There are many pros and con’s when it comes to
technologies in school. Cyber-security is
the number one issue when working with technology in school. A top priority is keeping our students safe
from the harm that comes with the World Wide Web. According to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), there are harmful effects with students
starring at a computer screen for a great amount of time (Concordia University,
2014). Children are more at risk for
headaches and eye problems. Having students write on a blog is
a great experience for them because they can use it for virtual pen-pals,
journal/diary, or small discussion topics.
Students can also post videos to prove a statement or to even start a
discussion! When students are searching on the
internet for resources, videos, or articles, that’s when the problem
starts. There can be pop-ups, viruses, and/or
websites that students can accidentally go on.
When a student’s blog is not properly protected, students can get
strangers that can contact them.
Concordia University. (2014).Pros and Cons of Allowing Digital Devices in the Classroom.
Retrieved from http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/tech-ed/pros-and-cons-of-allowing-digital-devices-in-the-classroom/
I do like that students can upload visuals to blogs. Sometimes a picture is worth 1,000 words. There are many security concerns when using the Internet. Teachers as well as students need to be trained how to protect themselves online.
ReplyDeleteStudent safety should also be a major concern. It is important for teachers to set up guidelines to help their students be successful as well as protected. However, the benefits of blogs are so great that I believe that it is worth the extra time needed to avoid the risks. Giving them the opportunity to present their opinions, support them, and then defend them against comments leads to strong development of communication skills.
ReplyDeleteThere were a lot of valid points made in this blog. I think there are countless pros and cons to blogging. Meghann brought up a good point that safety should be a major concern when students are using blogs. Teachers must be very aware of the dangers that students can encounter if they are not using blogs correctly. Along with the cons of blogging, I still believe that blogs can be extremely beneficial in the classroom. As a kindergarten teacher, my students would love to create and post video's. Young students are drawn to these types of visuals and I think if done correctly they can really benefit our youths education.
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