Cyberbullying is when a minor (child, teen or preteen) uses the Internet, cell phones, or other digital media devices to harm another child. It is only considered bullying when minors are involved on both sides, the bully and the one being bullied. Children sometimes do things that they think are fun and consider it to be playing or a joke, not realizing that they are actually causing harm to another individual. It is essential that these types of things are explained to our children, especially when they have such free access to so much technology.
I often express to the minors that I mentor that they should be aware of their actions towards others and in public. What may seem insignificant to them, such as a negative comment made as a joke, may be taken out of context by someone who overhears or reads the message (text/email) sent. Once a text, instant message or email is sent, it cannot be taken back. Although they may have sent it to one person does not mean that the person it was sent to will not forward it on to others for their review. With a few keystrokes, what was meant for one person is now seen by anyone they choose to send the message to. With so many phones having features that allow one to record audio and video, anyone can record the actions of others at anytime without their knowledge. Embarrassing moments are posted to websites in a matter of minutes. Some phones allow posts directly to websites such as Facebook, Utube, Twitter and others. The best way to prevent cyberbullying is to talk to minors about the serious effects that it can have on them and the other individual.
To learn more about cyberbullying, visit:
www.stopcyberbullying.org
www.stopybullyingnow.hrsa.gov
www.wiredsafety.org
http://kids.getnetwise.org
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Cyber High Schools
I was not aware of cyber high schools until I began looking for information to review for this blog assignment. Based on the sites that I have visited and the information reviewed, I have not gathered enough information to form a well documented opinion on a cyber high school. Based on the information I reviewed, it seems that cyber high schools are fairly new and are becoming increasingly popular. According to the sites, cyber schools are having a significant amount of success. Any alternatives that are made available to assist students with school, especially the completion of high school is a good thing. Students today are faced with a declining job market requiring skills beyond a high school education; therefore, it is essential for all students to graduate high school. The cyber high school gives them the opportunity to continue pursuing their education and gain basic computer skills that are essential in today’s environment.
There are positives and negatives to attending school online. Attending school online allows me to complete my course work around my work schedule and other things that are going on in my life. However, the downside is that it easy to miss deadlines and get behind in class because you do not have to attend classes and meet at designated times throughout the week. It is challenging as an adult to manage my time and would be equally as challenging for a high school student, especially if they have to work. There are many students who are unable to attend due to circumstances in life, such as helping the family financially, teenage pregnancy, and/or illness. Overall, offering students the ability to continue their education is essential to their success in the future. If a student is able to accomplish their high school education online, they may be inspired to pursue higher education online as well.
There are positives and negatives to attending school online. Attending school online allows me to complete my course work around my work schedule and other things that are going on in my life. However, the downside is that it easy to miss deadlines and get behind in class because you do not have to attend classes and meet at designated times throughout the week. It is challenging as an adult to manage my time and would be equally as challenging for a high school student, especially if they have to work. There are many students who are unable to attend due to circumstances in life, such as helping the family financially, teenage pregnancy, and/or illness. Overall, offering students the ability to continue their education is essential to their success in the future. If a student is able to accomplish their high school education online, they may be inspired to pursue higher education online as well.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Michigan’s Dropout Prevention
I applaud Michigan’s efforts to reduce the high school drop out rate. I agree that increasing the legal age from 16 to 18 in order for a child to drop out of school is a great first step. Since an individual is not considered to be an adult until the age of 18, they should not be allowed to make a huge decision, such as dropping out of school, until that age. A bonus to the dropout law is that they now must have parental consent in order to dropout of school prior to the age of 18. More states should follow Michigan’s lead with this decision.
On a personal note, it is not always the students that are considered to be “at-risk” who drop out of school. There are some instances when students are not placed in the proper classes to challenge their growth. For example, my brother, who was a straight “A”, sometimes “B” student dropped out of school, not because he was struggling in school but because he was bored with it. I am glad to say that he did obtain his GED (General Education Development) diploma. My mother was against his dropping out of school but because the law only required him to be 16 in order to make this decision, my mother could not make him stay in school. If the legal limit was 18, my mother would have been able to ensure that my brother remained in school until 18 (senior year).
