Technology is not the culprit in keeping students mindless, but rather enhances their knowledge capabilities by making information available at  a finger-tip.  The divide of accessibility between the classes is shrinking as a result of the Information Age of the 21st Century.  As teacher's, we have a responsibility to educate our students on their "Digital Citizenship".  Yes, that's right, not just American Citizenship, but "Digital".  You may ask yourself what am I talking about.  Let me explain. 

As teacher's we have a responsibility to teach our students to be aware of the positive and negative attributes of using the Internet and all other media technology.  They not only need to have career readiness, learning and social skills, but they need to possess good, strong work ethics while on the Internet, their phones, IPads and so on.  They need to realize whatever they do, leaves a "Digital Footprint" and can be traced back to the original user.  This is why it is essential for all teacher's to spend time to explain the "ins and outs" of good ethical habits when seeking information, using information, passing information and filing information for personal, academic, and professional use.  They need to know to not plagiarize and give the appropriate credit where it is necessary and to be careful how information is used. 

In addition, they need to know that they should check the validity of the information they are using to be sure it is current and fact not subjective and possibly false.  Basically, this can be understood by these three letters, "REP":

• R  respect yourself and others
• E  educate yourself and others
• P  protect yourself and others

What you say, what you write, the kinds of pictures you take of yourself and others, the sites you visit, may one day prevent you from getting the job you always wanted.  You have to aware and you must even check yourself out on the Internet to see if there are negative inferences, or illegal comments made that would affect your ability to get hired.  Though currently there are minimal laws for the Internet, e-mails, there are laws for copy writing, prostitution, bullying, etc., that we still must abide by even when on the Internet.  Cyberspace law is still in it's early stages and our local District Attorney Offices have some guidelines that they use to determine when a cyberspace incident warrants legal discipline.  I am in the process of getting a copy of the latest guidelines and will post next week my findings.  I believe we need to know some of those "laws" so we can protect ourselves against future problems.

On the positive side, with the teacher as a facilitator, students can enjoy the benefits of using the Internet and all of its resources for more academic purposes, to learn, to share and to grow as individuals, to be part of a greater community unlike the live community you have in a classroom.  It becomes global, we can reach out to so many for help, for encouragement, direction, and exchange information or just play games, like chess for instance. 

We need to create a better understanding that while the potential is so large and abundant, we must continue to ask questions about the environment online as well as in the classroom.  Setting goals would be crucial in keeping a focus and not getting distracted by the pop-ups, advertisement and false correspondence that asks you to send money through a Western Union.  In every technology there are predators.  We need to protect ourselves and be smart.  We need to seek relevant information to achieve our goals and we certainly must remain curious. 

Microsoft has a foundation that created a system in which people who cannot speak, can communicate by pressing the keyboard, they can watch their favorite movies, read a book, speak to family members.  That is the ultimate positive in technology that I believe is the way we all should strive for, to do good, to be helpful and to use it wisely.

Please visit: www.spectronicsinoz.com to see a list of items that can be used by people with different types of disabilities that make their lives more functional and restores their sense of independence.  Also read the article, " 7Tech Breakthroughs that Empower People with Disabilities," by Kelli Shaver, October 5, 2011.  This article will blow your mind as to the technology available, blind people driving a car, or The Dynavox EyeMax System for people who cannot use their hands at all.

Until next time, lets keep teaching our students to be alert, to use wisdom in what they do on the Internet and to continue to explore this phenomenon.