Annotated Bibliography: Willard, N. (2006). Cyber Savvy: Supporting Safe and Responsible Internet Use. What’s Not Working. Retrieved March 2, 2008 from http://www.education- world.com/a_tech/columnists/willard/willard004.shtml.
Nancy Willard is a former educator and attorney who has focused on youth online risk issues for more than a decade. She is the director of the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use and Cybrebully.org. Willard discusses strategies to address the risks, concerns, and factors contributing to bad choices online. Many of the strategies are the ones in use in schools today and she contends they are not working. Her main arguments of what is not working include relying on filtering technologies, providing simplistic rules, using fear-based tactics, promoting sole reliance on adults, avoiding uncomfortable information, and considering the child is always the victim. She agrees there are some benefits from using filtering software, however she stipulates that it is only the case when companies are not blocking based on viewpoint discrimination and only if educators can override the filter to provide access when appropriate. Her greatest concern about the reliance on filtering is that it leads to a false sense of security and people fail to implement more effective strategies. Willard claims that simplistic rules, such as not posting personal information online, will not be effective for teens. She suggests teens need an understanding of the risks and need the skills that allow them to function safely and effectively online. She also does not believe fear-based tactics are effective and that many fears are totally unrealistic. Another concern is that teens will think that “adults don’t get it” and that they will not ask adults for help. She believes they need assurance that adults will not overreact and that they can feel comfortable talking to them about their concerns. Willard also points out that the child is not always the victim and that their risky or inappropriate attitudes need to be addressed.
1 comment:
Annotated Bibliography:
Willard, N. (2006). Cyber Savvy: Supporting Safe and Responsible Internet
Use. What’s Not Working. Retrieved March 2, 2008 from
http://www.education- world.com/a_tech/columnists/willard/willard004.shtml.
Nancy Willard is a former educator and attorney who has focused on youth online risk issues for more than a decade. She is the director of the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use and Cybrebully.org. Willard discusses strategies to address the risks, concerns, and factors contributing to bad choices online. Many of the strategies are the ones in use in schools today and she contends they are not working. Her main arguments of what is not working include relying on filtering technologies, providing simplistic rules, using fear-based tactics, promoting sole reliance on adults, avoiding uncomfortable information, and considering the child is always the victim. She agrees there are some benefits from using filtering software, however she stipulates that it is only the case when companies are not blocking based on viewpoint discrimination and only if educators can override the filter to provide access when appropriate. Her greatest concern about the reliance on filtering is that it leads to a false sense of security and people fail to implement more effective strategies. Willard claims that simplistic rules, such as not posting personal information online, will not be effective for teens. She suggests teens need an understanding of the risks and need the skills that allow them to function safely and effectively online. She also does not believe fear-based tactics are effective and that many fears are totally unrealistic. Another concern is that teens will think that “adults don’t get it” and that they will not ask adults for help. She believes they need assurance that adults will not overreact and that they can feel comfortable talking to them about their concerns. Willard also points out that the child is not always the victim and that their risky or inappropriate attitudes need to be addressed.
Post a Comment