be Web Wise and Safe Online!
A WebQuest for 6th-8th Grade Designed by Lynn Lieberman, Oakland SchoolsDon’t take the Internet away!
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits
Introduction
Some safety-conscious parents won’t let their children go online at home and are anxious about the use of the Internet at school. An old article
“Safety fears ban kids from net” has surfaced from the United Kingdom and
summarizes some of the parents’ worries. The group of parents has sent
the following letter to the Principal expressing their concerns about student safety online and questioning whether middle school students are
responsible users of technology. They would like to prohibit the use of the Internet in our school.
Dear Mr. Principal,
On behalf of the parent group, Parents Against the Internet in Schools (PAIS), I am writing this letter to inform you of our plans to approach the School Board. We want the School Board to ban the use of the Internet at your school. We are concerned at home and at school about students going online because we believe that:
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It’s possible to post pictures and write personal information about yourself or others that might affect your future college admission or employment•
Some people write cruel things about others in text messages, e-mails, chatrooms, blogs, or on sites like Facebook, MySpace, Xanga, or Friendster•
The Internet exposes children to unsafe situations; we’ve seen the shows on television about online predators who set up meetings with kids•
Some students share personal information with others in chat rooms, blogs, or user profiles onsites like Facebook and MySpace that could put them in danger
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Valuable class time is wasted surfing the Web; students don’t know how to search the Web effectively•
Some of the information on the Internet is incorrect; you can’t believe everything you read, seeor hear
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Students might come across inappropriate material with bad words, pictures, videos•
Students can be fooled by advertisers bent on selling their products so conveniently on the Web•
Students have used the Internet to cheat on research assignments
We have evidence that the Internet puts our students in danger. We think that middle school students are too young to avoid the dangers of the Internet and, therefore, should not be allowed to use it. We will present our concerns at the school board meeting next month.
Rob I. Stolenet
President, Parents Against the Internet in Schools
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits
Task
Can you imagine not using the Internet at school? Why are they so concerned? You need to convince the parents that the Internet is an important part of life and work. You need to
persuade them that you understand how to be safe on the Internet and will use it responsibly.
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The principal has sent the following message to parents, teachers, and students:
Dear parents, teachers, and students:
While I share concerns about student safety on the Internet, there are many things we can do to be safe online. I believe that most of our students are responsible technology users. The others can be taught to be so. The
Internet is a viable resource for teaching and learning, communicating and working together.
I have asked several members of the school and the community to work with us to research its benefits and its potential risks and dangers, security issues, issues related to acceptable and responsible use of technology, and the consequences of unethical use. We will identify ways to incorporate the use of the Internet to support learning in our school. Together we will develop and agree upon methods to keep us safe. We will include parents who have expressed concern about use of the Internet in our discussions.
We have limited time so we must divide up the tasks and work together to present our findings to the school board and the concerned parents.
Mr. Carrie Principal
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Each of you has been chosen to be a member of the “online safety committees” that areinvestigating the issues. You represent different roles. Your task is to persuade the Board of Education and the concerned parents that the Internet is important, that students can
behave responsibly and ethically and be safe online, and that students should be allowed to use the Internet as part of their learning at school.
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First, you must become an expert in your area and work together with others in that role togather information about the benefits and the concerns faced by people in that role. You must determine what students can do to be safe, ethical, and responsible when using technology and the Internet in school.
Next, with that understanding, you will share what you have learned with the others who have different roles on your committee and learn from them about different aspects of Internet use.
Then, you will work together to compile the information from the different points of view, identify the major arguments, and create a persuasive work to convince the School Board and concerned parents that you need to use the Internet at school and that you can be safe, ethical, and responsible when using it.
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Remember, you have a short time to do the research, compile the results, and develop aconvincing and persuasive presentation that will convince the School Board and parents. Note: your teacher will play the role of Rob I. Stolenet, the concerned parent and President of the group called Parents Against the Internet in Schools.
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits
Process - Steps
1. Parents are concerned about student safety on the Internet and have attempted to block Internet use in schools. Read or play the article “Safety fears ban kids from net” and review the letter from the group of concerned parents.
2. As a member of an “online safety committee” in the school, you will investigate the issues and potential dangers of using the Internet and determine what is acceptable, responsible and safe use of the Internet in school.
Each committee is made up of six different roles. You are assigned to a committee and a role you will play. As you investigate your questions and interact with committee
members, be sure to pretend to be that role. Open the “safequest roles.doc” file and review the descriptions of the following six roles.
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Resourceful Rita, the Media Specialist•
Presidential Pete, the President of e-Music Online Store•
Accepting Annie, a Human Resources Director & former College Admissions Officer•
Techie Tom, the Technology Director•
Carrie Principal, the School Principal•
Lawman Larry, the Law Enforcement Officer
3. Develop expertise in your defined role so that you can teach fellow committee members who are playing other roles. First, you will work with others who have the same role as you, your “expert group”, to investigate together the benefits and the concerns faced by people in that role. You will research the benefits of Internet use, the issues and
concerns, risks and dangers, and the consequences of irresponsible, illegal or unethical use. You will also research and identify what students can do to be safe, ethical, and responsible when using technology and the Internet.
a. Identify the parents’ point of view. Identify your point of view related to Internet use at school (both benefits and safety). What do you want to persuade them to believe?
b. You will develop expertise on both the Internet Safety issues that are relevant to your specific role and the possible actions that students can take to deal with those issues and concerns.
c. Research the facts so you can become an expert and have content to back up your claims. Open the file containing the role card assigned to your group.
