Blogging safely

It seems that there is a rapid development in the way the internet is being viewed here in Greece. Until quite recently, there didn't seem to be a day go by without some story in the media depicting the web as the devil's own sandpit, a byword for vice and iniquity. As a result parents were (are) loathed to let there children use it or even allow access at home. This stance wasn't helped either by the ridiculously high access fees that were charged until recently.

However, all this is changing and the TV is full of ads selling cheap, fast access. Indeed the internet is now being being heralded as the font of all wisdom and culture, absolutely vital for a modern life.

Of course, neither viewpoint expresses the reality on life online. Whilst having access is undeniably a plus for people learning, the old anxieties concerning the safety of younger users still remain. All the more reason then for young people and parents to be fully aware of possible dangers they face and ways to protect themselves against them. As I keep on reminding wary parents the internet is like traffic in the street; necessary but potentially dangerous, nevertheless. Similarly, just because cars and the like are a threat we don't simply lock up our kids till they reach say, 14. No, we teach them how to behave in such situations from a young age.

Click here to download a PDF with five tips by Childnet International on how young people can blog safely.

Thanks to MrsW for putting me onto this.

Kids on the net

, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Once again, the school year has begun and once again I have to persuade students and parents that the"unusual" teaching methods and material I use will help them achieve their goals; namely help them learn more effectively and increase their chances of getting a certificate.

My hardest battle, however usually revolves around the use of the internet. For many parents the mere mention of the word invokes fear and suspicion. Having been bombarded with scare stories from the mainstream Greek media they shy away from allowing their children near it.

Of course, concerns about younger people having unsupervised access are not to be dismissed as there are dangers a plenty on the web. Yet, this is true for so many aspects of our life. We do not, for example, keep our kids confined to the house because there are traffic accidents on the streets, do we?

Instead we teach them how to behave responsibly when in the street and so one of my first jobs when introducing kids to the internet is teaching them how to do it responsibly and safely. Still, sometimes it feels as if I'm fighting a losing battle.

Student blogging - The rules

I came across these guidelines for student posting on their class blog at The Believe It or Not blog, which has been set up by RE department at Nodehill Middle School, Newport, Isle of Wight.

"Before we start, let’s agree we all stick to these ten rules below. They are designed to keep you safe and help you learn from each other.

1. I will only use my first name
2. I will never give out my email address
3. I will never give out my home address
4. I will never give out my telephone number
5. I will respect others
6. I will not use rude or threatening words
7. I will not use text talk or chat language
8. I will not copy other people’s work
9. I will be responsible for everything I write
10. I will check my spelling before posting

All comments will be seen first by us before going live. So we can make sure all the rules are followed. Remember, BELIEVE IT OR NOT is like a virtual classroom. Don’t do anything here that you wouldn’t do at school. That way, we can all enjoy the blog and improve our RE at the same time."

I'm going to be explaining and implementing these rules with my students' blogs over the next couple of weeks.