In Our Classrooms: November 2007

Under the leadership of librarian Linda Griset,  Pike students created our first wikis starting last September. A wiki is a set of Web pages that can be created or changed by any member of a group. They're used to compile and organize resources that the group might need. For example, our 9th graders' wiki keeps track of important school deadlines, Web resources for  assignments, and facts related to the units they're studying. Our wikis are private spaces; only designated members can view or change their contents, and the students' writings are safely hidden from Internet strangers.

You might enjoy visiting Be Web Aware at http://www.bewebaware.ca/english/default.aspx. Be Web Aware is a Canadian education program whose objective is to ensure youngsters "benefit from the Internet while being safe and responsible in their online activities." There's a wealth of good advice for parents of children from ages 2 onwards. "Internet 101" starts with the basics--defining Web tools like blogs and file-sharing sites. An FAQ (frequently-asked questions) addresses common concerns like when to allow children on the Internet and the extent to which parents should be involved. You'll find tips for kid-friendly search engines and Web sites as well as a clear, concise list of the risks that children face.