• Resourceful Rita, Media Specialist - role cards_media.doc file
• Presidential Pete, President of e-Music Online Store - role cards_president.doc • Accepting Annie, Human Resources Director - role cards_HR.doc file
• Techie Tom, Technology Director - role cards_techdir.doc file • Carrie Principal, the School Principal - role cards_principal.doc file • Lawman Larry, Law Enforcement Officer - role cards_law.doc file
Review all of the resources. Some answers might be found on more than one Web site. NOTE: Divide and conquer! If there are many resources or questions to review, it may be necessary to divide the work amongst the members of the “expert group.” Ask your teacher.
Take notes in a word processor, in a Google Notebook file online, or use the
Note-Taking Card template in PowerPoint to answer the questions. Define the terms on Definition of Internet Safety Terms that are listed for your role. Cite the resources.
d. Organize your notes on the Note-Taking Guide: Responsible, Safe and Acceptable
Use of the Internet chart. Identify the main ideas and key resources. Be sure to
indicate any key phrases from the articles and key audio or video clips that you want others to see. Put a star next to the items that you think are the most important.
Be sure to document both sides of the issues. Keep in mind the position you are trying to persuade the concerned parents and the School Board to believe. e. Work with others in your “expert group” to compile your findings and your notes
and organize them on the Responsible, Safe and Acceptable Use of the Internet chart. As a group, discuss your collective work and put a star next to the items that you think are the most important.
Create a document that you will share with the fellow “online safety committee” members who are playing other roles. The purpose of the document is to share your collective knowledge with the other roles that are researching issues and concerns of different aspects of the Internet. Collaborate with the other experts in your role to write and edit the document. Identify and cite key points from the articles and videos that you want to share with others to help them understand what you have learned about:
• the benefits of using the Internet
• the major issues and possible risks related to Internet use and the potential consequences and costs of unethical, illegal or inappropriate behavior from your role’s point of view
• what you can do to be safe and responsible users of technology and the Internet.
Organize, chunk, and paraphrase the information. If available, use online group-editing software like Google Docs or create a Wiki to write the informative document.
4. Share with committee members (representing different roles) and learn from them. Now that you have researched your role and become an expert from that perspective, you are ready to share what you have learned with members of your “online safety committee” who have different roles. Learn the facts – the issues, concerns and actions - that the different groups have identified so you can understand the parents’ point of view and construct arguments in response.
5. Make your case. After everyone on your “online safety committee” has reported, review the research-based information that has been compiled from the different roles and the different points of view.
a. As a team, list the arguments for and against using the Internet at school and identify appropriate responses to the issues and concerns – including what students (and others) can do to address the parents’ concerns and be safe and responsible
technology and Internet users. As a committee, choose the six best arguments - three that support your opinion (importance of Internet in school) and three that address the issues and concerns. Be sure to describe actions students can take.
b. Work with the members of the “online safety committee” to develop a 10-minute persuasive work to convince the school board and concerned parents that it is important to use the Internet at school, that students can be safe, ethical and responsible, and that students should be allowed to use the Internet in school. Use the document entitled Plan Your Persuasive Argument to plan and create it. Be sure to show both sides of the issues, argue with facts and use supporting evidence. You want to convince them that your viewpoint is valid and deserves consideration. The product could be a PowerPoint presentation, a persuasive essay, a “letter to the editor” or an article for the school newspaper, or some other product. It should be professional-looking, error free, and properly formatted.
c. As a committee, plan how you will present the final product to the class. Invite parents to attend. Remember: your “target audience” is the make-believe Board of Education and the concerned parents.
d. Deliver the presentation. Be sure to take notes during the other presentations.
e. Write a reflection piece on what you have learned from participating in the WebQuest. Use the document entitled Reflection Essay to plan and create it.
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits
Evaluation
There are four rubrics for the evaluation. Work done with your “expert group”
• Follow HyperLinks, Gather and Record Information for the Assigned “Expert” Role (to be used to create an “expert” informational product and the “safety committee” persuasive work) - open the file “gather_role_rubric”
• Collaborative Informational Product For the Role - open the file “role_product_rubric” Work done with your “online safety committee”
• Persuasive Writing Product to "Keep the Internet" - open the file “persuade_product_rubric”
What have you learned from participating in the WebQuest?
• WebQuest Reflection – open the file “webquest_reflection_rubric”
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits
Conclusion
You've investigated the issues and risks associated with the Internet. You've developed expertise in working safely online and shared your knowledge with others. Congratulations! You have convinced the concerned parents and the school board that you are Web wise, responsible, and will practice safe Internet use.
Test your knowledge and get your Web license. Now you’re in the driver’s seat!
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Online Safety Quiz - http://www.safekids.com/quiz/
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Internet Safety Quiz -http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/quiz/newsid_3078000/3078351.stm
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Internet Safety quiz for kids (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children) - http://www.missingkids.com/en_US/other/InternetSafety.htm
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Play Smart, Stay Safe, and Have Fun -http://www.kidscom.com/cgi-bin/kidskashgames/isg/kc_teen_safety.pl
If you don’t know the answer to a question, click on “click to see the safety tips” – the list Tips for Internet Safety and Good Manners! will be displayed. Click on “go back” to return to the questions.
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits
Credits & References
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Playing It Safe - http://coe.nevada.edu/slefevre/PlaySafe.html•
“Students for Responsible Use of the Internet.” How Can We Safely Use the Internet to findgreat information? - http://www.iwebquest.com/responsible/responsible.htm