Offering alternative routes for students to complete their high school education is a good way to ensure that more students remain in school and/or continue to work towards completing their high school education. Some students need more individualized attention than others and providing an environment where those needs may be met will keep the student engaged in the learning process. By working in a small group, students are less likely to feel intimidated by their lack of knowledge or inability to grasp certain material as fast as their classmates. An environment of this type, will also allow students time to ask more questions to ensure that they understand the material that is being presented. More states could benefit from programs of this nature.
On a personal note, it is not always the students that are considered to be “at-risk” who drop out of school. There are some instances when students are not placed in the proper classes to challenge their growth. For example, my brother, who was a straight “A”, sometimes “B” student dropped out of school, not because he was struggling in school but because he was bored with it. I am glad to say that he did obtain his GED (General Education Development) diploma. My mother was against his dropping out of school but because the law only required him to be 16 in order to make this decision, my mother could not make him stay in school. If the legal limit was 18, my mother would have been able to ensure that my brother remained in school until 18 (senior year).
Offering alternative routes for students to complete their high school education is a good way to ensure that more students remain in school and/or continue to work towards completing their high school education. Some students need more individualized attention than others and providing an environment where those needs may be met will keep the student engaged in the learning process. By working in a small group, students are less likely to feel intimidated by their lack of knowledge or inability to grasp certain material as fast as their classmates. An environment of this type, will also allow students time to ask more questions to ensure that they understand the material that is being presented. More states could benefit from programs of this nature.
Joe’s Non-Netbook
My first thought was “how silly” but as I continued to watch I realized that the student was expressing his view about the textbook. The video became funnier as I watched the remainder of the clip.
Technology has advanced so much that students are actually bored if they have to sit and read a book. Some students expect to have the same technology available at school that they have at home or is available at other locations outside of school. Joe mentioned in the beginning of the video clip that the book was a foreign tool...it is quickly becoming one. Digital readers, such as the Kindle, are eliminating the need for hard copy books. Digital readers can hold up to 200 titles. Once books and/or magazines are uploaded, they are digitally displayed and the pages can be changed by sliding the scroll bar or pressing the “next” button. With digital books, users can bookmark pages, add notes and search the pages for specific passages. Joe tried to double-click on pictures, words, and text within the textbook, which was not possible. With digital readers and other electronic devices (iPad, iTouch, computers, etc), you can simply click on the word, photo, text and/or hyperlink to obtain additional information.
Students and society in general want information instantaneously simply because technology affords us the opportunity to have it that way. The down side to this great technology is that we are losing a lot of the basic things. For example, if the power goes out for an extended period of time, many of the tools that we have come to rely on would not be available for use. As a child going through school, if the power went out I was still able to complete my homework assignments because there was a dictionary, thesaurus, a set of encyclopedias, and other reference materials available for use. Unlike today, I had to write all of my assignments because I had no typewriter (foreign tool), word processer or computer. Things have changed a lot.
Technology has advanced so much that students are actually bored if they have to sit and read a book. Some students expect to have the same technology available at school that they have at home or is available at other locations outside of school. Joe mentioned in the beginning of the video clip that the book was a foreign tool...it is quickly becoming one. Digital readers, such as the Kindle, are eliminating the need for hard copy books. Digital readers can hold up to 200 titles. Once books and/or magazines are uploaded, they are digitally displayed and the pages can be changed by sliding the scroll bar or pressing the “next” button. With digital books, users can bookmark pages, add notes and search the pages for specific passages. Joe tried to double-click on pictures, words, and text within the textbook, which was not possible. With digital readers and other electronic devices (iPad, iTouch, computers, etc), you can simply click on the word, photo, text and/or hyperlink to obtain additional information.
Students and society in general want information instantaneously simply because technology affords us the opportunity to have it that way. The down side to this great technology is that we are losing a lot of the basic things. For example, if the power goes out for an extended period of time, many of the tools that we have come to rely on would not be available for use. As a child going through school, if the power went out I was still able to complete my homework assignments because there was a dictionary, thesaurus, a set of encyclopedias, and other reference materials available for use. Unlike today, I had to write all of my assignments because I had no typewriter (foreign tool), word processer or computer. Things have changed a lot.
