Cite some reasons why parental
support for their children’s independent internet use is decreasing. Why do you
think the number of parents who reported the Internet being a good thing for
their children has decreased?
I think one reason
parental support for internet use has decreased is that children can get onto
about any social network site that they want with no problem. They can talk to
whoever they want, whenever they want. This leaves the risk for children to be prayed
on by sexual predators. Another reason is that children are losing their
connection to physical interactions when using the internet. Kids are on the
internet sometimes all day if not monitored by parents. Parents have a hard
time talking to their children and even have been shut out by their kids like
the parent in the movie. She took action to protect her child and other
children and that cost her relationship with her son. A third reason is kids
can post pictures of themselves or others in seconds and that can be damaging.
Once a picture has been posted and seen, it is hard to remove. A final reason
is that cyberbullying can be invisible to parent until it is too late. Often
kids hide from their parents they are being cyberbullied to avoid embarrassment
and the parents do not discover it until it is too late. Like in the video, the
mourning father who had no idea about his son being cyberbullied which eventually
lead to his suicide.
I think that there
have become more cons than pros to the use of the internet. Yes, there are many
educational opportunities available to children on the internet. However, as
children get older and enter their teen years they lose interest in the educational
internet resources and focus solely on social networking which is where most
dangers of the internet lie. Also, I think this is because the internet has
evolved over the years. There are so many new ways for kids to face danger on
the internet than there was when it first came out. Chat rooms and blogging
sites are great ways for kids to communicate and express themselves, but it can
also be a hunting ground for predators and bullies.
2. More teachers are using
tools to try to detect cheating or deter students’ inclination to cheat. In the
program, we see the use of plagiarism-detection tools like Turnitin.com and
writing assignments completed during class time to make sure students do their
own work and generate their own ideas. How can we as educators stop students
from using material they found online as their own work? Should that be
considered cheating, in your opinion?
I think that tools like turn it
in are the best option for stopping students from plagiarizing. I know as a
student, I always triple check my work to make sure everything is cited
correctly. I feel anxious turning in my papers even though I know I used my own
words and cited authors where appropriate. I think these tools hold students
accountable and that’s what keeps students from plagiarizing. They know that
their work will be checked and so they will make more of an effort to use their
own words. I do believe that this should be considered cheating. This shouldn’t
change just because so much has evolved with the internet and technology. It is
the same as taking words from a book and using it as your own.
3. One student claims he
"never reads books" but relies on summaries and annotated notes he
finds on Web sites. He confesses that he feels guilty about this, stating,
"I feel like I kind of cheated it." In your opinion, should he feel guilty? Why or why not?
The only scenario where he
should not feel guilty is if his workload in school is so heavy he does not
have time to read the whole book. However, I think he spends so much time on
social networks and not enough on school work. He chooses to use spark notes to
avoid having to spend any more time on school than necessary so he can be on
the internet and talk to his friends. So in the case I do believe that he
should feel guilty. Reading books is one of the most important parts of
education. The benefits are endless. Can the same be said for spending hours on
end on a computer?
4. Before the Internet, in
order to be seen by the world, you had to be portrayed in some form of mass
media, and you had to be famous in some respect -- in the news, in politics or
as a celebrity. Now anyone can be seen online by anyone else in the world. Some
people have become famous for videos or photos they’ve posted (such as Autumn
Edows). In your opinion, should people like Edows, or others who become “
famous” through their online presence, be considered “celebrities?”
Has the ability to create an
online persona, and receive worldwide attention for it, affected our cultural
values?
I think it has already been
proven that people should be considered celebrities from online presences. For
example, both Justin Beiber and Taylor Swift started on the internet posting
videos and now they are two of the most famous people in the world. Another
example is the fairly new application Vine. This is an app where anyone can
post short video clips. Several people on Vine have had the opportunity to be
seen worldwide and have met several legitimate celebrities. They have millions
of followers and are treated just as celebrities would be.
5. Shows like "To Catch a
Predator" on Dateline NBC (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10912603/) contribute to parental anxiety about online media. It is obvious
that certain elements of programs like “To Catch a Predator,” and even this
documentary, will likely increase parents’ fears. Cite one current event from the past year where a young person has
been affected (positively or negatively) by being active online. (find a link
to a news story, describe it in your answer to this question, and provide the
link as well).
http://www.freep.com/article/20140306/FEATURES01/303060154/Colin-on-GMA-Friday-morning
This is a story about
an 11 year old boy who said he did not want to have a birthday party because he
had no friends. With the help of his mom, they created a “Happy Birthday Colin”
Facebook page with an overwhelming response. His page now has over a million
likes and because of it he has received so many positive messages from complete
strangers to let him know he has friends all over and to stay strong. He was
even invited on Good Morning America because his story spread so fast and far. His
page received such constant support from Colin’s internet “friends” that they
have now changed the pages name to “Colin’s Friends.” I chose to showcase this
positive message of how bullying can be turned around through the use of the
internet. There are a lot of cyberbullying stories out there and it’s good to
know that the internet can be used for good too.
6. Teasing, lying, gossiping,
threatening, spreading rumors or harassing online (and offline)can severely
affect people’s self-concept and self-esteem and have an impact on their
emotional state. In the program, we see one girl who describes flirting with
boys and then revealing she was just kidding. She explains: "You wouldn’t
do that to someone’s face, but online is completely different. ... No one can
do anything. You’re at your house, they’r e at their house."
In her quote, this teen is
describing Suler’s disinhibition effects. Which one do you think it is, and
why?
I think this is best describing
Suler’s anonymity. This is where you can do anything and everything you would
never do in real life. You are anonymous, you have no identity. You can say
whatever you want, no matter how hurtful or cruel, and receive no repercussion
for your actions. There is no sense of being responsible for ones actions. The
sad part is I think this has begun to dehumanize today’s young adult and teen
population. They have become so immune to others feelings and have completely
lost respect for human life. It is definitely scary to think about how this is
going to affect society twenty years from now. If our kids are disconnecting
from important values such as respect, self-worth, and human life, what are we
to expect from them in twenty years?
7. At the end of the program,
Greg decides it’s time for him to "disconnect" by going to the Coast
Guard Academy, where he will spend seven weeks without cell phones or the
Internet. Have you ever thought about "disconnecting" from it all?
Do you think it would be easy or difficult for you personally? What would you enjoy or dislike about disconnecting?
I do sometimes
wonder what it would be like to disconnect from it all. I don’t think I would
want to because the majority of my friends and family do not live close enough
to see face to face, so the internet/technology is how we stay connected. I think it would be difficult for me because I
am on some sort of device almost all day. I have noticed how it has negatively impacted
my life. My parents and I will go out to dinner and they will both be on their
phones and I am just sitting there feeling completely invisible. I find it odd
that I would be the one noticing this since I am the digital native, not them.
Sometimes I wish it was illegal to have phones in restaurants, then I would
actually get quality time with my family at a meal! I know when I have a family
there will definitely be limits to phone/technology use. I do not want my
relationships to suffer because of a hand held device.
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