Reflection: Using the Internet in Education

The internet can be a very useful tool if we use it correctly. There are many wonderful resources that can be found online, and I believe we should utilize them. It is an important part of our job as educators in this day and age, that we be able to demonstrate to our students how to safely navigate the internet. Teaching our students to fear or avoid the internet is hindering them in their future success. To me, it is like telling a woodworker not to use a saw because he could cut himself. A saw is a useful tool, and if used correctly is safe. The internet is the same way. It is possible to teach students good judgment about internet safety.
As teachers, it is very important to evaluate the sites that we refer our students to for information. We must evaluate them in order to protect them from not only dangerous information, but also incorrect information. If we do not first evaluate them and make sure they are coming from a reputable source, our students could be misinformed. We also must first evaluate websites in order for the parents of our students to trust us and the information we provide. If we refer students to information that is dangerous to them, their parents will not be happy about it.

I would ask myself the following questions when evaluating a website:

1.Is this information appropriate for my students?
2.Is this information relevant to what my students are learning?
3.Does this website contain current and valid information?
4.Is this website published on a trusted and reputable domain?
5.Is this page the best source of information, or is there something better?
6.Does this website provide the author's contact information or biography?

Some ways to keep students safe while surfing is to use a content blocker. Schools are (or should be) equipped with content blockers to block inappropriate content. However, we must always preview any website we direct our students to visit in order to make sure they are getting the highest quality information. Teaching our students to also surf wisely and keep away from anything that appears to be inappropriate content will help them build their own net safety skills.