Week 2: The ABCD learning objectives framework and effective web search

Hi again,

This is the end of my second week at Building Teaching Web-Skills course offered by the University of Oregon. I've enjoyed being part of this online course and I've learned a lot during this week. Both of the topics covered during this week are of great interest to me, especially web-searching engines.

I am aware that searching for information on the internet is a tiring and a time consuming process. However, with the help of different academic search engines which I explored this week, I think it will be much easier and enjoyable. I am used to Google everything I want to search for and I'm not saying that Google is bad, but I'm glad that I've discovered other academic search engines which would serve my needs the best. Among the long list, I liked: I Seek Education, Sweet Search, Word Central, English Central, and BBC English. I'm planning to make a good use of these engines, apply them into my teaching, and conduct workshops to introduce them to other teachers and students at my university. I must admit that these search engines have opened a new window of opportunity to me at both personal and professional levels!

Internet Saftey

Internet Saftey

The Internet can be a wonderful resource for kids. They can use it to research school reports, communicate with teachers and other kids, and play interactive games. Kids who are old enough to punch in a few letters on the keyboard can literally access the world.

But that access can also pose hazards. For example, an 8-year-old might do an online search for "Lego." But with just one missed keystroke, the word "Legs" is entered instead, and the child may be directed to a slew of websites with a focus on legs — some of which may contain pornographic material.

That's why it's important to be aware of what your kids see and hear on the Internet, who they meet, and what they share about themselves online.
Just like any safety issue, it's wise to talk with your kids about your concerns, take advantage of resources to protect them, and keep a close eye on their activities.
Internet Safety Laws

A federal law, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), was created to help protect kids online. It's designed to keep anyone from obtaining a child's personal information without a parent knowing about it and agreeing to it first.

COPPA requires websites to explain their privacy policies on the site and get parental consent before collecting or using a child's personal information, such as a name, address, phone number, or Social Security number. The law also prohibits a site from requiring a child to provide more personal information than necessary to play a game or participate in a contest.
But even with this law, your kids' best online protection is you. By talking to them about potential online dangers and monitoring their computer use, you'll help them surf the Internet safely.

Online Protection Tools

Online tools are available that will let you control your kids' access to adult material and help protect them from Internet predators. No option is going to guarantee that they'll be kept away from 100% of the risks on the Internet. So it's important to be aware of your kids' computer activities and educate them about online risks.
Many Internet service providers (ISPs) provide parent-control options to block certain material from coming into a computer. You can also get software that helps block access to certain sites based on a "bad site" list that your ISP creates. Filtering programs can block sites from coming in and restrict personal information from being sent online. Other programs can monitor and track online activity. Also, make sure your kids create a screen name to protect their real identity.

Getting Involved in Kids' Online Activities

Aside from these tools, it's wise to take an active role in protecting your kids from Internet predators and sexually explicit materials online. To do that:

• Become computer literate and learn how to block objectionable material.
  
• Keep the computer in a common area, not in individual bedrooms, where you can watch and monitor its use.
  
• Share an email account with your child so you can monitor messages.
  
• Bookmark kids' favorite sites for easy access.
  
• Spend time online together to teach your kids appropriate online behavior.
  
• Forbid your child from entering private chat rooms; block them with safety features provided by your Internet service provider or with special filtering software. Be aware that posting messages to chat rooms reveals a user's email address to others.
  
• Monitor your credit card and phone bills for unfamiliar account charges.
  Find out what, if any, online protection is offered by your child's school, after-school center, friends' homes, or anyplace where kids could use a computer without your supervision.
  
• Take your child seriously if he or she reports an uncomfortable online exchange.
  
• Forward copies of obscene or threatening messages you or your kids get to your Internet service provider.
  
• Call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678 if you're aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography online. Contact your local law enforcement agency or the FBI if your child has received child pornography via the Internet.
  
• Many sites use "cookies," devices that track specific information about the user, such as name, email address, and shopping preferences. Cookies can be disabled. Ask your Internet service provider for more information.
  
• Set up some simple rules for your kids to follow while they're using the Internet, such as:
  
• Follow the rules you set, as well as those set by your Internet service provider.
  
• Never trade personal photographs in the mail or scanned photographs over the Internet.
  
• Never reveal personal information, such as address, phone number, or school name or location.
• Use only a screen name. Never agree to meet anyone from a chat room in person.
  
• Never respond to a threatening email or message.
  
• Always tell a parent about any communication or conversation that was scary.
  
• If your child has a new "friend," insist on being "introduced" online to that friend.

What is SQU life like?

Hello freinds and members of Sultan Qaboos University,

I hope that you enter here and share your experience of living in this great Unoversity.

For me, the life at SQU is amazing and enjoyable, although there are many works to do. Still, it is a great life.

I am waiting for your response

Bye Bye

How to discourage children to cheat

At some point in their lives, children may be confronted with the temptation to forego studying and cheat their way into passing an exam. Most adults know this, as they have experienced the same thing when they were younger. Furthermore, studies in the past few years showed that at least 25% of students from middle school to college admit to having cheated on their exams for the past school year.

It is tempting to cheat especially if the student feels lazy towards schoolwork, and this attitude stems from not finding enough stimulating reason to do so. There is also the fact that students are almost always asked to do the same thing, and this makes it easier for them to just copy each other as they see that their scores are dependent on what they know and not how they understand each concept.

Parents and teachers can discourage children from cheating by agreeing to have more comprehension tests and exercise rather than just using mostly objective methods of testing such as true or false or multiple choice exams. By testing how they understand the lessons, students are more challenged as they need to come up with answers on based on their own thinking. They will have to put together all that they have learned and present it in a way that the teacher knows that the student has understood the lesson. This method also helps discourage children from cheating or copying from another classmate as all answers cannot be the same.

It is also a good idea to instill the value of honesty with children at a very young age. Teach children the importance of telling the truth and avoiding lying and cheating by letting them know the pros and cons. Telling lies and cheating do not make anyone a winner or get them ahead of the game, it only cheats the person of knowledge and wisdom. Make sure the child understands this concept, and he or she will eventually avoid cheating. Parents can teach their children by also being good examples themselves. In the classroom, teachers can reward students who show honesty inside their classroom and in their work.
Another idea to discourage children to cheat is to make it more impossible to do so, especially during exams. Some teachers like to make more than one version of the exam–they use the same format for all but the questions vary per version. Seating students far apart from each other also prevents them from copying their classmate’s paper. Do not allow students to bring other things to their desks apart from their pens or other tools needed to take the test. Have a proctor to constantly watch over the students during the test to make sure they don’t do anything questionable. Have some strict rules and punishment for students who are caught cheating to scare them to doing so.

Cheating may not be totally prevented or eradicated from the academic system as there will always be circumstances that will tempt or push children to be dishonest, but the key is to be vigilant and keep discouraging them to cheat.