I had planned on writing a post yesterday addressing Internet safety for children. Ironically, we experienced somewhat of a security meltdown on our computer before I even got a chance.
It started early yesterday morning. My husband and I were noticing annoying pop ups on most sites. No matter what we did to try to block them they kept coming. Although we were able to get an Internet connection we were denied access to any HTTPS sites which includes our email and my classroom portal.
While we were running all kinds of security checks and scans I questioned my sons about the NeoPets site they had been on. They are very conscientious about asking permission before they click into anything new. I asked many questions regarding anything unusual they may have experienced on NeoPets. They insisted everything had been normal. Finally, I asked them specifically about pictures of naked people. Oh, yes, they said there had been plenty of those! What an eye opening conversation. It worries me that they never brought these to my attention at the time and didn't think even think them important enough to mention when I was asking about NeoPets. Up until now I had few concerns about allowing my children on the Internet. They are generally very responsible and careful. However, I realize they are also children. They are naive and trusting. Just recently I had added some parental controls to our computer but to my chagrin they had been disabled. Apparently there is no substitute for old fashioned adult supervision. I will therefore be much more vigilant in my monitoring of their computer use. There is simply no room for complacency. Although we are able to get into secure sites now we have been unsuccessful at getting rid of the pop ups. We uninstalled and reinstalled Norton Security to no avail. If anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
H is for Homework
I don't know about you but sometimes I have trouble understanding my 3rd grader's homework assignments. When kids have homework questions there are plenty of places to go for help. Sometimes a trip to the library is in order but this is not always possible or practical. The internet provides a wealth of information specifically for kids. I recommend that parents peruse the abundance of sites available and bookmark a few they that would be appropriate for the needs and age levels of their children. This way you won't have to spend a lot of time hunting for the right site in the midst of a homework crisis. Choose sites that are easy to navigate and don't take you through a maze of hyperlinks to reach the desired information. Children will not have the patience for that. I also think that sites that are bright, colorful and pleasing to the eye are particularly important for children. I offer a few suggestions here but, as I mentioned, there are many wonderful sites out there so this is by no means a comprehensive list.
Ask an Expert "provides links to experts in a number of different categories." This is a great way to go right to the source for answers. For example, if your child has a question regarding space travel he can consult a NASA scientist directly. How cool is that?
Pinchbeck's Homework Helper was created by BJ when he was 11. He is now 17 and his site includes 700 links in 12 subject areas.
Infoplease's Homework Center "provides information and links to common questions in the major subject areas." The Homework Center also administers quizzes on line for those students who want to test their knowledge in specific areas.
KidInfo is visually stimulating as well as very easy to navigate. It contains a "categorized list of links to some of the best Wev sources on every subject from Art History to World History."
Multnomah Library has an excellent reputation for the Homework Center it provides. Clicking on one of the 40 topics listed will lead the user to dozens of subtopics. It is an impressive compilation of resources.
Happy Homeworking!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Children's Digital Libraries
Today I want to concentrate on digital libraries for children. I think they are a great way to engage children. There are several that come to mind. Although TumbleBookLibrary and One More Story are fabulous sites with interactive audio and visual enhancements they are available only by subscription. The following sites are free:
The Rosetta Project claims to hold the largest selection of antique children’s books on-line.
Starfall was a favorite of my boys when they were a bit younger. Although readers can choose from four different reading levels its greatest appeal is to little ones. This site also allows readers to rate the books they’ve read.
Planet Ozkids consists of two sites, Animals, Myths and Legends and Ace Detectives. For mystery enthusiasts, Ace Detectives can be a lot of fun as it allows the reader to collect clues and determine what action the characters will take next.
And my absolute favorite children’s digital library is the International Children’s Digital Library. The laborious research conducted at Maryland University has paid off. Its goal is to “select, collect, digitize, and organize children’s materials in their original languages and to create appropriate technologies for access and use by children 3-13 years old.” Currently ICDL showcases approximately 900 free books in 34 languages. The site is colorful and dynamic. Children are able to choose borders and formats for their books. And the search mechanism offers unique tools such as searching by the color of the book cover. You really have to check it out!
The Rosetta Project claims to hold the largest selection of antique children’s books on-line.
Starfall was a favorite of my boys when they were a bit younger. Although readers can choose from four different reading levels its greatest appeal is to little ones. This site also allows readers to rate the books they’ve read.
Planet Ozkids consists of two sites, Animals, Myths and Legends and Ace Detectives. For mystery enthusiasts, Ace Detectives can be a lot of fun as it allows the reader to collect clues and determine what action the characters will take next.
And my absolute favorite children’s digital library is the International Children’s Digital Library. The laborious research conducted at Maryland University has paid off. Its goal is to “select, collect, digitize, and organize children’s materials in their original languages and to create appropriate technologies for access and use by children 3-13 years old.” Currently ICDL showcases approximately 900 free books in 34 languages. The site is colorful and dynamic. Children are able to choose borders and formats for their books. And the search mechanism offers unique tools such as searching by the color of the book cover. You really have to check it out!
Friday, September 28, 2007
So I’m looking over a survey produced by Pew Internet. It contains scores of questions answered by children and parents regarding their internet use. Some of the results are surprising, others validate my perceptions while others just make me chuckle. Keep in mind that this report was published in 2001. Surely, 6 years will have altered the numbers somewhat.
I am happy to see that 68% of the parents surveyed said that they sit down with their children to use the internet. In addition the majority of parents enforce rules regarding computer use by their children. These numbers are encouraging.
When asked who knows more about using the internet 66% of the parents admitted they thought their children knew more. Coincidentally, 64% of the children felt the same way. How often have those of us with children called upon them for help when we’re flummoxed or have simply been in awe of the intuitive way they navigate the world of computers? Reinforcing this intuitiveness is the fact that 40% of the children said that they taught themselves how use email and the Inernet. Impressive!
One statistic that leaves me with more questions is in regards academics and the Internet. Students were asked which resource they used most to complete their last big report. They responded: 24% Books or Magazines
71% Sources found on the Internet
4% Both equally
1% Don’t know
My question is what type of sources on the Internet were used. I work in a community college library and recently got a call from a student who was perplexed because in her attempt to locate critical essays for a literature assignment she found only articles she’d have to pay for. With access to nearly 200 databases she was googling for sources. As computer savvy as our young people are they often seem oblivious to the idea of authoritative sources.
Anyway, these are just a few highlights of the report. I’ll be exploring these and other issues involving children and computers in future posts.
I am happy to see that 68% of the parents surveyed said that they sit down with their children to use the internet. In addition the majority of parents enforce rules regarding computer use by their children. These numbers are encouraging.
When asked who knows more about using the internet 66% of the parents admitted they thought their children knew more. Coincidentally, 64% of the children felt the same way. How often have those of us with children called upon them for help when we’re flummoxed or have simply been in awe of the intuitive way they navigate the world of computers? Reinforcing this intuitiveness is the fact that 40% of the children said that they taught themselves how use email and the Inernet. Impressive!
One statistic that leaves me with more questions is in regards academics and the Internet. Students were asked which resource they used most to complete their last big report. They responded: 24% Books or Magazines
71% Sources found on the Internet
4% Both equally
1% Don’t know
My question is what type of sources on the Internet were used. I work in a community college library and recently got a call from a student who was perplexed because in her attempt to locate critical essays for a literature assignment she found only articles she’d have to pay for. With access to nearly 200 databases she was googling for sources. As computer savvy as our young people are they often seem oblivious to the idea of authoritative sources.
Anyway, these are just a few highlights of the report. I’ll be exploring these and other issues involving children and computers in future posts.
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