(cross-posted at TechLearning)
It is my own personal opinion that 4th grade is too young an age to be in public chat rooms. However, that is not my decision; it is their parents’. Many of my 4th graders have already been chatting in public chats at home, in sites like Runescape. So whether I think it’s appropriate or not, many of them are already there, or about to enter such an environment. I need to help my students learn to be safe and appropriate in chat rooms, whether it be for their current or future usage, and I believe that proper online behavior must be taught explicitly rather than leave it to chance. I do this by bringing my students into a safe, closed chat, protected by a password.
The thing I find most interesting when starting this unit, is that no matter how much preparation goes into talking about norms and expected behavior, or reminding students to stay on topic and purpose, the whole experience goes down the drain almost right away. Here’s a common example of what many students type once set free in the chat room:
fjskfasdfjasdf asdfjsdfkl sadfjsdfkl sdfjsdf jsdfksdfl jsadfksdflsdf;dfssdf
I let this go on for a bit and watch the chat as person after person starts filling the screen with crazy, random typing. Soon, other students start getting frustrated. They call out across the room for the perpetrators to “stop the madness.” I remind them that they can only talk in the chat room and can’t use their voices, and the reprimands go to text, but now with students using each others’ real names (breaking Rule Number One that we have just discussed and have known since 1st Grade: Never Give Out Personal Information).
Sometimes the chat experience is able to be corrected and the group finds itself back on track by working through the problems within the chat. More often, however, I have to call a time-out and bring the group back to a “vocal” conversation, asking them to examine how the norms and expectations have eroded. Usually, I only have to do this once. Students reiterate the rules on their own, identify all infractions without my support, and remind each other what’s expected. It’s smooth sailing after this.
The first time this happened, I was surprised, but I no longer am. It’s almost like it has to happen. These students have never been in a chat this size, and usually never with their F2F peers. It’s almost like they have to run as close to “the edge of chaos” as they can in order to come back to where they should be. Perhaps through making mistakes early on, they identify the limits and boundaries of the chat room. Perhaps this makes it feel more manageable and under control; more safe. What better place for our students to have this opportunity of making mistakes and “working things out” than with teachers who will guide them in a safe environment, where they can practice and learn appropriate netiquette in a “low risk” setting? Many of us (teachers) “cut our teeth” in chat rooms early on in their existence. Mistakes we made were probably corrected in a more forgiving environment than what exists today. Not only is chat more prevalent in our students’ personal lives these days, but undoubtedly, much of their future work will be carried out in chat spaces or similar online collaborative environments.
How are you helping to prepare your students for proper netiquette? I’d love to hear your ideas and projects in the comments below!
6 responses so far ↓
1 monika hardy // Sep 24, 2009 at 5:47 am
Nice post.
And further verification in my mind that we should have no filters anywhere in ed, except human ones ( ie: teachers/parents.)
I see no way to model/teach what you are teaching your 4th graders without the exposure you are allowing for them.
I am working with 26 high school students that are being allowed free reign. Not only are amazing things happening because of connections they are making - but as you say - they are learning how to interact online.
2 chelsea ed 205 // Sep 24, 2009 at 11:07 am
I agree with monika. I think filters hinder learning. but i do however think there should be filters on elementary school computers. No student under the age of 15(even thats a little young) should be allowed in a chat room. unless supervised and was for the purpose of education only.
3 kathy gorski // Sep 24, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Modeling behaviors is critical. I absolutely agree with the post and comments; and even in high school, I cover netiquette with examples, “dry runs” and other forms of instruction— even though it’s a chemistry classroom. When they know *I* know, it works; and as Monica noted, great things happen.
4 “Netiquette” | Emily Lesch // Sep 27, 2009 at 1:32 am
[...] post, entitled “Netiquette,” to be quite interesting. You can read it at the link http://bobtaughtme.com/bitbybit_wordpress/bitbybit_wordpress/?p=1523. Instead of the typical typed commentary, I’ve done an audio commentary instead, which you [...]
5 Silvia Tolisano // Sep 27, 2009 at 9:15 am
Bob,
You say that students almost go crazy at first in the chatroom, that “it almost has to happen”. I have made the same observation with my elementary school students (BTW also with an adult group too:)
I reflected on my experience here:
“Even though we repeatedly reminded students that the chat was not a social occasion, but there to collaboratively work to summarize what we learned from our Skype call, it took students a while to get the “giggles” out and focus.”
Teachers might get discouraged when seeing their students “not getting” the concept or following the rules they set before hand, but I believe that they need to stick with allowing their students to chat in the classroom in order to see the real benefits.
6 apple // Oct 26, 2009 at 1:11 pm
one of my favorite sites to lead into a discussion/lesson on netiquette is http://www.carnegiecyberacademy.com/funStuff/netiquette/netiquette.html. the kids have a blast, and then there’s plenty to talk about in terms of safety and behavior afterward.
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