I have been aware that children are facing bullying not only in school, but online as well. Though, I wasn’t aware that my space and face book allowed an individual to create a new person or life. I thought that this gave them more opportunities to talk to friends without their parents and or teachers knowing, for now you don’t hear it. Instead like a lot of parents said throughout the video, if they were to look over at the computer screen it would just go black. I think that the video made a great point, for it stressed that this is a way for kids to communicate without parents knowing and that this social net work can happen anywhere. A person doesn’t need to be at home, one can go to a coffee shop, library or a fast food restaurant and go online. I am not consumed by the internet and to be honest I am very bad and I don’t check my e-mail every day, I do check it a couple times a week. I do know that one can go to different place and be online and I think this allows places to get more business because of this. On the other hand, I never thought about this phenomenon allowing kids to go outside of the home and connect to the social network. When I first started watching the clip and hearing kids say how being online was addicting and when they get home this is how they talk to their friends and there really wasn’t face to face conversations, I was thinking how this sounds a lot like cell phones and that they need this. With this said, I was wondering how as a society can we change this addiction and can it be considered as one; for it has defiantly impacted the lives of the kids and I would say that it has interrupted their way of life. Can this impact and blind people from actually distinguishing what is real and what isn’t? We are aware that this has impacted bullying, but my thought was has it increased bullying or just put bullying on a completely different level, because it is harder for adults to see this, especially if a child is in front on a screen and a parent can’t see the remarks. With the bullying topic, I was wondering if there was a net work where one could go anonymously and share what they are experiencing. I have heard radio talks where they say if you are in an abusive relationship, you can call us and we will talk to you, we are here to help. Or I was thinking, if a school could have a help center where a student could send an e-mail just to reach out and hopefully they can receive help or how to handle it. I think that since the online life is very secretive from parents that this would keep the secretive life, but one can reach out for help. After I heard the story about the boy and how he gained a companion online, where they shared information on suicide and how to do. Also, the teenager that suffered from anorexia and how she found support online, I thought about what you have been stressing all semester. We are living in a different world where knowledge and information is at our fingertips and easy to find. Yes, the computer and the internet are helpful and informative, but at the same time it can be harmful. Parents really hit this topic when they said that is a child is looking for trouble they will find and if they are not then they won’t. I think that the vast amount of information that is easily accessible at any time has impacted our younger generation, for if they are experiencing a lot of bullying like the one boy it can increase the act of impulse. This might have seemed an easy and a quick way out of what he was feeling and he even received support from a boy he never met. By Bobbie L.
This video was one that didn't really tell me anything that I did not already know about the internet and its effects that it can have on teens. I think we are all aware of the dangers that the internet can bring to children in today's world. However, the video did provide me with stories that were personal, and stories that really made me think about how real these issues are. I am a person that is on the internet almost everyday, I check my e-mail and facebook several times a day and am always trying to stay connected to my friends and family through the internet. However, growing up in the Adirondacks I did not always have this option. Cell phone coverage and internet are not always available, and I am fine with that. In the summer or during vacations I can go a few weeks without checking my facebook or my cell phone and I am not phased, however I do not think that this is an ability most people have, especially teenagers. The story of the girl "Autumn Edows" really brought on the reality how addicted people can become to the internet and social networking sites. I think it is very scary to see how fast something as silly as a social network site can take over someone's life. Another example is how the one student with anorexia looked to the internet to fuel her eating disorder. I think it is sad that students can become so addicted to the internet and what it has to offer. The issues of cyber bullying are also very real in all schools across America. Hopefully students do not go to the extreme of fighting or even worse suicide, like in Josh's case. The teachers in this video talk about the need to integrate technology into the classroom in order to hold the students attention. I feel the opposite. I think that because of the huge amount of technology that the majority of students are experiencing at home we should stay away from that. Teach them hands on ways of learning, take them outside to discover things and socialize with each other! I think that a large integration of the internet and technology in the classroom is just adding fuel to the fire. It is almost giving students the OK to be online 24/7 and avoid socialization. I am not against technology, and I am not against integrating it into the classroom. However, I do think that the amount of time we spend online in the classroom and the amount of time we have students stare at a screen needs to be more closely look at. The movie did have some good ideas though for parents, such as placing the computer in your kitchen so that you can monitor their access. One idea I really liked was the mothers idea of asking for the passwords but keeping them in a sealed envelope to still allow the children their own privacy but yet still have them on hand if needed. -Hannah
