I recently attended a PTA meeting where a group of parents shared their concerns about the level of safety in using the internet at school.  The parents understood that using the internet was critical to teaching effective research, but were worried about some of the content that could show when students are trying to use a search engine to learn more about a topic.  Teaching and reinforcing safety for young people, in most cases, is a team effort on the part of all interested parties.  Sometimes, in an effort to completely protect children from damaging images, content, and people they could encounter online, some would throw their hands up and decide it’s best to “throw the baby out with the bathwater”.  

Dr. Darren Draper shared an analogy that really spoke to the concerns these parents had in the meeting.  He likened learning responsible internet use to responsible pedestrian practices crossing the street.  The street is an important part of life; it must be traversed in a safe way.  The internet is also an important part of life and must be navigated responsibly.  What I’m learning is that in order for me to be an effective educator who can teach students how to safely utilize the incredible wealth of information available online, I need to be aware of the dangers AND the resources.

Our Canyons Education Technology Department provides some information on online safety that is geared to parents, teachers, and students.  There are real dangers to be aware of, but once they are identified, they are relatively easy to avoid.  Find out more information about our Parent Connections project and download the brochures.  Education of these tools (social media-Facebook and Twitter, search engines, and other websites) for parents and teachers is critical to protecting children from the potential dangers they present.  The Parent Connections online safety literature includes some cautions, but also some academic resources for students to help in projects and other assignments.

Through my experience in the Ed Tech Endorsement program, I have learned about some incredible, free resources that teachers can use to help direct the students’ online activity.  A great hub of safe and credible information is the Pioneer Library website.  This service is provided by the Utah Education Network (UEN) and is available to all Utah students.  For at-home login information, check with the school or contact an Ed Tech.  It includes encyclopedias, copyright-free media(sounds/pictures), videos, and other targeted resources.  For a list of some other resources I have explored and recommend for teachers to use with students, click here!

--Katie Dewey

We’re learning more about Reading Street and what resources are available.  The elementary schools are using this new language arts program which utilizes a heavy online component.  The online components also allow students to access their materials online outside of the classroom.  Many teachers have used this with the established Pearson Envision math program, but now these tools extend to language arts.  I look forward to seeing the gains students make in the district this year with each classroom using common language arts assessments and curriculum!  Here is a snapshot of a few of these new resources!

There have been a couple of changes to the interface as teachers log in to Pearson Successnet.  Don’t worry, no products have disappeared, in fact many have been added.

The teachers can display a digital version of the student textbook and model reading strategies for the students.  With the Mac OS X Lion, they can even make the display full screen!  

Teachers will assign online tests as common assessments at the end of each week and unit!

This is where teachers can access and assign those tests.

Be sure and ask your Ed. Tech if you would like to know more about any of these or other valuable Pearson resources for the elementary classroom.  I know we have really enjoyed learning how to help teachers increase the digital presence in their classrooms and align their instruction to Common Core Standards.  Having such a common curriculum and assessment resources will really help us to ensure our district practices of instruction are the most effective for all students.  Make sure and explore this website and become familiar: Pearson Successnet.  If you do not know your login, please contact your Ed. Tech as soon as possible!