November to educators: Let students use online social tools

By Michael Allen

• Session focused on balance safety and learning in the digital age.

• Most people say they’d like to see students engaged.

• There is still dependency on the teachers.

• Are students adding value to the learning of other students?

• Is information flowing out of the classroom.

• The real power of the web is that it enables global collaboration.

• We’re blocking all the social tools that enable it.

• Without technology the schools would barely be up to go.

• November recommended that school leaders give teachers access to Skype.

• Many school leaders block students’ access to online social tools.

• Schools are responsible for what goes on in the class.

• Teachers are blocking access to YouTube because it’s bad.

• Teachers have you taught the students to use it correctly.

• Schools are shrinking a key responsibility.

• Facebook might be blocked in school, kids are still using it at home.

• Monitor, rather than block, students use of online social tools.

• Lightspeed software can block access to certain web sites.

• It also captures and reports on students online behavior.

• Block access to sites that have no educational value.

• Take advantage on monitoring and reporting tools.