Tool 11: Digital Citizenship- Benefits vs. Risks

I would probably be applied with the students in this case, as it seems that my generation was on the verge of a major technological break through. However when I was growing up, I remember surfing the web, and just all the different resources that were available to me, and now they have multiplied. I was never really informed of all the potential hazards that could come along, now I wasn't a naive child either; meaning I knew right from wrong, which now a days does not always seem to be the case, but then there are some students who are gullible, and have trouble distinguishing what is healthy and what is non-healthy, and I am not just referring to Health Fitness. I was skimming over a lot of the topics discussed here, and just from the bonding I have done with my students and parents I would think their safety would and should be NUMBER 1 in all of our minds whether we are the educator or parents. I am a Coach in SBISD, and just like we teach in the gym or outside that safety is the most important factor. Well we need to equip ourselves with tools to help monitor our students and their work, and have securities set up for "predators" that seek out our children. So much can be revealed online, you can find out where people live and phone numbers now a days at the touch of a few buttons. We need to help our students in being able to determine what is good for us and what is bad or can have potential of turning into something dangerous. They talk a lot about Facebook, and I believe there used to be an age requirement, however I know multiple kids from even my school have requested to be my friend, and I simply do not confirm them. That is a huge data base that someone can easily locate your child on. I think number two would be almost in order with one of the websites we were directed to read about on this and that was Etiquette, just like we have rules in our classrooms, homes, schools, public, there are certain rules I think that students and even adults should follow. They mentioned a discussion on bullying online, and I can tell you on numerous counts of when students I knew of were going to fight because so and so was talking about them on myspace, I think pulled these students and told them not only do we know you are "beefing" but we also know you want to fight, but this is just an informal way of talking about someone else which can then lead to something even bigger if not handled. We need to be mindful and respectful of others, because there are also ways we can get in trouble for what we write. Number 3 is definitely responsibilities students need to know about being online. I think there are multiple stories online of when students knew about others being unhappy, and then that person eventually committing or attempting suicide. It is the students responsibility just like it would be in school if they knew about something to report it to the correct officials or teachers. I think that as our kids are on the brink of a technology take over that we need to prepare them instead of trying to limit them, because they are going to find ways to access things or use things such as Facebook, Myspace, and AOL instant messenger. We need to teach them at a young age, and put the knowledge they need within their minds, and help them to make those right choices before it is too late. We cannot keep our kids in a bubble, but we can try to teach them and prepare them as much as possible, I think a lot of our students are not aware of the potential dangers, and I am not trying to justify anything for them, but even a lot of adults are not aware of how severe the consequences can be. We need to educate our students before even unleashing them into the virtual world.