After watching this video, it did not really shock me all that much as to how much the internet is involved in people’s lives. No a days, teens are so involved in online chatting and areas like Facebook and twitter that it is just another daily routine for them. Everyone talks about social networking and the effects it can have on people, businesses, and everything else. No one pays attention to the news when it just states general facts and consequences. Seeing personal connections and experiences really opens your eyes. No one wants to believe that it is a problem or a large portion of someone’s day but its reality. I am guilty as well. I think about before I had a cell phone or before I had one that I could log onto Facebook and the internet and I feel like it is just such a general thing now that I don’t even notice that it does have a factor on my daily life n decisions. I am always checking my e mails and different things on the internet. I did not even have a cell phone until I was 16 and since we lived in the country, we had dial up internet which was a pain but even then I remember fighting with my sisters to get on and use the computer and how important it was. I felt like if I didn’t get that hour of my life to get on a chat with someone on IM it was the end of the world. I now can ignore it sometimes and not get on but I tend to find myself on it more often sometimes when I have nothing going on to kill time. I feel like many teens now days cannot say the same. They do not know any different than using the internet and things because that is how it has always been for them. It makes you question how someone can be so addicted like the videos portrayed. Is it becoming a sickness that someone cannot control like being addicted to a drug? Like having the eating disorder. How can someone think that that is okay? And if she really did have a problem, the internet is not a great way to deal with it. I find myself looking up things online if I get sick or have a pain and it’s scary to look at some of the information because there is so much stuff out there that it makes you almost believe that you may have it. Integration in the classroom is great and maybe it’s just me because I work with preschoolers so we are not into using the internet that often but I am a big hand on learner and I feel that using the internet in some cases is just not as effective as many are making it out to be. Do not get me wrong, I love using the internet and get into using it a lot myself but to make it such a large portion of the day for learning with children is not something I totally agree with. Might not be the right thing to say in a reflection in a technology class but there are so many ways to look at it and I lean more towards hands on over large portions of integrating technology in the classroom. Parents and teachers should definitely watch the videos and look at the areas and advice it provides. I think even parents are starting to not notice the problems that are occurring and in order for a change to happen, listening to the advice might be crucial. I think the videos provided an eye opening experience even to someone who thought they knew a lot about technology and the internet. Bullying and many issues are becoming more publicized and I just hope that many take into consideration both the pros and cons in all areas. -Amy
Whenever I view these stories like the one I just watched on Frontline, after it is over I feel like I just took a one hour ride on this gigantic roller coaster. And, when it comes to technology like the cell phones and the internet I find that I sometimes love the idea that we have this wonderful technology, but then there is the other side of me that wishes that it would just stop growing like some kind of epidemic. My first mortification came when in the first 5 minutes of the film, the 7 year old playing, what looks like a harmless video game on the computer. However, that video game is being played via a connection to the web where he plays with other “children” out there in cyber world. Right on the show a name pops up and asks can we be friends so that we can “play” together? Without even thinking twice about it, this 7 year old clicks ok. Does he really know who is on the other side of this profile name? No, not really. I am also at odds about the stay at home mom of 4 teenagers who is the president of the PTO. I like the idea that at home the computer is in the common area of the house, and not every teenager has their own computer in their room. There has to be boundaries. Just like when I was growing up I wanted my privacy, like a phone in my room to be able to talk to my friends, but was denied that because my parents wanted me to have boundaries. While the boundaries have changed, they are still necessary. What I am not so sure I agree with her on is the idea of emailing all the parents about what happened concerning the rock concert. Like she said, 50% thanked her, and the other 50% were none too happy, and felt she was intruding on their private lives. It also could have gone really bad for children in high school. The story did not delve into the repercussions that her son may have had to deal with because of this. I think I equate this situation to the hand written diary thing. If growing up you had a diary and you put some real personal things in there, it was a must to hide where your parents would never be able to find it. I understand the need for privacy because that was what I wanted when I was a teenager, but if the kids did not want the parents to find out what they did why take video and pictures then post to the web? Not very smart. My other worry is about the cyber bullying. I wonder are kids that are growing up in this era going to have all sorts of trust issues. Like the Frontline story points out is if you are being cyber bullied, you have no idea who the bully is if they do not want you to find out. It could be your best friend, or who you think is your best friend. I guess everything comes with a price. Yes we love the idea of the technological world we live in, and we think how did we ever get along without all of this, but on the flip side is all the harm that is received as well.
