Chuck Kinzer


So…you’re excited about using the Internet in your classroom. After some inservice sessions and exploration, after looking at resource material and talking to colleagues, you’re convinced that children would not only benefit from using the Internet, but that they need to use it if they are to become fully literate.

But you do have some concerns, and several parents have raised similar questions. What about child safety on the Web? How can you ensure that sites intended for adults, sites that espouse bias or hatred toward certain groups, or sites that encourage or promote violence be kept out of your classroom?

I’m often asked questions such as these by teachers and parents. The questions stem from anxiety fueled by press reports of children coming across sites containing inappropriate material—sexually explicit sites, “hate” sites, sites that provide instructions on bomb making or even terrorist activities, or sites that put children in touch with people who might convince them to share personal or private information that can result in unwanted or dangerous activities. Thus, this month’s Web Watch presents several options and strategies for teachers concerned about this issue. While the various methods used to address child safety issues are presented separately for purposes of clarity, it is most common and appropriate to use the strategies in combination, and I encourage you to select those that seem to be best suited for your school, your students, and your classroom environment.

There are five basic ways to address issues of child safety on the Internet. The first places the bulk of responsibility on the students and their parents, and requires that together they read, discuss, and sign a “responsible use” document. Such documents explain the expectations for computer use in your classroom and the consequences if these expectations are violated. The responsible use policies are discussed in class on an ongoing basis and are posted beside the classroom computers. The purpose is to teach children about acceptable uses of computers while informing parents that children are not supervised at all times while using classroom computers. Approximately one year ago, Martha Dillner, then editor of Reading Online, presented several resources that addressed Internet safety and provided links to sample responsible use documents. Her article is available in the journal archives, and I recommend it to you.

A second way that teachers can address child safety issues is through the physical arrangement of computers in the classroom. In effect, this is similar to any classroom management decision that is intended to mitigate or head off potential problems. The arrangement of desks and computers around the room can help ensure that children use classroom computers responsibly. Arranging the computers so that the screens face inward, toward the center of the classroom, and making sure that you circulate when computers are in use goes a long way to ensure that students do not access inappropriate sites. This also allows children to tell you immediately if they come across anything that makes them uncomfortable.

The third way child safety issues can be addressed is by using filtering software. Such software typically blocks access to sites that have been predetermined to contain inappropriate content or that may be accessed from searches using particular keywords. The software usually comes preloaded with the keywords and site addresses developers deem problematic. Purchasers can enter additional addresses and keywords, or delete those that have be pre-entered. Registered users can also (sometimes for a small fee) log on to the software manufacturer’s Web site and download updated addresses of inappropriate or questionable sites on a weekly or monthly basis.

Popular filtering and blocking software packages include Net Nanny , CYBERsitter and Cyber Patrol. The popular SurfWatch is no longer available. If you are a registered SurfWatch user, you may want to check the site for information about support for this program. Interested readers are advised to look at these products carefully, as each software package operates somewhat differently and is compatible with different platforms.

The fourth way to address issues of child safety is to use browsers or search engines intended specifically for children. These prescreen Web sites for inclusion in their searchable database. Many of the major search engines offer children’s versions. For example, Yahoo offers Yahooligans, which allows searching by keyword and categorizes sites under headings such as “Around the World,” “Science and Nature,” “School Bell,” and “Arts and Recreation.” Yahooligans also includes information for parents and teachers about safety on the Internet.

Searchopolis also allows users to search a huge database of Web sites as well as to enter specific categories designated by school subject. This site has an additional interesting feature: it allows a search to be narrowed by grade level. Grade levels from 4 to 12 (as well as “all”) appear under the search entry box. Selecting a grade to accompany a search yields sites that more closely match a student’s interests and reading level; visual appeal is also related to grade level. Of course, it’s difficult to categorize content by grade level. Thus, selecting a grade should be only a starting point, and users should branch out to several grades around their target level. In addition, Searchopolis allows users to search the Education Web (which includes about 5 million noncommercial Web sites) and the Encarta reference sources, and to browse specific categories of Web sites using “Expert Picks: The Best of the Web,” which is organized by subject.

