Learning in the New Millennium Phase One: Impact of LiNM on school policy

For Staff

• Make sure that you are familiar with the internet, and can guide the students towards appropriate sites for their research. It will save you and your class time and frustration.
• Make use of bookmarks where possible. Students will have a starting point at a useful site. Contact with less useful or unsuitable materials is less likely. Time is not wasted with randon web searches.
• Discuss issues surrounding the use of the materials on the internet. Encourage students to question authenticity, and views expressed. Just because its on the net does not make it true, impartial or desirable.
• Speak to the class about what to do should they come across materials which could be considered unsuitable. Materials suitable for one class subject or year group may be unsuitable for others. If in doubt, they should not continue with their search but ask the teacher for advice.
• Close down machines properly. Computers left with the internet open on the screen can be costly, but they also encourage other students to surf when they are supposed to be doing something else.
• Make use of the permission slips, which unsupervised students should have with them at all times. These can then be left in the box in 105. If we can see what they are doing and why, pupils are more likely to remain on task, and less likely to come across undesirable materials.
• Take an interest in the work students are doing on the net. It will help us to monitor use, but it can be very informative. There is subject overlap in many cases and it may help save you time, by bookmarking sites they have found.
• You may find that words used in one country are different from those used here. Be prepared to use different words and phrases,if you can't find what you want.
• Try to work off line as much as possible. Running the internet costs the same as using a telephone.
• Some organisations encourage students to contact them or join an organisation using the internet. This may mean giving an EMAIL, organisation or even home address. Students are often tempted to do this especially if it is an issue about which they feel strongly. Great care needs to be exercised so that personal details are not disclosed, and children are not exposed to the views of, or contact from, organisations whose motives would not be in the students best interests. The school wishes to encourage as wide a use of the internet and other communications technologies as much as possible for all year groups, whilst bearing in mind the current accessibility and cost of the facility.
• Whilst there is a wealth of excellent and useful data, there are also undesirable and unsuitable materials on the internet . Students should be made aware of this before they are given access, together with clear instructions as to what to do if they should come across any such materials. Students should also be taught the limitations of materials found on the internet, so that they become discerning and critical young women, aware of the issues they will need to confront and deal with in an increasingly technological society

Students remain the responsibility of the teacher when they are sent to use the internet. Rooms with internet access are not always supervised and staff may need to be sensitive about students they send to work independently, and the work they ask them to do.

Staff should only send students to use the internet when they have already received some training or are well versed in its use themselves. Generally speaking supply staff should not be expected to supervise students using the internet unless we are clear that they are well versed in its usage and issues surrounding this. Please make sure the students know how to use the internet if they are sent to work independently, as there will be no one there to teach them.

Students sent to use the internet independently must have a signed note from the teacher giving permission and stating clearly WHAT they are researching. Staff using rooms with internet access are encouraged to help monitor this; to take an interest in students work where possible and to challenge students where necessary. Students without a signed note saying what they are meant to be doing, or clearly not using the facility to good affect should be sent back to class.