By Renee Ramig
Most schools today continue to have some type of system in place to allow parents to either opt-In, or increasingly more popular, opt-out of Internet access for their child(ren). Does this policy need to change?
When the Internet started moving into schools in the 1980s, there was very limited access. The teacher who was the best at using their VCR often got to have the dial-up connection in their room. Many of these teachers became pioneers, connecting to other classrooms, developing some of the first teacher webpages, and finding incredibly creative ways to use technology to improve student learning.
Internet access moved more quickly than most anticipated. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, by 2002, 99 percent of public schools in the United States had Internet access with 95 percent of this being broadband. At the same time though, only 22 percent of schools had any wireless access and only 15 percent of schools had wireless access in instructional areas. The Internet was expanding, but it was usually controlled by placing computers in limited, supervised areas.
Many of the opt-in/opt-out internet policies were written during this time period. Generally there were identified projects or learning objectives that were enhanced by the use of online resources in a weekly lab class or using the 1-2 desktops in the corner of the classroom or library. It was relatively easy for a teacher to give students the same type of learning opportunities with and without the internet.
Fast-forward to 2013…most schools have truly integrated technology into all aspects of the school day and often beyond the school day with online homework, grades and online resources. Many teachers could not imagine teaching without using the Internet throughout their day. When a student has a question, their first response is often to Google or YouTube it.
This online space is no longer limited to the safety of the four walls of a lab where the computer teacher can supervise use and ensure those that opted out are not going online. In most schools the Internet is truly everywhere — in the classroom, outside, in the library, in the multiuse room. Add to this cellphones with statistics ranging from 20 percent to 75 percent of pre-teens and teens having Internet accessible cell phones. (The National Consumer League survey indicated that 56 percent of pre-teens have cellphones with 38 percent of them reporting the phones have Internet access. Pew indicated that 78 percent of teens have a cellphone with more than half of them with Internet access.)
I think it is time for all schools and districts to ask some hard questions — is the Internet optional? Can students, whose parents have opted out of Internet access, learn at the same level as students that have access to online resources? Do schools have the resources in place to ensure students who do not have permission to be online truly stay offline? Is it fair to ask teachers and administrators to create and maintain alternative systems to deliver content including grades, homework and educational resources?
How do schools move forward with BYOD, 1:1, and Smarter Balanced assessments if some students cannot participate? How does a teacher create an interactive, connected, engaged, online classroom if there is that one student that cannot participate?
It is time to change the policy. This will require educating parents about the importance of the internet as well as what schools are doing to help keep students safe (filters, digital citizenship education, supervision, etc.). School boards will also need to be educated because there is often the perception that there are state or federal requirements mandating this.
All parents want the best educational experience for their child. There are many online resources that cannot be duplicated with pencil and paper or even offline digital resources. If the focus is on student learning, I believe that all parents would choose the best resources to help their child learn even if it is “the Internet.”
About the Author
Renee Ramig is the Director of Technology at Seven Hills School in Walnut Creek, Calif. She can be reached at rramig@sevenhillsschool.org.
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