Watching Growing Up Online opened my eyes to aspects of technology in the lives of adolescents that I was completely oblivious to. I will let it influence how I teach. Technology is changing all the time, as an adult who works with kids it is my responsibility to keep up on the latest technology. This will benefit both me as well as my students as I will be able to incorporate the newest ideas into my teaching and my students will be familiar with what’s coming next. Even if I attempt to keep up on the latest technology, I am going to have to accept that my students will often understand the technology better than I do and allow them to teach each other and me. This will help with the technology aspects as well as allowing students to really demonstrate their skills by teaching and build their confidence by being the expert. I find the level of connectedness adolescents experience to actually be distressing. I often listen to my iPod while working or work on the computer while watching TV but I know that if I really need to concentrate, I need to disconnect and take a deep breath to really get work done. With this is mind I think it is important to create time and space where the technology is not. The teacher who was rejecting technology was interesting to me. I think it’s actually okay to not have technology in every minute. A disconnected space may be uncomfortable at first but it will allow a decompression space for the students. I’m sure we’ve all been out with friends and every single person at the table is texting or looking something up on their smart phone. We are constantly connected but it’s mostly connected to our technology, not the people we are actually with. Related to this, I don’t think this was addressed directly but I think it is pretty important that kids get to spend time outdoors. There are lots of ways I can take my students out into the world to connect with nature while teaching instead of technology. Something mentioned in the video and that I have also noticed is that when we are interacting primarily with our technology, we surround yourself with those exactly like yourselves. In my classroom I can strive to help my students look at the larger world. It is important to see that there are people, places and cultures out there that may seem totally foreign but which also have value and my exposure to them may actually enrich my life.
My overall impression of the PBS documentary was that there are more problems on the internet these days, especially for children, than anyone can count. If I had children, I would unplug my computer right now and never allow them to go on the internet again. However, in this day and age there is no running from the internet so proper actions need to be taken. The beginning of the video I get the overall impression that new teachers do not like the new implementation of technology. It seems that they think they are forced to turn to technology in order to reach their students. While they may not be forced, it should be important to them to find things that interest their students as well as allow them to learn. So why would you not want to take advantage to all of the ways you can do that, right at your finger tips? Websites designed to help visual learners or those students who are finding it harder to pay attention in class could benefit any teacher. I do agree with the teacher who said that he feels like he needs to entertain just as much as he does teach. That means that he is lively, and keeping the students’ attention which leads to a more productive classroom. I do not think it should be taken in a bad way. Another thing that I got from this documentary is that children have a very dangerous attitude when it comes to life. They feel like they are invincible and nothing can harm them. As technology has developed over the last decade, so too has predatory behavior. If a message comes to a boy from a girl with a pretty picture, nine times out of ten they will not think twice about it. However, who knows who is on the other side of the screen. It could be someone dangerous, your friends playing a trick on you, or if you are lucky, you will ACTUALLY be talking to the person they claim to be. As unfortunate as it is, it is very hard to trust any type of behavior online. One thing I did not like about this documentar1y is that it painted blogs and forums in a completely bad light. If I was a parent who knew nothing about technology, than I would think they were meeting places for kids to have online sex and do online drugs. However, those types of things can be very beneficial to kids. It can be a way for them to come together with similar problems and talk to people without feeling embarrassed. It can also be used by teachers as we have seen in higher education as a discussion board beyond the classroom. I feel like this PBS special is trying to sum up most of the problems young people are facing, and blame the internet for it. Of course the internet is dangerous; it is a gateway to any possible thing you can imagine, whether it be good or bad. We see so much emphasis on what the children are doing wrong on the internet; we lose focus on what they are doing right. YouTube in most classrooms is blocked, however there are so many videos on there that could be useful in any classroom but because YouTube has a reputation for funny videos and goofing off, schools do not see a place for it.
