Comments on: Location-aware DSN tools problematic for kids http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2006/08/19/location-aware-dsn-tools-problematic-for-kids/ Weblog of Wesley Fryer Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:55:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MySpaceSafetyTips.com » Blog Archive » Meetro negates recommended MySpace safety practices http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2006/08/19/location-aware-dsn-tools-problematic-for-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-11982 MySpaceSafetyTips.com » Blog Archive » Meetro negates recommended MySpace safety practices Sat, 26 Aug 2006 15:40:37 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/?p=1259#comment-11982 [...] Wesley Fryer, in his Moving at the Speed of Creativity blog, wrote an interesting post about a new social networking related web service named “Meetro.” Meetro promises to “Let your friends know where you are by placing the badge on your myspace page, blog, or even your email signature… You know where you are, but does the rest of the world? Let ‘em know! Enter your Meetro screenname in the box below and click the button to generate the HTML code needed for your blog, e-mail signature or Myspace page. The badge will display your current location or your last known where-abouts.” [...] [...] Wesley Fryer, in his Moving at the Speed of Creativity blog, wrote an interesting post about a new social networking related web service named “Meetro.” Meetro promises to “Let your friends know where you are by placing the badge on your myspace page, blog, or even your email signature… You know where you are, but does the rest of the world? Let ‘em know! Enter your Meetro screenname in the box below and click the button to generate the HTML code needed for your blog, e-mail signature or Myspace page. The badge will display your current location or your last known where-abouts.” [...]

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2006/08/19/location-aware-dsn-tools-problematic-for-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-10909 Wesley Fryer Sun, 20 Aug 2006 00:42:26 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/?p=1259#comment-10909 Irrespective of my recommendations, I think most schools are going to block tools like this and MySpace. I need to think more in depth about this-- but generally I think districts should have differentiated website blocking policies when it comes to DSN. I think high school students should have greater access to DSN sites than elementary school students-- and districts should have curricular requirements for Internet safety topics and safe digital social networking. I favor an Internet access environment in schools which is much more open and permissive than the one we see in most districts today. The conversation about "is this appropriate to use" or "is this appropriate to use in school / during instructional time" is not happening in many cases, in my perception, because the IT department and/or the district administrators are deciding to simply block websites. This actually prevents conversations and interactions from taking place which need to happen. So, I would be fine with a high school NOT blocking access to this site, but actively working to educate students about appropriate and safe use of DSN sites. Parents need to be included as well. The kids are going to use tools like this, whether the school blocks access on the local network or not. The bigger and more important question is whether adults are going to help kids learn appropriate use of these tools. In most cases, I think schools and adults in general are not doing their part to have these discussions with young people. Irrespective of my recommendations, I think most schools are going to block tools like this and MySpace. I need to think more in depth about this– but generally I think districts should have differentiated website blocking policies when it comes to DSN. I think high school students should have greater access to DSN sites than elementary school students– and districts should have curricular requirements for Internet safety topics and safe digital social networking. I favor an Internet access environment in schools which is much more open and permissive than the one we see in most districts today. The conversation about “is this appropriate to use” or “is this appropriate to use in school / during instructional time” is not happening in many cases, in my perception, because the IT department and/or the district administrators are deciding to simply block websites. This actually prevents conversations and interactions from taking place which need to happen.

So, I would be fine with a high school NOT blocking access to this site, but actively working to educate students about appropriate and safe use of DSN sites. Parents need to be included as well.

The kids are going to use tools like this, whether the school blocks access on the local network or not. The bigger and more important question is whether adults are going to help kids learn appropriate use of these tools. In most cases, I think schools and adults in general are not doing their part to have these discussions with young people.

]]> By: Miguel Guhlin http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2006/08/19/location-aware-dsn-tools-problematic-for-kids/comment-page-1/#comment-10888 Miguel Guhlin Sat, 19 Aug 2006 22:22:24 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/?p=1259#comment-10888 Thanks for sharing. Looks scary to me, too. What is your recommendation to K-12 school districts regarding this tool? Miguel Thanks for sharing. Looks scary to me, too. What is your recommendation to K-12 school districts regarding this tool?

Miguel

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