Ask Jeeves for Kids uses the Ask Jeeves format of entering a question rather than a keyword when searching for information or Web sites. Try typing “Where can I read fables?” in the box and have some fun exploring what comes up. As in the adult version of this search engine, results are displayed as a series of questions with choices in pull-down menus. Thus, in response to the “fables” question, several questions and options are presented, including “Where can I read the folktale from….” A list of countries appears, allowing users to customize their request by country. Other questions narrow the “fables” search to reading lists, specific titles, and so on. Although simple to use, the necessity of typing in a question and then using pull-down menus makes this site more appropriate for children aged 10 and up.

Finally, for Windows users, ChildrenBrowser.com features ChiBrow. This browser allows parents and teachers to predefine a set of Web addresses that children can access. Thus, rather than filtering out sites based on keywords or depending on software publishers to determine which sites should be blocked, access is limited to those sites and addresses that the teacher or parent wants children to explore.

The fifth way to address issues of safety is to allow children to search and access only those sites that include prescreened content and links. This is accomplished in two ways. One way is for a teacher to preview (prescreen) sites and bookmark those that are thought to be appropriate for children's use. The second way is to preview and bookmark a set of sites that have already prescreened sites. Children would then be allowed to access only the bookmarked sites, which could include bookmarks to the browsers or search engines dicussed earlier. Two popular sites that prescreen content are Barbara J. Feldman’s Surfing the Net with Kids and Berit’s Best Sites for Children. Ms. Feldman is a syndicated newspaper columnist who has screened and rated thousands of sites by subject matter and interest areas. While it contains commercial content, its links and sites are extensive and impressive. Berit Erickson maintains Berit’s Best Sites for Children, which contains over 1,000 sites that have been rated and screened. Sites in Berit’s appear within interesting categories—her “Holidays and Seasons” category, for example, is very popular with teachers and students alike. Both Berit’s Best Sites for Children and Surfing the Net with Kids are frequently updated.

No strategy can guarantee that children will not encounter items on the Internet that are inappropriate for their age level, or that contain content that many would find offensive or dangerous. Of course, this guarantee cannot be made for any medium. Responsible use documents, careful placement and management of computers in classrooms, and use of filtering software, prescreened sites, and search engines specifically intended for children are some practices that can reduce risks in the classroom. Ultimately, however, it is up to teachers and parents to make clear their expectations for children and to teach them appropriate strategies and behaviors for using the Internet. Making children aware of the dangers in giving out private information, such as addresses, or telephone or credit card numbers, and teaching them to be careful about Internet conversations with strangers (just as we teach children to be wary of any strangers who approach them) is also important. Many of the sites mentioned above have “safe surfing” suggestions. Follow these links and take from them the suggestions that seem most appropriate for you, your classroom, and the parents of your students.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that the use of filtering software and restricted sites that prescreen content is under debate. Advocates of free speech point out the potential threats of censorship they pose. Others note that many appropriate and beneficial sites can be mistakenly filtered out. For example, sites that simply contain the word “girl” might be rendered inaccessible, even though, like Girl Tech, they may be specifically intended for girls and prescreened for safety. One should also consider that talk of “appropriate” sites or “suitable” content may result in a view of appropriateness and suitability being imposed on others who may have different standards. The counterargument is that teachers and parents always arbitrate what is seen and used in classrooms and in homes, and the mere availability of filtering software and restricted, prescreened Web sites does not mandate their use.

Teachers should be aware of the options available to address issues of Internet safety so they can make informed, professional, and educationally sound judgments for their own situations. In some cases, simply following a responsible use policy and teaching children what to do if they encounter content that makes them feel uncomfortable may be the best route to take. In other situations, using search engines intended for children or a combination of strategies may be more appropriate.

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