PLE

I completed the first three assignments for PLE 14.

Internet Safety

Elder Ballard: The TV can offer a lot of good information: discovery channel, information, broadcast, news, etc. But very common on shows they depict amoral things were there are not consequences or even the thought of good and bad and because everyone is doing it, it must be all right. But families are under attack. They are the center of God’s plan and we’re here to learn within them. We must learn and teach to seek after every good thing that is lovely, praiseworthy, of good report, virtuous, etc. We need to raise our voices against these immoralizing programs. As families, we need to teach our children, limit TV and Internet usage, don’t let virtual life become reality.

Elder Bednar, "Things As they Really Are": Our physical bodies amplify our mortal experience to have relationships, make correct choices, and obey the gospel. There are things we must learn and experiences we must have "according to the flesh" (Alma 7:12-13). Satan wants us to use our bodies (the very thing he does not have) to be a tool for spiritual and temporal destruction. Technology can be used to create a virtual reality and can stand in the way of us using our bodies to gain the earthly experience we need. Satan will also temp us to act as though we are still in our unembodied state. For example, internet chat rooms, texting, social networking, etc. robbing us from person to person contact. Seek after "things as they really are" (Alma 32:35). Ask/ ponder these two questions: 1) Does my use of technology help me have the companionship of the Holy Ghost? 2) Does the time I spend on these technologies limit time and capacity I could spend loving, serving, etc.

Provident Living: Be educated as a parent and teach your children internet safety. Eliminate tempatation: install filters and place computer in high traffic areas. Help children know to come to you when they encounter something innappropriate. Be aware of policies the school and libraries have.

Charles and Dawn Graham "Technology and a House of Learning": Parents must assume their role and know how to protect and provide for their children concerning technology. Parents can receive inspiration on how to use technology appropriately with their family.

Brad J. Bushman "It's 'Only' Violence": Many people express how they are offended when they see sexually explicit scenes on TV but fail to recognize the offense of violence. Violence is one of the most serious sins and is against what the Savior teaches is most important, to love one another, it also makes us less sensitive and caring towards others. It pollutes the minds and hearts of those who see it and makes them less sensitive to the spirit. Video Games are even more harmful because it's interactive. If the murders depicted each evening on TV reflected the real world, then in 50 days everyone in the United states would be killed. Take action in your family and don't let violence into your home!

Video: 795,000,000 users of the internet. Games, chats, websites, shopping, lyrics for music. Hrs: 2-4 spent each day. Socialization issues, some feel safer on the internet than in the real world 1/3 are more comfortable chatting on line that in person, most like to use the internet when alone. Kids are vulnerable to exploitation. 260,000,000 pornographic sites. 90% of 8-16 year olds have viewed pornography online, many are on accident: "typo squatting" ex. spelling disney characters or pokemon wrong and leading them to sites. Spam or Spim. Kids approach and view being online differently as adults. Hate sites, gambling sites, inappropriate behavior information (making bombs), cyber bullying or "the new bathroom wall": blogrings, community webpages, photos. Cyber bullying can be deadly: depression, suicide, murder. Also inappropriate actions initiated by children: file sharing (CD's), illegal downloading. 14.5% of 3rd and 4th graders have made a new friend through the internet. People online are often not who you think they are- friendship established between a preditor and an unsuspecting child "the grooming process." Why educators- we need to know what our students are doing. Technology is becoming more common place in the classroom. Parents often think they know more about what their kids are doing than they actually do. Parents cannot assume.

Doing: I taught my mom about what I learned from internet safety. I asked her first what she knew and she said she knows pop-ups can be bad, you shouldn't give your information out to people you don't know, there's people that misrepresent themselves on the internet, and there's a lot of bad websites. I shared with her what I had learned from the video we watched in class and she said it made her really sad. That she hadn't recognized the magnitude of how much bad there is on the internet, especially how much pornography there is and how diseptive pornography sites are. I also shared with her what I had leared from the reading and she was really interested in the talks by Elder Bednar and Elder Ballard and wants me to do a family night on what I taught her to our family when I go home. I'm glad I got to teach my mom what I learned because I know she wants to be able to protect our family and now she will know even more what to protect them from as well as how.

TPACK Report