Teacher-Librarian

January 2007: Why Johnny Cant Search

I was glad to read this article by Joseph Janes in American Libraries this month, not because it is a good thing, but gives me support and ammunition when trying to get teachers to allow time before beginning research to review evaluating websites with students.

Too often teachers plan projects with no time for IL instruction built in. This year I tried to teach some “stand-alone” lessons and always get the dreaded question- Why are we doing this? or Is this graded? When I can connect with actual research projects the success is usually pretty good.

It seems that every year I try a new approach, so I like the criteria used in the ETS test described by Janes, “objectivity, authority, and timelines.” These three cover the basics and fit for the 8th graders preparing for debates on stem-cell research. They are really into the topic and will be a great project.

As many students are- they think they know everything about searching already, but a comment from a top student gave me faith that I still need to teach…

“Ms. Turk I found a great site. It has a lot of information I need and it supports my point of view.”

“Great! What is the site? Where is it from?”

“Oh- It’s from Google.”

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ALA | Filter-Savvy Students Barred from Most of Web

Yes, this is the place I work.   I have spent the last two months working many extra hours, like most librarians do, helping teachers, planning, collaborating, running book fairs, and all the other stuff we do. This one hit is in the face.

Not as the article implies-librarians had no voice or input into the decision to restrict Internet access for students.  I personally had a 1/2 day notice before the restrictions were announced to principals.  Most had no advance notice.  Librarians were not ever even close to consulted.

The full restrictions only lasted two days.  The plan was to block all sites for students and only open sites on the firewall requested by teachers.  This quickly overloaded the server, and the district is now working on a new solution with our local phone company.  Things seem pretty spotty right now some websites work and others are blocked. 

Frustrations are high and communication is low.  We have no district librarian, so we have no official voice.  We work from grass roots and will work through this too.

It seems clear that student abuses (accessing music, videos and -yes-porn) sighted in the news were mostlythe result of students not being supervised, and inadequate implementation of filters or other security options.   The whole thing has sparked quite a conversation between community, students, teachers and the news.  Conversation is always good.  It allows us to see what people are really thinking out there.  Pretty scary! 

 In all the conversation no one mentions librarians and their role in teaching information literacy and collaborating with teachers on projects.  More collborating, more engagement in learning and more integration of various technologies for students so they become motivated learners. 

This problem is not going away, and neither is the need for students to be tech-savvy and information literate. So we will just keep working on it!

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Slashdot | Proxy Sites Offer Secret Passage to Myspace

Links from this post to several different articles discussiong the activities that schools and universities are already taking to block student access to Myspace. 

Here’s my letter to Senator Stevens.  Much to my dismay he appears to be the sponsor of the DOPA bill.  My letter to Senator Murkowski was much the same.

Dear Senator Stevens,

 

I am the School Library Media Specialist at Colony Middle School in Palmer, Alaska.  I am sure that you believe that the DOPA legislation will help protect students from the extreme dangers of the Internet.  Yes, I agree that there is some potential to encounter online “predators,” especially from places like Myspace, but DOPA is not the answer.  Teachers, schools, districts and Universities are already aware of the hazards of some of these places and have already taken action to prevent student access. 

 

To go beyond preventing access Mat-Su school district has subscribed to a curriculum called iSafe (http://www.isafe.org/ )that is taught to students through the school libraries and classrooms. iSafe also has a program for parents, and many schools educate parents about Internet hazards and safety through PTA and other parent forums. 

 

The DOPA legislation will do nothing to improve what schools are already doing to help keep students safe.  Students must learn how to keep themselves safe.  Parents must learn what the dangers are and how to reinforce the importance of safe Internet use with their children.  Teachers and librarians do this consistently when using the Internet as a resource for learning.

 

Learning is the key word here.  The Internet, including some “social networks” offer tremendous learning opportunities that totally motivate students to read, write and think.  Educators all over are discovering the learning power of the read/write web, and how to do it safely.  We are working to teach students how to be productive citizens in their future.  A future that will rely on their ability to work with whatever new technology develops.  They must learn how to make technology work for them and their community.

 

Please remove the DOPA legislation from the Senate vote, and work to empower schools to improve Internet safety education.  The key to a healthy, productive society is education- not restriction.

it’s something at least!

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Wired News: Teens Online: Not a Freak Zone

“Media always portray new technology in alarmist, ‘the world ends tomorrow’ fashion,” she says. “You get the sense that MySpace is an online sexual orgy where adults and kids sleep together in some kind of culty illicit community. That’s really not what’s going on.” L. Kris Gowan

Great article by Regina Lynn about Myspace, teen sex and Internet Safety.  Largely focuses on a program from Portland State University headed by L. Kris Gowen called the Virtual Mystery Tour: your guide to teens, sex and the Internet.  The tour itself is not virtual, but they do presentations. 

Our district uses iSafe.  Librarians and teachers can volunteer for district sponsored training from iSafe, then we have access to all of their curriculum.  An up to date thorough service.  Has a whole program for parents too.

More significant quotes from the article:

“My goal is to get parents to ask more informed questions so they can have a dialogue with their kid without feeling like they’re at a quantum physics lecture,” she says. “I want them to be able to ask intelligent questions, to know the lingo, not just ‘what’s that MySpace thing?’”

A recent conversation with a friend (nice, conservative family) about their daughter and Myspace.  They visit their daughters Myspace and get to know the conversation, friends, what they’re talking about, the ‘lingo’ and wow what an insight to what teens are thinking.  They also have groundrules. 

Treating the internet as merely another part of “the media” makes no sense, especially around sex. Other media can offer sexual content; the internet, even more than the telephone, offers sexual interaction — with peers, with educators, with performers and, unfortunately, with creeps, too. The internet is a medium. It’s not the media.

I added the last line to my favorite quotes: “The Internet is a medium.  It’s not the media.”

 I had already planned on upping my focus on Internet Safety this year at school.  This reinforces that idea, and adding the parent training as well.  I tried a parent training at a PTA meeting, but it was not well attended.  Will need to start earlier and advertise more.  Parents need to know.  Some parents aren’t worried at all, while others are the uninformed alarmists. I do love working with parents though…

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