CIPA and Web 2.0 tools in schools

Dear colleagues,
For my first library science class, I am researching the effects of CIPA and COPPA on using web 2.0 tools in our schools - especially in the media centers. Please share with me your thoughts and/or your school's progress and policies regarding using web 2.0 tools while staying while staying in compliance with CIPA. How is filtering affecting your progress in using 2.0 technologies with students on various K-12 levels? Thanks in advance for all your insights and knowledge!
Julie

Tags: 2.0, CIPA, Web, filtering, in, schools

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Permalink Reply by Christy Tucker on April 14, 2009 at 8:13pm

Check out Mark Wagner's post on this as it relates to Google Docs: Google Docs Does Not Violate CIPA (or COPPA*). The comments might give you some other ideas for the effects on schools.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Anderson on April 14, 2009 at 9:48pm

Don't know if any of this will help.

A properly set up filtering system should have little or NO impact on teaching Web 2.0 technologies. A filtering system is meant to block unwanted content. Good communication between teachers, administrators and the people responsible for the filtering system should eliminate any problems that a filtering system might cause. Sites that are of questionable content, should be reviewed just like any other resource ( book, software, etc), and if after a review process, the administration feels that a bypass for the site should be added, then the site should be allowed. In most districts, the problem with the filtering system, is not the filtering system, but the "system process" that is being used. But with all the different sites, tools and other resources, it should be possible to teach any and all web 2.0 tools. If you look at all the internet sites and services, just as any other resource and realize that there should be a process that should be gone through before you use almost any site with your students. In most cases, the filtering system protects the teachers the most, then the administration and district. Students don't need access to every social networking site or every forum site. They only need access to one or two to teach them how to use the technologies. We don't provide every math book written, for students, when we teach them math.
I do think that a lot of school's (district's) policies and guidelines need to be more dynamic and easier to change. Also, I think that everyone (teachers, administrators and IT) needs to get together and solve the problems together, instead of everyone playing the blame game. Teachers have to realize that it is not them against the IT department ( the same with IT people). If everyone works together, problems can be easily solved! Everyone should have a voice in the process, with administration having the final say (if a group decision can not be made).

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Permalink Reply by Melissa Seifman on April 15, 2009 at 7:03am

" Students don't need access to every social networking site or every forum site. They only need access to one or two to teach them how to use the technologies"

Excellent point! Personally I feel that if your school is going to implement web 2.0 tools, a school wide "tool kit" is needed to stand so the students move seamlessly from one classroom, one assignment to the next, and can pull in the experiences of other students to deepen and broaden their learning. For example, Diigo as the common bookmarking tool, Google Reader for RSS and research. Communication is key. Teachers need the professional development, administrators need to work with teachers to make the policies, and IT needs to work with teachers and administrators to make sure that blocking does not interfere.