Comments on: The Perils of Publication http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/ Technology is neither the problem nor the solution. Wed, 7 Jan 2009 16:56:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jady http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10382 Jady Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:31:23 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10382 I think students should have access to new technology and what it can do. Most kids can figure things out quicker than adults, because they don't worry about messing something up. Teachers need to know how to use it though before they try to teach others how to use it. It would be like coaching basketball and not knowing how to play the game. I think students should have access to new technology and what it can do. Most kids can figure things out quicker than adults, because they don’t worry about messing something up.
Teachers need to know how to use it though before they try to teach others how to use it. It would be like coaching basketball and not knowing how to play the game.

]]> By: dancingnancy533 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10381 dancingnancy533 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:05:48 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10381 I think it would be more accurate to change that last sentence to read “technology may be a way to break the cycle of poverty in spite of all the best efforts of society to limit learning through the narrow lens of education.” This last sentence of the latest blog from Dr. Lowell speaks a lot of truth in the way education wants to provide resources for students to access information, but is too afraid to give them the opportunity to do so. Like Stephanie, I too had some issues with trying to use resources I found at home in the classroom. Great resources I thought would do some good only got pitched because they were blocked at school. I understand that there are dark alleys of the Internet that no student should venture into, but that doesn't mean the whole thing is one. I think it would be more accurate to change that last sentence to read “technology may be a way to break the cycle of poverty in spite of all the best efforts of society to limit learning through the narrow lens of education.”

This last sentence of the latest blog from Dr. Lowell speaks a lot of truth in the way education wants to provide resources for students to access information, but is too afraid to give them the opportunity to do so. Like Stephanie, I too had some issues with trying to use resources I found at home in the classroom. Great resources I thought would do some good only got pitched because they were blocked at school. I understand that there are dark alleys of the Internet that no student should venture into, but that doesn’t mean the whole thing is one.

]]> By: Lynn http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10380 Lynn Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:15:17 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10380 Thanks for the response to the "Let's share our blogs" Classroom 2.0 forum. Your post has many good points! This is a topic that the public needs to know more about. Thanks for the response to the “Let’s share our blogs” Classroom 2.0 forum. Your post has many good points! This is a topic that the public needs to know more about.

]]> By: lowell http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10379 lowell Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:15:00 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10379 I've written about that before, and I agree with you. Filters and blocks protect schools. They do nothing to protect kids. I’ve written about that before, and I agree with you.

Filters and blocks protect schools.

They do nothing to protect kids.

]]> By: StephannieM http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10378 StephannieM Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:48:50 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2008/01/21/the-perils-of-publication/#comment-10378 After reading this post I felt compelled to state my opinion on censorship of technology. Dr. Lowell stated that the grand rush to connect schools turned into a battle of blockades. He stated technologies are being knee-capped in name of protecting the student from learning something "inappropriate." What I have found from personal experience is that these blockades, districts are placing on technology, are in fact hindering students from learning things that are very much appropriate. It gets so frustrating to spend hours of searching for the right websites I could use to teach students valuable information. That isn't the frustrating part, I enjoy exploring different sites. The frustrating part is when I find one that will work with my content and I go to school to access it, but instead I get the message, "This site has been blocked." Don't get me wrong, I understand that we need to be careful about what students access in the schools. We need to train them to know which are the appropriate and inappropriate sites. Simply blocking sites isn't always going to work. Case in point. There was a site I needed to access at school, which was blocked by the server. One of my students quietly came up to me and said, "I can get you around it." I was shocked. Students know how to get around these blocks, so why spend all the time trying to block everything. I still believe educating them on what is appropriate and inappropriate plus closer teacher supervision would help with the censorship of technology. After reading this post I felt compelled to state my opinion on censorship of technology. Dr. Lowell stated that the grand rush to connect schools turned into a battle of blockades. He stated technologies are being knee-capped in name of protecting the student from learning something “inappropriate.” What I have found from personal experience is that these blockades, districts are placing on technology, are in fact hindering students from learning things that are very much appropriate. It gets so frustrating to spend hours of searching for the right websites I could use to teach students valuable information. That isn’t the frustrating part, I enjoy exploring different sites. The frustrating part is when I find one that will work with my content and I go to school to access it, but instead I get the message, “This site has been blocked.” Don’t get me wrong, I understand that we need to be careful about what students access in the schools. We need to train them to know which are the appropriate and inappropriate sites. Simply blocking sites isn’t always going to work. Case in point. There was a site I needed to access at school, which was blocked by the server. One of my students quietly came up to me and said, “I can get you around it.” I was shocked. Students know how to get around these blocks, so why spend all the time trying to block everything. I still believe educating them on what is appropriate and inappropriate plus closer teacher supervision would help with the censorship of technology.

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