--Question 3: How can a classroom web site improve communications with students, parents, and community? What is an acceptable use policy? What impact does it have on the use of the Web in the classroom?
Classroom websites are becoming very pervasive in learning environments of all kinds. I know that most of my college classes have a course website, and I am sure that classrooms of other types i.e. high school, continuing education, and business related classes, have them as well. These class websites can take many forms. Some exist within another system, such as Blackboard. This gives only students in the class access to it’s content. Sites may also be hosted by a blogging service, or exist simply as a website hosted by the school or a hosting provider. Privacy firewalls may be used so that only people who need to access the site can, but some areas might want to be left open so that family and people from the community can access them. Students can find information relevant to class: syllabi, class schedules, assignment information, course documents, grades, helpful links, and discussion boards. Also students and teachers can converse with one another over email or chat to answer questions and discuss projects. Family and community could find information on the website relevant to what the class is up to-in general. They might also want to access a calendar of classroom activities relevant to them. The teacher might also allow parents to access a schedule of homework, so that they might encourage their kids to finish assignments.
An acceptable use policy dictates how a service will be used by it’s users. In this case, how the internet will be used by students and teachers. This policy outlines what actions on the school’s network or classroom website will and won’t be tolerated. The policy will also let users know what will be done if the policy is violated. Many schools try to ensure compliance with the acceptable use policy by filtering the content users of the network are allowed to access. Surely this is mostly for the good of the students. We should protect them from harmful things on the internet, but often these filters are used in a way that blocks helpful content as well. We must be careful not to filter content based on our own personal biases. Only truly harmful or inappropriate content should be blocked. Again this is a topic of much debate wherever filters are used. One place where I have encountered a ridiculously strict filter is the Marion County Public Library. It is hard to see why Facebook or Youtube should be blocked from the citizens who use the library’s services. I think the best thing to do in these situations is to educate people on the dangerous parts of the internet and trust them to make wise decisions.
