Technology

As we evolve into the twenty-first century, technological advancements are constantly being created to suit our needs in the most industrialized manner. It is imperative that students are exposed to technology at a young age, because it allows them to make the most they can out of their resources. To enforce this, more and more school districts have been providing their students with their own personal device, whether that be an iPad, or a Chromebook. These devices are intended for educational purposes and to enhance a technological classroom setting. However, due to the intelligent skills students are equipped with today, many are able to break through the blocked sites on these devices as well as remove the firewalls intended to prevent these actions. As these students break through these programs, the purpose of their school-granted devices are abused and are no longer as effective as they were planned to be. Students are able to access social networking sites, instant messaging, and games. Teachers, on the other hand, are also finding the firewalls to be extremely inconvenient, not allowing them to access Youtube for educational videos, Skype to talk to experts from around the world, as well as certain sites which allow students to work collaboratively. The rise of problems and inconveniences from the enhancement of technology in classroom settings has created many concerning thoughts. Districts now wonder if it is still possible to create an authentic learning environment while keeping students safe on the Web.

Although districts have tried and tried again to prevent students from accessing certain sites, they are practically “unstoppable.” Regardless of the countless “proper technology use” guidelines, students are always able to find their way around that concept. Teachers are demanding that the firewalls be taken down, finding them troublesome and not allowing them to teach to their highest extent. School districts must find a way to balance the needs of the teachers while keeping the students safe. As Annie Murphy Paul’s “Why Schools’ Efforts to Block the Internet Are So Laughably Lame” discusses the controversies of blocking the students access to the complete Web, she states that “they create a contrived and artificial environment, ill-suited to preparing students for the “real world” beyond such barriers.” Instead of blocking off every possible distracting site from the students and having them find their own way around these firewalls,