I have been aware that children are facing bullying not only in school, but online as well. Though, I wasn’t aware that my space and face book allowed an individual to create a new person or life. I thought that this gave them more opportunities to talk to friends without their parents and or teachers knowing, for now you don’t hear it. Instead like a lot of parents said throughout the video, if they were to look over at the computer screen it would just go black.
ReplyDeleteI think that the video made a great point, for it stressed that this is a way for kids to communicate without parents knowing and that this social net work can happen anywhere. A person doesn’t need to be at home, one can go to a coffee shop, library or a fast food restaurant and go online. I am not consumed by the internet and to be honest I am very bad and I don’t check my e-mail every day, I do check it a couple times a week. I do know that one can go to different place and be online and I think this allows places to get more business because of this. On the other hand, I never thought about this phenomenon allowing kids to go outside of the home and connect to the social network.
When I first started watching the clip and hearing kids say how being online was addicting and when they get home this is how they talk to their friends and there really wasn’t face to face conversations, I was thinking how this sounds a lot like cell phones and that they need this. With this said, I was wondering how as a society can we change this addiction and can it be considered as one; for it has defiantly impacted the lives of the kids and I would say that it has interrupted their way of life. Can this impact and blind people from actually distinguishing what is real and what isn’t? We are aware that this has impacted bullying, but my thought was has it increased bullying or just put bullying on a completely different level, because it is harder for adults to see this, especially if a child is in front on a screen and a parent can’t see the remarks.
With the bullying topic, I was wondering if there was a net work where one could go anonymously and share what they are experiencing. I have heard radio talks where they say if you are in an abusive relationship, you can call us and we will talk to you, we are here to help. Or I was thinking, if a school could have a help center where a student could send an e-mail just to reach out and hopefully they can receive help or how to handle it. I think that since the online life is very secretive from parents that this would keep the secretive life, but one can reach out for help.
After I heard the story about the boy and how he gained a companion online, where they shared information on suicide and how to do. Also, the teenager that suffered from anorexia and how she found support online, I thought about what you have been stressing all semester. We are living in a different world where knowledge and information is at our fingertips and easy to find. Yes, the computer and the internet are helpful and informative, but at the same time it can be harmful. Parents really hit this topic when they said that is a child is looking for trouble they will find and if they are not then they won’t. I think that the vast amount of information that is easily accessible at any time has impacted our younger generation, for if they are experiencing a lot of bullying like the one boy it can increase the act of impulse. This might have seemed an easy and a quick way out of what he was feeling and he even received support from a boy he never met.
By Bobbie L.
This video was one that didn't really tell me anything that I did not already know about the internet and its effects that it can have on teens. I think we are all aware of the dangers that the internet can bring to children in today's world. However, the video did provide me with stories that were personal, and stories that really made me think about how real these issues are.
ReplyDeleteI am a person that is on the internet almost everyday, I check my e-mail and facebook several times a day and am always trying to stay connected to my friends and family through the internet. However, growing up in the Adirondacks I did not always have this option. Cell phone coverage and internet are not always available, and I am fine with that. In the summer or during vacations I can go a few weeks without checking my facebook or my cell phone and I am not phased, however I do not think that this is an ability most people have, especially teenagers.
The story of the girl "Autumn Edows" really brought on the reality how addicted people can become to the internet and social networking sites. I think it is very scary to see how fast something as silly as a social network site can take over someone's life. Another example is how the one student with anorexia looked to the internet to fuel her eating disorder. I think it is sad that students can become so addicted to the internet and what it has to offer. The issues of cyber bullying are also very real in all schools across America. Hopefully students do not go to the extreme of fighting or even worse suicide, like in Josh's case.
The teachers in this video talk about the need to integrate technology into the classroom in order to hold the students attention. I feel the opposite. I think that because of the huge amount of technology that the majority of students are experiencing at home we should stay away from that. Teach them hands on ways of learning, take them outside to discover things and socialize with each other! I think that a large integration of the internet and technology in the classroom is just adding fuel to the fire. It is almost giving students the OK to be online 24/7 and avoid socialization. I am not against technology, and I am not against integrating it into the classroom. However, I do think that the amount of time we spend online in the classroom and the amount of time we have students stare at a screen needs to be more closely look at.
