Parental approval for Web 2.0 tools

Hi, My administrator is against us using any Web 2.0 tool that requires parental approval to sign up. We want to use http://www.bibme.org/ which creates bibliographies for kids. He says that these websites are collecting data about the kids. Is this true? If so, what are they doing with the data? How can you tell which websites are safe? I keep feeling like everytime I try to introduce new technology into the school, I hit a brick wall from different naysayers!
Thanx for any advice.
Faith

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Perino on January 11, 2010 at 5:02pm

Faith,
I teach English/Literature to Juniors and Seniors. My classes have a serious focus on MLA documentation for research projects. I have found the most accurate (for information & formatting) site to be NoodleTools. The other tools associated with this service are wonderful from the teacher's point-of-view. Electronic note cards, multiple projects, specific kinds of websites and searches, copyright information, digital images ...this site will produce the most current citations that I have ever used.
The best part of the service is that the school supports this subscription. It's very worthwhile for the money.

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Permalink Reply by Janine on January 11, 2010 at 8:58pm

Remind yourself that the brick wall is more like the magical one that leads to Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series. Once you unlock the code, all kinds of wonderful things are on the other side! I hit that same wall quite often myself. I think about what important exposure/experience is there for my students, and that gives me the wherewith all to keep going and find a way.

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Permalink Reply by Faith Shabat on January 12, 2010 at 8:14am

Janine,
You're so right. That's such a nice way of looking at the "challenge." Jennifer, thanx for the link, I'll send it out to my teachers!
Thanx,
Faith