Levinson, Matt. (2010). Keeping the peace. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(5), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org /AM/Template.cfm?Section=February_No_5_4&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4495&ContentID=25237&DirectListComboInd=D
The article talks about a Middle School that struggled with what teachers, students and parents thought about using technology. The school encouraged the students to take home a laptop and use a program where the students could chat. Some teachers didn't like it and thought it was a distraction during class. While some parents thought that the children were not ready to use such a way for communications. Some parents admitted that they themselves were not ready to prepare the kids for the "Chatting" feature required for their school work. All the students on the other were annoyed by the idea of not being able to iChat anymore. There were also parents approved the idea of Chatting because it removed clicks and helped their peers stay connected if they were not very sociable in person. Students protested because the iChat feature did assist them with their h.w. and eased the process. The school's decision then was to cancel iChat to keep the peace between parents, teachers and students. There is more that is trying to be done to better prepare parents, teachers and students with the idea of iChatting.
How are schools trying to make the iChat safe for students?
The schools will make an IM program for use at school with teacher permission within the school's network and limited to student use only. Parents will be encouraged to attend workshops teaching them ways and tools for their students to be safe.
Should children be allowed to use Chatting applications in middle school?
I think they should because they need to learn how to use the tool and become aware also of the dangers of using technology and how it can harm others as well as themselves. In Middle school is the perfect transition to try to understand about different mediums and the evils as well as the benefits of using them, technology being one of them. Chatting online being a social program has the same issues as any like sex, drugs, violence, bad habits and a lot of these issues are already being talked about in middle school. Students need to be taught the rights and wrongs at an early age or else they will find and use things without their parents permission. This is why parents, students and teachers should be taught about the subjects and not put it off till High school. If children have the desire to learn new things we as educators should not limit them but guide them to use mediums for right choices. It is the 21st century and we need to catch up with not only technology but the kids' interest.
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