1. Julie Walton
IDT 7064
Integrating the Internet Safely and Ethically Project
November 17, 2013
1. I guess it is fair to say that I am an Internet-a-holic, if that’s a word! I love to use the
Internet. I love to use Facebook to catch up with old friends and classmates and see
pictures of their families. I like to see what is going on in the lives of others around me.
I use email on a daily basis. I have a personal email account and one at work. I
communicate with others using email daily. I do not use chat rooms or discussion
boards often, although I like the Pinterest website and how it is designed.
This time of year I do a lot of online shopping for Christmas. Technology has
made it so easy to buy online and have it delivered right to your front door. It is very
convenient, and we live in a society that is all about convenience.
Google is probably my favorite website. I use it daily to locate information from
lesson plans, homework help for my children, ideas for crafts, home repair- you name it,
and I can find it on Google!
2.
As I research this information and reflect on my practices of using the Internet, I
have become surprisingly aware that I divulge too much information online. When I am
making an online purchase, I try to online use sites that take Paypal for payment. But
many times, depending on how much I wanted the item or how inexpensive it was, I will
buy it without the secure lock checkout sign at the bottom.
When I use Facebook, I have set my account so that only my friends can view my
posts and pictures. However, I am aware that there are ways around this. I have
become so paranoid from all the news stories that I have heard recently about stalkers

2. preying on children, that I have just about banned myself from putting any pictures on
the web.
I must admit, after reading this week’s information, that I have been guilty of
breaking the copyright rules. Many times, before reading these pages, have I used some
clip art or cute pictures from the web for presentations or newsletters I have written. I,
like many students, have assumed that if it is on the Internet that it there for my free
use.
3.
I work in the Hardeman County School System. We have a district-wide
acceptable use policy that is sent home at the beginning of the school year for parents
and students to discuss and sign. Any students who do not return it, or whose parents
check no to Internet use, will not be allowed to use the school’s computers. Each
student has a file in which this important document is kept.
Our policy begins with the statement that “computer use is a privilege, not a
right.” Many of us forget that. The policy then goes on to describe in detail what is
“acceptable use” and “prohibited use.” Acceptable use explains that students may surf
the net and play games under the supervision of a teacher. Prohibited use forbids
personal software from being brought to school and copied on school computers.
Students may not cause harm to the computers or use food or drink around them.
Computers are not to be used to harass or bully others. Violation of copyright laws is
prohibited. Students are prohibited to give their personal information online. Accessing
social networking sites blocked by filtering software is prohibited. I am including the link
to our acceptable use policy below from one of our schools’ handbooks. It is on page

3. 11.
http://www.hardemancountyschools.org/bchs/files/Student_Handbook%202013%20re
v%208-7-13.pdf
Our county strives to make sure that each student’s personal information is kept
secure. Parents must sign a release at the beginning of the year giving the school
consent to take and publish pictures of their child, use their child in any reading videos,
or to publish their child’s name. Our school has adopted the Olweus Bullying Prevention
Program, and we devote much time to talk to our students about different types of
bullying, including cyberbullying. Our students are very aware of bullying and now know
how to identify it and the steps to take to prevent it.
4.
As I reflect on our district acceptable use policy, I feel that it is very
comprehensive and comparable to others in the state.
5.
I currently teach 1st grade, and my first graders are not as Internet savvy as most
of the older students in our school. However, I understand the importance of teaching
them early on about copyright infringement and using the Internet safely and wisely. At
the beginning of the year I go over the AUP with my students and make sure they know
what is expected of them. I have the students take the AUP home and go over it with
their parents and have them and their parents sign it. We have a short lesson in class on
what is “acceptable use” and “unacceptable use.” The computer teacher also goes over
this with students. Most of the lessons I find on copyright are over my kids’ heads, so I
have to water it down some and adapt it for my 1st graders. The following are some
great resources for teaching students about copyright:

4. www.copyrightkids.org
http://www.cyberbee.com/cb_copyright.swf
http://www.teachingcopyright.org/
Even though my students are young, they are not too immature to be taught
how to distinguish between Internet sites that are reliable and those who are not. I like
to approach this topic early on in the year. I found a great website, and worked
together with our librarian to teach my students four lessons over the course of three
weeks. I needed a lot of help from my librarian to adapt the information for my
students. I feel that this is a process that is a school-wide effort, and begins with the
early grade teachers. The following website even lists some kid friendly sites that are
deemed reliable.
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2010/11/reliable-sources-andcitations