Scenario #8: Mr. Scott, principle of Rural High School, is walking through the library and sees a student working on a computer. Looking down, he sees that the student is on a music site that requires a credit card to purchase music. Mr. Scott informs the student that the district's acceptable use policy does not allow buying items online using school computers. Should these actions be allowed in school? Why or why not?
I don't believe that online music purchasing is an inappropriate use of technology. That being said, it does not directly pertain to learning in a digital sense. I believe that if a student has completed all of their work, there is no reason they shouldn't be able to use digital technology for a harmless task. What if the student is purchasing music for a music class? Or what if the music is beneficial to their studying habits? It's better that the student is using the internet to legally purchase music, instead of illegally downloading it.
Security on the internet is a very important digital right. I believe that students should be taught how to properly use the internet in a secure way. Using tools like Pay Pal and being able to analyze a site for its credit security is necessary to protect the user. So if the students in a school are obviously using online shopping, they should be taught how to use it safely and securely.
The student in this scenario could have waited to go home before they began using the internet to purchase products, but I don't think the offence is serious enough to warrant any sort of punishment.
Hi Karina, I agree with your analysis of this scenario. I do not believe that purchasing music at school is an inappropriate use of technology as many students find it easier to concentrate while listening to music. I believe that if this student was illegally downloading their music then it would be inappropriate. However, we have to ask ourselves, is purchasing music online on a public computer really safe? Isn't it better to do this on your own personal computer at home in case the data gets stored on the computer? If so, then I believe this might actually be an inappropriate use of technology.
ReplyDeleteKarina,
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is should be allowed as long as the student isn't in class. However, I do understand the policy set out by the school because they don't want people to buy items online during classes. Students always find a way around the rules, and if the policy was to allow students to buy things once their work was complete then they may find a way around that in class. I think the school is doing the right thing in having such a policy, and things such as that should be done on their own time off school property. That being said, I agree students should be taught how to be safe when it comes to making purchases online because too often people make the mistake of buying from an insecure site. Overall I loved your post. Thanks for sharing!
Ryan
I agree with you that internet security is an important aspect of computer usage for youth. Youth should be taught that the internet can be a dangerous tool if going on the wrong type of sites or interacting with the wrong type of people. I also understand the school's policy surrounding no shopping online while using computer schools. School computers are meant for learning purposes, not personal use. In regards to whether or not the student is acting in an inappropriate way, I believe that the student means no harm. Online shopping is not necessarily considered a digital crime, but these actions are not appropriate in the school. setting.
ReplyDeleteHi Karina,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that purchasing music is not an inappropriate use of technology. But same time, if the school or teacher has laid out policies, the students should follow. Since this is a learning environment, and can be distracting to other kids and teachers while they teach and learn. Although if this is during break, or after school then I see no harm. Same time, I feel the student should have waited to go home and used his own personal computer for safety reasons. Students need to be aware of what sites are safe, and when to use credit cards for online purchases, since there are many sites that are fraud.
Kind regards,
Avneet