Get Informed!

The use of technology is ever present within today's schools. Government officials and educators, alike, have implemented a variety of laws and regulations to ensure students are not subjected to mature and explicit content. Here are two very important acts that are in place to protect minors: CIPA and COPPA. 

CIPA
The Children’s Internet Protection Act(CIPA) was enacted by Congress in 2000 to address the concerns about children’s access to obscene or harmful content over the internet. CIPA imposes certain requirements on school or libraries that receive discounts on internet access or internal connections through the E-rate program. The E-rate program makes certain communications services and products more affordable for eligible schools and libraries. The protection measures must block or filter internet access to pictures that are : obscene, pornography or harmful to minors. Before adapting internet safety policies, schools and libraries must provide reasonable notice and hold at least one public hearing or meeting to address the need. Schools subject to CIP have additional requirements as well.  

COPPA(Children's Online Privacy Protection Act- TITLE XIII) 
COPPA was enacted in 1998 and pertains to children thirteen and under. The act requires individuals who operates or maintain a website on the internet or any other online service to keep personal information from or about the users private. The release of personal information collected from a child by an operator can only be released or accessed with verifiable parental consent. 

Get informed! Check with administrators to know your school district's policies are. 

Here's to always learning...

-Emily 

What Do We Have in the Schools?-Technology Inventory

Technology is ever present into today's classrooms and is used every day, beginning first thing in the morning. In my current placement, the students start their day with the Word of the Day, which they copy with paper and pencil from the Elmo projector. Following, the students watch the morning announcement from GoogleDrive. For daily lessons, the teacher relies on the projector for all students to see, regardless of their spot within the classroom.

Every Thursday, the students have access to a class set of iPads. The students have a forty-minute block where they have "Have To Dos" where the students "play" interactive games for math as well as complete Accelerated Reader quizzes. The students are allotted some free time on the iPads where they are encouraged to play other games or apps already on the device.

After the students have their time with the iPads, the students have another forty minutes where they go to the computer lab. While at the computer lab, the students, again, have a  "Have To Dos" which includes Type to Learn and math websites. The students' engagement is increased when technology is used!

With my current knowledge of how technology is used within the classroom, I intend to find other apps and activities as well to enhance the students' experiences and understanding of what technology can do into today's world to make learning more relevant and engaging.

Here's to Always Learning...

-Emily