The movie did have some good ideas though for parents, such as placing the computer in your kitchen so that you can monitor their access. One idea I really liked was the mothers idea of asking for the passwords but keeping them in a sealed envelope to still allow the children their own privacy but yet still have them on hand if needed.
-Hannah
After watching this video, it did not really shock me all that much as to how much the internet is involved in people’s lives. No a days, teens are so involved in online chatting and areas like Facebook and twitter that it is just another daily routine for them. Everyone talks about social networking and the effects it can have on people, businesses, and everything else. No one pays attention to the news when it just states general facts and consequences. Seeing personal connections and experiences really opens your eyes. No one wants to believe that it is a problem or a large portion of someone’s day but its reality. I am guilty as well. I think about before I had a cell phone or before I had one that I could log onto Facebook and the internet and I feel like it is just such a general thing now that I don’t even notice that it does have a factor on my daily life n decisions. I am always checking my e mails and different things on the internet. I did not even have a cell phone until I was 16 and since we lived in the country, we had dial up internet which was a pain but even then I remember fighting with my sisters to get on and use the computer and how important it was. I felt like if I didn’t get that hour of my life to get on a chat with someone on IM it was the end of the world. I now can ignore it sometimes and not get on but I tend to find myself on it more often sometimes when I have nothing going on to kill time.
ReplyDeleteI feel like many teens now days cannot say the same. They do not know any different than using the internet and things because that is how it has always been for them. It makes you question how someone can be so addicted like the videos portrayed. Is it becoming a sickness that someone cannot control like being addicted to a drug? Like having the eating disorder. How can someone think that that is okay? And if she really did have a problem, the internet is not a great way to deal with it. I find myself looking up things online if I get sick or have a pain and it’s scary to look at some of the information because there is so much stuff out there that it makes you almost believe that you may have it. Integration in the classroom is great and maybe it’s just me because I work with preschoolers so we are not into using the internet that often but I am a big hand on learner and I feel that using the internet in some cases is just not as effective as many are making it out to be. Do not get me wrong, I love using the internet and get into using it a lot myself but to make it such a large portion of the day for learning with children is not something I totally agree with. Might not be the right thing to say in a reflection in a technology class but there are so many ways to look at it and I lean more towards hands on over large portions of integrating technology in the classroom.
Parents and teachers should definitely watch the videos and look at the areas and advice it provides. I think even parents are starting to not notice the problems that are occurring and in order for a change to happen, listening to the advice might be crucial. I think the videos provided an eye opening experience even to someone who thought they knew a lot about technology and the internet. Bullying and many issues are becoming more publicized and I just hope that many take into consideration both the pros and cons in all areas.
-Amy
Whenever I view these stories like the one I just watched on Frontline, after it is over I feel like I just took a one hour ride on this gigantic roller coaster. And, when it comes to technology like the cell phones and the internet I find that I sometimes love the idea that we have this wonderful technology, but then there is the other side of me that wishes that it would just stop growing like some kind of epidemic.
ReplyDeleteMy first mortification came when in the first 5 minutes of the film, the 7 year old playing, what looks like a harmless video game on the computer. However, that video game is being played via a connection to the web where he plays with other “children” out there in cyber world. Right on the show a name pops up and asks can we be friends so that we can “play” together? Without even thinking twice about it, this 7 year old clicks ok. Does he really know who is on the other side of this profile name? No, not really.
I am also at odds about the stay at home mom of 4 teenagers who is the president of the PTO. I like the idea that at home the computer is in the common area of the house, and not every teenager has their own computer in their room. There has to be boundaries. Just like when I was growing up I wanted my privacy, like a phone in my room to be able to talk to my friends, but was denied that because my parents wanted me to have boundaries. While the boundaries have changed, they are still necessary. What I am not so sure I agree with her on is the idea of emailing all the parents about what happened concerning the rock concert. Like she said, 50% thanked her, and the other 50% were none too happy, and felt she was intruding on their private lives. It also could have gone really bad for children in high school. The story did not delve into the repercussions that her son may have had to deal with because of this. I think I equate this situation to the hand written diary thing. If growing up you had a diary and you put some real personal things in there, it was a must to hide where your parents would never be able to find it. I understand the need for privacy because that was what I wanted when I was a teenager, but if the kids did not want the parents to find out what they did why take video and pictures then post to the web? Not very smart.
