Frontline Video: "Growing Up Online"

This video has given me a lot of concern about technology in the lives of young people. Although I feel that technology can be very effective & very helpful in some ways, I also feel that technology can have a very negative effect.  As a teenage I constantly heard stories about girls who had provocative pictures online or about online predators, but I always said “that would never happen to me.” In reality, it can happen to ANYONE. I personally know a young teenage from my hometown who provocatively advertised herself online. She sent pictures of herself to various male teenagers through email, facebook, & text messaging. Unfortunately these male teenagers forwarded these pictures & the photos ended up at 10 different high schools, including a few in the state of Florida. My biggest fear as a future educator & as a future mother is that I won’t know how to address this issue with my students or even with my own children. Students are taking advantage of the internet DAILY & many of them are saying the same thing I did as a teenager: “That would never happen to me…” Unfortunately it can and will happen to many teenagers all over the world.

One major thing I will do as a teacher, in result of this video, is be very careful of how I approach the subject of technology & the internet in my classroom. Although this video has not persuaded me to abandon technology completely, it has definitely reminded me of the many negative things that can happen on the web. I will encourage my students to use the web safely & privately. If my students are on social networking sites I will encourage them NOT to give out any personal information. If my students have instant messaging screen-name or blog accounts I will encourage them to use a different identity (such as a number) or if they feel strongly about using their name they should ONLY use their first name. I will definitely be encouraging my students to use the internet, but I will only be encouraging them to use it positively. I will always inform my students of the dangers that the internet has & I will always keep an open classroom in case my students have questions or concerns.