Bebo…. Again.
In the region where I work web filtering is done at a school level. Having spoken to colleagues in other regions I see this as a real strength. Today, an email was sent to the conference for ICT coordinators suggesting a site to block with the reasons for doing so. You guessed it! Bebo! Given the recent debate here and elsewhere in blogosphere, and that the region had sent me to an in-service event highlighting the benefits of Web 2.0, I thought it only fair to revisit the debate about what to block and what not to block. I was also interested to note that today Fiona posted a comment to the original post To bebo or not to bebo backing up the case for blocking the site in schools. (PS: No new students at my school on Bebo)
One of my concerns about blocking sites like Bebo in schools is that it is only avoiding a problem not dealing with it. Stopping access in school doesn’t prevent kids from accessing it at other times and avoids having to deal with the real issues about educating children about how to deal with the potential dangers of these sites.
In schools we block pornography, extreme violence, etc because of the legal issues and our desire to protect kids. But Bebo is not illegal and can be a means of developing new interests and friends if used sensibly.
I think we need to deal with this type of activity as we deal with drugs - educate. We know we can’t stop kids accessing drugs but we do our best to give them the necessary information to make sensible choices.
Do we ban pens because they could be used to write abusive or bullying letters?
All the fuss about these sites is beginning to sound like the fuss about the effects of rock ‘n’ roll on teenagers in the fifties.
There are more important things to worry about than Bebo.
I agree. I would, instead, propose a unit to be taught in ICT classes about how to use Bebo and the potential dangers in (mis)using it. Far more educational, no?
have you taken the SQA survey on internet safety? 10 minutes to help shape the future of ICT safety lessonsin schools?
This is the first I’ve heard of the SQA survey - how is it being advertised?