Internet Filtering
Does your school/school district use Internet Filtering Software?
I do not currently work for a school system or district, and our sites are not filtered. I did look at a local school system, Gwinnett County, and I found that they do use Internet Filtering Software. There was an uproar about the filtering of LGBTQ sites in 2011.
Who makes decisions about what is blocked (filtered) in you district?
The decision about what is filtered or blocked is done at the county level, but there is also some control at the school level for some schools.
Do teachers, parents, and/or students have a voice in this decision? How much?
Parents, teachers, and students often have a voice in advocating for or against decisions, but ultimately it is left up to the school or county administrators how to proceed. There are additional guidelines, such as the Children's Internet Protection Act, that the school and district are responsible for adhering to.
Does grade level (Elementary, Middle, Secondary) determine what is and is not blocked?
Grade level and educational needs often determine what is and is not blocked. The depth that a high school student needs to explore to understand concepts are not the same as those of a kindergarten student. It is responsible for grade level to be taken into consideration when filtering sites.
Can you (or one of you colleagues) access the different Web 2.0 tools discussed in this weeks Module for use in the instructional process.
I can access the Web 2.0 tools in this week's module.
Can a teacher request that a site be un-blocked for use in the instructional process? Is there a process in place for doing this? Who do they have to ask?
Administrators give teachers a platform to request that sites be un-blocked for educational purposes. Sites may submitted to administrators, who then further assess whether or not it should be allowed through the filter.
Given the potential for students to encounter undesirable material on the Internet, what is the appropriate balance between protection and free access to information?
Educational institutions definitely have a responsibility to protect students from inappropriate material. However, if someone is determined to seek out undesirable material, they often find crafty ways for doing so. The balance comes in when students, as their level of independence using the internet increases, are provided with proper tools and awareness for how to best navigate the internet. This is directly related to digital citizenship as well as having students fully informed on what their Responsible Use agreements cover.
What is your professional position on the use of Internet Filtering Software and its place in schools today and in the future?
Internet Filtering Software is a vital part of education when it comes to using the internet in schools. I believe that the future of Internet Filtering Software will include more personalization for grade levels as well as verification systems that crawl pages of the internet and mark pages as acceptable or unacceptable based on criteria set by teachers, administrators, or parents. I believe that Internet Filtering Software will be around for many years, as educators are heavily responsible for what their students are exposed to in their classrooms.
I do not currently work for a school system or district, and our sites are not filtered. I did look at a local school system, Gwinnett County, and I found that they do use Internet Filtering Software. There was an uproar about the filtering of LGBTQ sites in 2011.
Who makes decisions about what is blocked (filtered) in you district?
The decision about what is filtered or blocked is done at the county level, but there is also some control at the school level for some schools.
Do teachers, parents, and/or students have a voice in this decision? How much?
Parents, teachers, and students often have a voice in advocating for or against decisions, but ultimately it is left up to the school or county administrators how to proceed. There are additional guidelines, such as the Children's Internet Protection Act, that the school and district are responsible for adhering to.
Does grade level (Elementary, Middle, Secondary) determine what is and is not blocked?
Grade level and educational needs often determine what is and is not blocked. The depth that a high school student needs to explore to understand concepts are not the same as those of a kindergarten student. It is responsible for grade level to be taken into consideration when filtering sites.
Can you (or one of you colleagues) access the different Web 2.0 tools discussed in this weeks Module for use in the instructional process.
I can access the Web 2.0 tools in this week's module.
Can a teacher request that a site be un-blocked for use in the instructional process? Is there a process in place for doing this? Who do they have to ask?
Administrators give teachers a platform to request that sites be un-blocked for educational purposes. Sites may submitted to administrators, who then further assess whether or not it should be allowed through the filter.
Given the potential for students to encounter undesirable material on the Internet, what is the appropriate balance between protection and free access to information?
Educational institutions definitely have a responsibility to protect students from inappropriate material. However, if someone is determined to seek out undesirable material, they often find crafty ways for doing so. The balance comes in when students, as their level of independence using the internet increases, are provided with proper tools and awareness for how to best navigate the internet. This is directly related to digital citizenship as well as having students fully informed on what their Responsible Use agreements cover.
What is your professional position on the use of Internet Filtering Software and its place in schools today and in the future?
Internet Filtering Software is a vital part of education when it comes to using the internet in schools. I believe that the future of Internet Filtering Software will include more personalization for grade levels as well as verification systems that crawl pages of the internet and mark pages as acceptable or unacceptable based on criteria set by teachers, administrators, or parents. I believe that Internet Filtering Software will be around for many years, as educators are heavily responsible for what their students are exposed to in their classrooms.