As our group works to develop an educational product that very well may be suited for secondary students, I can’t help but wonder about the issues of teenagers being online. In one way, it connects students through social networks allowing them to create their own identity, reveal their creativity through designs, videos, and other digital products, and offers a gateway to learning. On the other hand, many dangers lie ahead. From unhealthy habits of spending too much time online rather than out enjoying fresh air, adult content that is readily available, inappropriate contact and approaches by adults, and cyberbullying.
While there are various efforts to protect children online, there are still many ways around for both the children and those trying to find them. I came across an independent film exploring cyberbullying, Adina’s Deck. http://www.adinasdeck.com/ It’s amazing how easy it is to trash someone online for the world to see. I believe an earlier post here had a link to a college gossip page where people could go on for various reasons probably rarely truthful. When emotions can fuel revenge, jealousy, envy, rage, and a myriad of other feelings, they can also lead to intended and unintended consequences. The Myspace.com teen suicide tragedy in Missouri comes to mind.
In the context of our group project, I envision almost a WOW for science education. My worry is how addictive can it become leading to possible problems. Or, will the education label automatically limit the time a student wishes to spend on the task? My vision also includes designing an educational GAME experience that is captivating and almost subliminally delivers instruction. What I mean is that student become so engaged in the VE that they want to continue exploring while all along, they are inundated and using scientific knowledge to continue advancing. I don’t even know if it is possible, but a thought I often contemplate.
Can we ever fully protect children from the cyberworld? I heard a story about a student researching oral history using a web search engine. I’ll let you imagine what kinds of sites were returned to the horror of the young girl by an innocent search including the word oral.
Who should determine what is appropriate content, types of use, and amount of time spent online for teenagers?
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