CLASSROOM ISSUES

When Carmel created the Authorization for Internet Access permission form, we assumed we had covered all contingencies affecting student use of the Internet.  It now appears that we covered the bare minimum of issues. 

Our Internet web site is strictly controlled by the marketing director.  For example, she makes sure that student names are not published with pictures, no inappropriate material is posted, etc.

Beginning this fall, all teachers will be maintaining their own web pages on Carmel's Intranet.  (The student Intranet has links to teacher web pages in place of the department minutes.)   I have decided to allow teachers to post their own pages to their folder.  We will need to trust that the teachers will follow the guidelines stated in the Authorization for Internet Access.  Ultimately, I hope to have password-protected, dial-in access to the Intranet, which means that parents will be able to see the teacher web pages.

I foresee several new problems with the introduction of the Intranet:

	Teachers will not be well-versed in making their web pages "Bobby" approved.  Students may have a difficult time navigating their pages because of poor layout and design.
	One of our teachers is losing his eyesight due to diabetes.  The school purchased a large-screen monitor for him, but he may have difficulty seeing some of the information posted on the Intranet.   We also have students with visual difficulties who may experience the same problems.
	Teachers may not be aware of the restrictions Carmel has placed on posting student pictures and names on the website.
	Busy teachers may not be able to keep their pages current.  Links may not work; students could get frustrated, parents may begin demanding more information (such as grades) be posted.
	Some teachers have a blasé attitude about copyright issues.  They feel if it is for educational purposes, they can copy whatever they wish.  Once this material is on the Internet, I fear they may get in trouble.  We have a science teacher who eschews clip art as being "too cartoonish."  He prefers to copy actual photos to display on his desktop, in PowerPoint presentations, and his web site.  Many of these photos are coming from sites on the Internet.

It will be my responsibility to warn teachers of these potential problems.  I will be training most of them during a three-hour class during the two weeks before school begins.  Three hours is not nearly enough time to teach them all they should know about creating a web page and copyright issues.  Precious little time is allocated for training during the school year.  I will have to be vigilant in checking their web pages and posting suggestions to the Intranet as I see them. 

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