Journal #4 (NETS I, III, IV, V)

LastSchaffhauser, D. (2010, December 01). It's time to trust teachers with the internet: a conversation with meg ormiston. Retrieved from 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 is a very surprising article, I had no idea that their was restrictions on internet usage to this extent in schools.  I am a little bit older then many of my classmates, so when I was in school there was not much internet to block.  The internet is such a wealth of resources and information that I have a hard time understanding why schools would restrict any of the access by teachers what so ever.  There is a lot of bad material on the internet, so I understand restrictions on much of what the students have access to, but it is strange that teachers would not have access.  A lot of what we have been doing in our EDUC 422, is becoming knowledgeable in the National Educational Technology Standards for Teacher, or NETS T's, and in light of what we have been learning, it is odd that we would have any restrictions to web access.  If we are trusted with 30 children most of the day everyday, it seems only logical to extend to us the responsibility of safe internet usage.  The person in the interview makes a great point we she says how part of teaching internet usage is teaching proper responsible internet usage.  There are many schools that rely solely on outside help for all things technical, that is why it is important to stay abreast of technological developments.  The more we know and understand technology, the better we can be advocates for it in our schools.

Question:  Wht role will internet usage play in your class room?

Answer:  I see myself using the internet daily for most discussion points, and presentations.  Every time we do something online in class for a subject other then technology, we are teaching a duel lesson.

Question:  How will you as an educator be an advocate for less restrictive internet usage, or will you at all?

Answer:  I will stay well informed and tech savvy, in order to make a clear intelligible case for internet usage.