The Polliwog Journal

Kate Says has posted the results of a survey on blocking of educational Web applications, like blogs, YouTube, social networking sites, etc. In a very impromptu survey of one class today, I asked, “how many of you were using the Internet for a legitimate school assignment this year and got blocked.” I was not surprised that all of the students said that they had.

Just because a block of cheese has one green spot on it, I don’t throw away the entire block of cheese. I just scrape it off and use the rest.

Schools (by which I mean those in power to control the actions of the members of the school, such as governments, school boards, administrators, etc.) are blocking more and more these days and are less and less able to explain why, or less and less willing. Some of them realize they’re in an uncertain catch 22.

Schools block indiscriminately: all blogs, all social networking sites, etc. Blog is not an evil concept. Exceptionally brilliant people with a lot to teach us write blogs.

The real irony lies in the fact that students know how to unblock the blocks. They know how to play the system. A report from the National School boards Association calls these smart kids “nonconformists” and says that these early adopters of new technolgies who “step safely outside of online safety and behavior rules . . . are on the cutting edge of social networking, with online behaviors and skills that indicate leadership among their peers” (2).

These kids (about one in five) who ignore rules and bypass the blocks and use the tools in spite of the rules, may have their computer privileges suspended or be assigned detention or may even be suspended from school, but these students actually possess the intellect and leadership skills required to be successful in the 21st century.

We can tell our kids that it’s dangerous across the street and put a fence up in our yard, but they’re going to sneak out eventually. Human beings are going to do what someone tells them they can’t. That is just the way it is. And besides, what do we gain by making our kids afraid of the world?

When schools block web applications, especially the newer Web 2.0 tools, the opportunity to use and teach how to use these tools is blocked as well. What would be better than simply blocking everything would be to acknowledge that there are some risks associated with accessing information on the Internet and in creating an online presence and teach students how to be responsible Web content generators. For example, student bloggers should know the foundations of journalism if they’re going to be practising it.

Blocking everything means we are throwing out the entire block of cheese. The future will not be kind to those who were too blind to see the huge waste of opportunity and intellect that resulted from their policies.

Instead, school leadership must courageously embrace the Read Write Web. Administrators should adhere to Prensky’s Principles for Principals, which Ryan Bretag discusses so well in his blog. The National Association of School Boards recommends “using social networking for staff communications and professional development” (8). Teachers could use blogs to reflect on their professional development. Superintendents could use blogs to communicate with the community and to promote the school.

Imagine trying to teach reading if you had never read? Imagine trying to lead students into the future with your feet resolutely planted in the past.