Friday, July 2, 2010
The Increased Need for Academic Integrity in the Digital Age
There is an increased need for academic integrity in the digital age due to the increased use of technology in and out of schools. Previously, students had access to very limited resources: encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, teacher/parent provided materials, and the library; if there was a computer at school, it was located in the library and/or administrative offices. In today’s society, students have access to technology at their fingertips via their cell phone or personal computer. Although there is an increased need for academic integrity; there is also a need for additional instruction and guidance to students on how to properly research and cite sources.
Academic standards are continually increasing but instruction is decreasing due to various reasons: shortage of educators, budget cuts, decreased requirements for language arts, and increased reliance on technology. Throughout the United States many schools, districts and States are increasing graduation standards and academic requirements for students to graduate high school. Many states have incorporated tests that students must pass in order to proceed to the next level. Standards are increasing but the reasons mentioned previously are affecting the amount of time that educators have to cover subjects in depth and the quality of education that the students receive. As students are required to meet more requirements to “make the grade”, they sometimes resort to academic dishonesty whether it is by seeking assistance from others or sources readily available, such as the Internet. At no time should someone knowingly or intentionally take another’s idea but if not given the proper guidance, it may occur unknowingly.
Given the increase of reliance on technology (i.e., plagiarism checkers) for instruction and grading, schools should also increase their instruction, especially when requiring papers (research, literature reviews, etc), on how to properly lookup and cite sources. Students should begin receiving instruction on how to research and cite sources at the time that they begin receiving writing assignments/requirements. As a graduate student, I am not always sure how to reference/cite some sources that I may use in my literature reviews and/or when conducting research. Given the individual’s background and lower education received, the student may or may not have been taught the correct way or fully understand that although they may paraphrase they must still give proper credit to the author/source that the idea originated from.
As with any use of technology there must be a check and balance system in place and an accounting for human error. There are some that will intentionally misuse technology for their individual gain; for example, purchasing a term paper from one of the “term paper mill” sites and submitting the work as their own, which is a deliberate act of plagiarism. There are other instances where an individual may simply overlook placing a quote in quotation marks or forget to add the citation for a source. As the amount of information becomes readily available via digital technology, the need for academic integrity will continue to increase.
Academic standards are continually increasing but instruction is decreasing due to various reasons: shortage of educators, budget cuts, decreased requirements for language arts, and increased reliance on technology. Throughout the United States many schools, districts and States are increasing graduation standards and academic requirements for students to graduate high school. Many states have incorporated tests that students must pass in order to proceed to the next level. Standards are increasing but the reasons mentioned previously are affecting the amount of time that educators have to cover subjects in depth and the quality of education that the students receive. As students are required to meet more requirements to “make the grade”, they sometimes resort to academic dishonesty whether it is by seeking assistance from others or sources readily available, such as the Internet. At no time should someone knowingly or intentionally take another’s idea but if not given the proper guidance, it may occur unknowingly.
Given the increase of reliance on technology (i.e., plagiarism checkers) for instruction and grading, schools should also increase their instruction, especially when requiring papers (research, literature reviews, etc), on how to properly lookup and cite sources. Students should begin receiving instruction on how to research and cite sources at the time that they begin receiving writing assignments/requirements. As a graduate student, I am not always sure how to reference/cite some sources that I may use in my literature reviews and/or when conducting research. Given the individual’s background and lower education received, the student may or may not have been taught the correct way or fully understand that although they may paraphrase they must still give proper credit to the author/source that the idea originated from.
As with any use of technology there must be a check and balance system in place and an accounting for human error. There are some that will intentionally misuse technology for their individual gain; for example, purchasing a term paper from one of the “term paper mill” sites and submitting the work as their own, which is a deliberate act of plagiarism. There are other instances where an individual may simply overlook placing a quote in quotation marks or forget to add the citation for a source. As the amount of information becomes readily available via digital technology, the need for academic integrity will continue to increase.
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