I believe that we would all agree that the Internet is an exciting and invaluable resource for both information and communication, but we need to make our students aware that it can also be a dangerous environment if they forget to follow some simple rules.

In 2006, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation requiring the integration of internet safety into the instructional program. They have created an online booklet entitled Guidelines and Resources for Internet Safety in Schools with a wealth of information as well as internet resources. The document is divided into sections for administrators, teachers, parents, and students and is worth spending a few minutes exploring. This post is divided into the five major sections found in the pages for teachers.

1. The Internet is exciting, rewarding, and challenging.

Our intent is certainly not to discourage the use of the Internet for research or for chatting with friends. There is great value in these activities, and this is the future for our students. We also want to be cautious that we do not frighten the children.

2. Monitoring is Crucial

I’ve heard it said that children are only one click away from an inappropriate site. Although I don’t necessarily agree with that statement, I do know how easy it would be for a student to accidentally stumble upon something that they probably should not be seeing. Any time we have students working on the Internet, we need to be constantly aware of what they are doing and what sites they are exploring. We have an excellent firewall in our school division, but firewalls and filters are not fool proof.

For example, Google Images is used often by teachers for picture searches, and it defaults to a Moderate Safe Search setting. However, it is very difficult for firewalls to filter images, and it is very easy to search for something that seems quite innocent and find inappropriate images. It’s fine for teachers to use Google images and other image storage sites (assuming the images are not copyrighted and you cite your sources) but please do not send students online to find images.

If you suspect that students have been surfing inappropriate sites, go into the browser history and check out what sites they have visited. Unfortunately, a particularly clever student will know how to delete the site from the history. That’s why monitoring is crucial.

3. Interactions in the Virtual World Can Be Negative

Cyberbullying is alive and well. Adults as well as students tend to say things in email messages and chat rooms that they would never consider saying in person. Students need to be reminded that anything they write on the computer can be copied and pasted multiple times and can get them in serious trouble as well as hurting feelings. They should not write anything online that they would not say in person. Here is an example:

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People Are Not Always Who They Claim to Be

It is all too easy for an adult to pretend to be a much younger person in order to win the confidence of a child over time. As students express interest in social networking sites such as Club Penguin and Whyville, they will most likely move on to MySpace or Facebook as they grow older. They need to have an acute awareness that even though chatting with strangers can be fun, they have no way of knowing who that person really is.

iKeepSafe.org has a fabulous video and book posted on their site that deals with this very topic. Watch Faux Pas, the Techno Cat with your class. We also have copies of these books and DVDs in the school libraries.

4. Dangers of Exchanging Information

Remind students that they should never share personal information online. This includes name, age, phone number, school friends’ names, family names, and anything that could be used for identification. When choosing screen names or email usernames, avoid using real first or last name, zip code, age, or any other personal information.

We never know who is reading what is being posted, as this video demonstrates:

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Students need to also be reminded that they should never post pictures that can be used to identify them or that they would be embarrassed for their grandparents to see. Once a picture is posted, it can be copied and recopied and never really goes away.

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In addition to the simplicity of copying pictures and text from the internet, there are archives of internet sites that keep copies of old web pages for research and historical reasons. Probably, the best known of these sites is the WayBack Machine.

5. Students Need to Hear the Rules Often

Use teachable moments to review rules for using computers with the students. A previous post on this blog reviewed the most basic information that students need to remember whenever they are online.

Helpful Web Links

NetSmartz Kids
Lots of games and activities that remind kids of internet safety rules
**This would be a great site to use during your computer lab time!

Surf Swell Island
Disney’s internet safety site with lots of fun quizzes and games

iKeepSafe
Activities and videos produced by iKeepSafe and D.A.R.E.

SafeKids
Lots of tips and tools for parents and kids

iSafe
Set up an account here for a wealth of information that will be helpful to all adults who work with children.

iLearn Online
This is actually part of iSafe. It includes excellent video modules, and after completing the modules, you will be able to download free materials to use as appropriate.

If you do a search for internet safety, you will discover numerous additional sites with more helpful information for students, parents, and educators. Stay informed, keep you students informed, and stay safe!