The Edutopia Poll
by Sara Bernard
Social-networking Web sites, such as the wildly popular MySpace, are rapidly becoming a problem for schools. The sites, fraught with online predators and distracting to students, are frequently blocked by school computers. But is this action taking the concern too far? In their rush to protect, are educators also ignoring the educational potential of social-networking sites (such as connecting American students with students in other countries)?
Should schools regulate student use of online social networks?
Yes. Schools should block the use of these sites and educate students about safe and school-appropriate use of the Internet.
62% (215 votes)
No. I do not see the use of these sites interfering with the school day; on the contrary, their popularity can be harnessed for learning.
5% (18 votes)
Not necessarily, but teachers and schools should make sure to consistently educate students about safe and appropriate Internet use.
32% (110 votes)
None of the above. (Click on Vote, then click on Comment on the results page to offer another response, or tell us what works at your school.)
2% (6 votes)
Total votes: 349
honestly
Submitted by sammmm (not verified) on January 7, 2008 - 20:06.
well honestly
good cyber behavior?
what is that? myspace being blocked really isnt teaching kids anything but to hate teachers and school and to blow off school even more. I'm a straight A athletic student and i get on myspace..does that mean i have bad cyber behavior? alot of people need to think about what they are saying. how many times have you been on myspace? What do you know about it other than what the news has told you? Yes, there are stupid attention craving girls who turn to gross child molesters. that just goes back to the parents deprivation of the kid. And really most teens these days are way smarter at technology and computers than a majority of you adults *give or take the nasa and computer scientists*
so basically what im trying to say is blocking myspace is pointless. theres always gunna be a website you can go on to bypass the myspace block. I know i've used one before and so have almost every person i know (a majority being straight A honor roll students)We havent gotten suspended. And if what educators are trying to tell us is that we are bad people for using myspace well thats great cuz then they are the reason kids kill themselves...get depressed..because they think they are a bad person. what now. lets deprive the people who are going to be running this country someday the beautiful miracle of technology. we should be able to experience everything and the kids who dont have computers end up feeling like losers because all their friends have myspaces but they cant have one because they're too poor. The government needs to think about kids as more of adults..a lot are more grown up then most adults anyway
the choice is yours.
myspaceeee :D
Submitted by amber (not verified) on December 13, 2007 - 13:19.
well, im doing an essay about reguating myspace at schools, and my concern is that when a teacher hacks into your page. . . thats an INVASION OF PRIVACY. people think that myspace is just a site where it shouldn't have anything to do with school . . .butttttttt, it can help a student cause if they can't get ahold of their friends then they can just myspace them :DDD hahaha, and all that stuff. People that use myspace as a threat like sending messages, and wosses. they don't need to block myspace, i mean its not like were gonna post some crap about school on there, i just think there taking it TO FARR!!!!!!!! >:|
myspace
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 13, 2007 - 06:08.
i am a student at a high school. I think these sites such as myspace and facebook should be blocked. Kids need to focus on their schoolwork.
why block things on school internet
Submitted by Johnny (not verified) on October 31, 2007 - 08:29.
Will I say no because some kids at school need a web site to do work and it is block so that why it is a right idea to do that. We can not do work because at school or home because we don't have a computer at home and at school because some web site that give good information about the thing we are looking for so it is good to not block web sites
yeh,,,
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on October 29, 2007 - 08:21.
hmmm...this is kinda ridiculos...the rea[eted sex preadotor thing is stupid. i have to say...maybe if u tell ur kids "hey dont tell some random guy to come have sex with you" this wouldnt be a problem...is it distarcting? well yeh. but most students are responsible and know to do work first...plus to most people comp. class is blow off time anyways...thats what you people arent doing is going down to the individual level...you can use myspace etc. as a learning tool. You can really get to know your students. Too many people just want to change a kid to who they think the kid should be. crush them and pick up whats left...idk blocking myspace is a waste of your time imo... its all good though...people will always have a new proxy to be used for every block you have =D
Proxy sites
Submitted by Kathy (not verified) on September 16, 2007 - 07:16.
Kids are now using proxy sites to bypass web sites that schools and libraries have blocked.
And yes, I think that schools should block sites like myspace, Facebook, etc.
Proxy sites should be blocked too so kids can't use them to access blocked sites in school.
Myspace and Facebook are the
Submitted by Mitzina (not verified) on February 21, 2007 - 00:15.
Myspace and Facebook are the most popular websites among high school students and some of them don't understand that these sites can jeopardize their careers. I strongly believe that these sites are very distracting. When I was in a classrooom with a computer I would sit on Myspace the whole time and not pay attention to the professor and this happens with a lot of students. The real problem is that kids, teens, and adults post personal things on their page that people should not know. Some even have pictures that are very inappropriate and this can make their first impression to other people look very bad. It had been said that a lot of companies now look at their employees or new hires' Myspace pages. If your page has this kind of personal information and inappropriate pictures then you will most likely not get the job. Other issues have been about alcohol and drugs being posted on peoples' profiles. If a student is an athlete this can also jeopardize their athletic career.
In my opinion if the school blocks these types of websites there can be some advantages and some disadvantages. If they do block these sites it will most likely not distract students during classtime. It will also keep the students focused on what they need to be doing. I do believe that some students, even adults do have Myspace to keep in touch with people close to them or people from other countries. A lot of adults my age keep in touch with people that they went to middle school and high school with. It's incredible how many people you can keep in touch with and for some people this is the only way to keep in touch with each other. Taking this away from students will only make them pissed off and feel like they are being disciplined. There is an option in Myspace to make your profile private; where only your friends can see it and I think everyone should do this. With this option in order to see the other person's profile they must request you as a friend and you have to approve them. With all the security options and privacy options for Myspace I don't think there is any need for schools to block these types of websites.
It appears that the use of
Submitted by Erika (not verified) on February 6, 2007 - 00:44.
It appears that the use of social-networking Websites maybe a little more of a headache than it is worth. The National School Boards Association web article discusses how social networking websites has caused significant problems in the school setting. On their list of problems: Cyber-bullying in which students and teachers could be targeted for harassment or even physically threatened as well as inappropriate postings that disrupt the learning environment. Bullying, harassment and physical threats can occur without a computer and just as we educators do not tolerate such behavior in the absence of a computer it should not be allowed in the presence of one. Myspace and Facebook, etc. maybe popular among the young, however, popular does not equal good. Safety should always be exercised first, especially in the case of children. Until these new technologies can fix what is broken, executing its potential/actual educational value in a secured safe manner, it is in our best interest to leave Pandora's box closed.
I think we have a duty as
Submitted by Armando Di-Finizio (not verified) on January 30, 2007 - 23:20.
I think we have a duty as educators to work with students in developing good cyber lifestyle habits. They have access to all these sites at home. We should provide full access to these sites in schools (with obvious exceptions), and be there to explore their potential and highlight their downsides.
Students can only develop good online habits by allowing them to be online in the first place, if we are there with them at the time to facilitate good practice, so much the better.
I agree with Mr. DiFinzio.
Submitted by Dr. Ric Jones (not verified) on January 31, 2007 - 18:36.
I agree with Mr. DiFinzio. Encouraging proper cyber behavior is part of a modern education. Another concern for me has been that students often post their Web projects for school on sites such as Yahoo Geo Cities. Unfortunately, Big Brother often tends to block access to these sites out of fear of inappropriate contact during school time. Although I understand everyone's concern, isn't this cutting off our nose to spite our face? Instead of the 400th sequel of Dateline catches the Internet predator, why don't they do a special on the positive ways that the Net can be used for educating the N Generation.
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