Posted by: Tami Brass, in 1-1, hardware, tablets
I just read Wesley Fryer’s Webcam and PSP Porn: More reasons for ongoing digital dialog. It’s a must read for schools using or considering use of the new tablets with webcams.
Essentially, he discusses the recently re-aired episode of Oprah - “The Young Boy Lured into Becoming an Internet Porn Star” - about a boy who became entangled in the child pornography industry via a webcam on his home computer. When I saw this episode, I sympathized with the now young man in a nightmare situation, but I was frustrated by the attitude that we need to keep webcams and similar technology out of our homes and away from children.
Wesley’s blog is a must-read and a must-think.
My response: I was relieved to see I wasn’t the only person questioning the attitude of making the technology go away as the only solution to this situation!
This fall, my middle school will be distributing tablet pcs with webcams to students. At first I was hesitant about providing kids with the technology, but then I saw the potential for classroom use. When I spoke with teachers about the potential for misuse, we used the analogy of providing 1-1 laptops. Yes, the possibility of misuse exists, but the potential for providing opportunities for poverty learning outweighs this possibility. If we are serious about preparing kids with 21st Century Skills, we Can’t avoid collaborative technologies. We need to embrace them and discuss them openly with kids so they’re able to use them responsibly when time comes.
That said, our implementation coincides with a new required class - Wellnology (Wellness + Technology) - a combination of digital ethics, Internet Safety, and healthy use of technology. I’ll be teaming with our school counselor (rotating with her Wellness class) as appropriate and prepping with content-area teachers to continue the discussion beyond my classroom. We’ll also be stepping up our existing parent chats to reflect discussions with students. Hopefully, combining the efforts of so many people who care about our students will provide the support necessary when temptations to abuse arise.
I’m curious what others think and how webcams are or aren’t being implemented in schools and 1-1 programs.
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