I understand that you have certain anxieties about allowing internet access to pupils, but the intrinsic benefit of the internet will have a greater impact on the student’s academia than you could possibly imagine. Many students, particularly the lazy ones, disregard the internets value. They are unaware of its sheer power, treating it as a dainty for socialising. Allowing internet access in school, will allow you to nurture their research skills, hence allow them to prosper in the wider-world.
I am sure you are wondering why I am so passionate for my cause. The internet provides information for almost every topic imaginable. Furthermore, web-forums, such as “Yahoo! Answers”, will allow students to enhance their knowledge by posing questions to a community of learned people. The rapid and eager responses are then scored by other members. Answers that provide a positive and useful response will be marked positively, whereas those that don’t will be marked negatively. Students will, therefore, be able to use their initiative to decide which answers they will listen to. Subject teachers will then have the ability to give credence to notions mentioned on the internet, enhancing the academic capacity of their students.
Apart from web-forums, websites such as “BBC-Bitesize”, “Wikipedia” and “Simple Wikipedia” will give the students access to an assortment of information, that they may not be exposed to, or expose themselves to, at home. They will be able to develop their knowledge in subjects that interest them and will have the ability to revise using productive revision-questions, notes and plans.
Websites such as “Youtube” or “Veoh” can provide interactive-fun, during lessons. Students could nurture their knowledge by watching videos on their topic of interest. They could watch documentaries and collate a wide-variety of information that would not only enhance their perception of the world, but that would allow and encourage them to carry out further research.
The internet, however, is not only useful for academia; it is also useful for enhancing the student social awareness’s. Websites such as “Facebook” open up a wide-social network. Many students, however, lack the understanding of the posing dangers. Using a variety of the internets resources, including Facebook, a student’s knowledge concerning the dangers of the internet could be nurtured. They would not only become more socially aware in the ‘CIBER-world’, but also in the physical world.
As you can see there are major advantages to the internet. Your anxieties, as a head-master, could be addressed using simple and effective, web-restriction software. The internet would allow you, and your school, to nurture your student’s abilities so that they are fully prepared for the wider world.
I hope that you seriously reconsider your current views on the internet.
J. S