My other worry is about the cyber bullying. I wonder are kids that are growing up in this era going to have all sorts of trust issues. Like the Frontline story points out is if you are being cyber bullied, you have no idea who the bully is if they do not want you to find out. It could be your best friend, or who you think is your best friend.
I guess everything comes with a price. Yes we love the idea of the technological world we live in, and we think how did we ever get along without all of this, but on the flip side is all the harm that is received as well.
Watching Growing Up Online opened my eyes to aspects of technology in the lives of adolescents that I was completely oblivious to. I will let it influence how I teach.
ReplyDeleteTechnology is changing all the time, as an adult who works with kids it is my responsibility to keep up on the latest technology. This will benefit both me as well as my students as I will be able to incorporate the newest ideas into my teaching and my students will be familiar with what’s coming next.
Even if I attempt to keep up on the latest technology, I am going to have to accept that my students will often understand the technology better than I do and allow them to teach each other and me. This will help with the technology aspects as well as allowing students to really demonstrate their skills by teaching and build their confidence by being the expert.
I find the level of connectedness adolescents experience to actually be distressing. I often listen to my iPod while working or work on the computer while watching TV but I know that if I really need to concentrate, I need to disconnect and take a deep breath to really get work done. With this is mind I think it is important to create time and space where the technology is not. The teacher who was rejecting technology was interesting to me. I think it’s actually okay to not have technology in every minute. A disconnected space may be uncomfortable at first but it will allow a decompression space for the students. I’m sure we’ve all been out with friends and every single person at the table is texting or looking something up on their smart phone. We are constantly connected but it’s mostly connected to our technology, not the people we are actually with. Related to this, I don’t think this was addressed directly but I think it is pretty important that kids get to spend time outdoors. There are lots of ways I can take my students out into the world to connect with nature while teaching instead of technology.
Something mentioned in the video and that I have also noticed is that when we are interacting primarily with our technology, we surround yourself with those exactly like yourselves. In my classroom I can strive to help my students look at the larger world. It is important to see that there are people, places and cultures out there that may seem totally foreign but which also have value and my exposure to them may actually enrich my life.
My overall impression of the PBS documentary was that there are more problems on the internet these days, especially for children, than anyone can count. If I had children, I would unplug my computer right now and never allow them to go on the internet again. However, in this day and age there is no running from the internet so proper actions need to be taken.
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the video I get the overall impression that new teachers do not like the new implementation of technology. It seems that they think they are forced to turn to technology in order to reach their students. While they may not be forced, it should be important to them to find things that interest their students as well as allow them to learn. So why would you not want to take advantage to all of the ways you can do that, right at your finger tips? Websites designed to help visual learners or those students who are finding it harder to pay attention in class could benefit any teacher. I do agree with the teacher who said that he feels like he needs to entertain just as much as he does teach. That means that he is lively, and keeping the students’ attention which leads to a more productive classroom. I do not think it should be taken in a bad way.
Another thing that I got from this documentary is that children have a very dangerous attitude when it comes to life. They feel like they are invincible and nothing can harm them. As technology has developed over the last decade, so too has predatory behavior. If a message comes to a boy from a girl with a pretty picture, nine times out of ten they will not think twice about it. However, who knows who is on the other side of the screen. It could be someone dangerous, your friends playing a trick on you, or if you are lucky, you will ACTUALLY be talking to the person they claim to be. As unfortunate as it is, it is very hard to trust any type of behavior online.
One thing I did not like about this documentar1y is that it painted blogs and forums in a completely bad light. If I was a parent who knew nothing about technology, than I would think they were meeting places for kids to have online sex and do online drugs. However, those types of things can be very beneficial to kids. It can be a way for them to come together with similar problems and talk to people without feeling embarrassed. It can also be used by teachers as we have seen in higher education as a discussion board beyond the classroom.
I feel like this PBS special is trying to sum up most of the problems young people are facing, and blame the internet for it. Of course the internet is dangerous; it is a gateway to any possible thing you can imagine, whether it be good or bad. We see so much emphasis on what the children are doing wrong on the internet; we lose focus on what they are doing right. YouTube in most classrooms is blocked, however there are so many videos on there that could be useful in any classroom but because YouTube has a reputation for funny videos and goofing off, schools do not see a place for it.