Archives For internet

Connect to the college wireless network.

Once you have connected to Sidmouth30, you will either be prompted to sign in using your username and password automatically, or when you first browse to a website as below.

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Enjoy the internet safely: Click Clever, Click Safe

The internet is a great way to see more, learn more and have lots of fun. To help you enjoy it safely, you should follow the ‘Click Clever, Click Safe Code’. It’s just three simple things to remember that can help keep you safe when you visit your favourite websites. This initiative was concieved from a group of over 150 stakeholders including the BBC, ChildNet, Disney, Facebook, Google, the Internet Watch Foundation, Microsoft, the NSPCC, Samaritans, Vodaphone and Yahoo!.

Protect your own safety

The ‘Click Clever Click Safe’ code is a list of three simple things to remember when you’re online:

  • Zip it
  • Block it
  • Flag it

…remember to Zip it

When you’re online, always keep your personal information private and think about what you say and do.

Remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.

Don’t share personal information online. This includes:

  • your full name
  • photos
  • addresses
  • school information
  • telephone numbers
  • places you like to spend time
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    Email correspondence can be a problematic and unlike having a ‘face to face’ conversation, can have more weight behind it as there is time to consider a structured response as well as the recipient not being able to judge the emotional state it’s conveyed in. However, there are a few simple things to remember that can help you.

    What exactly is ”NETIQUETTE”?

    Netiquette = Network Etiquette. Like other groups or communities, the internet (and in the case of this guide) has its own code of conduct (known as ‘netiquette’) which governs how users should behave. The internet is on the whole a liberal environment however there are a few common guidelines that have been adopted, and if you break these you may well irritate or upset other users.

    Do not type all in CAPITALS

    If you type in all capital letters you are drawing attention to something but in a way that can be perceived as SHOUTING or yelling. People do not do this in normal conversation so do be careful not to ‘shout’ in e-mails.

    Minimise the use of exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!

    Traditionally, the exclamation mark ends a sentence with emphasis. Usually, ending a sentence, one is enough however there have been some that go overboard. Use them sparingly and only when appropriate as overuse can be considered as ‘shouting’.

    Never send an e-mail while you are angry!

    If you do receive a nasty email, take a few minutes away from the offending item and do not respond right away. Angry e-mail conversations seldom end in a nice way and can cause both parties grief. If you do not have something nice or constructive to say, or at the very least sternly professional – just press delete.

    Avoid the Friday afternoon Trolling.

    We all work hard during the week and deserve some down time, try not to ruin this by sending out critical or negative e-mails on a Friday afternoon as this can often leave a person feeling down or upset over the weekend. Send it during the next week, not only will this help in some way to contribute towards College, but it will give you more time to carefully consider what you need to say.

    Remember the Business hours.

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    The internet provides a wealth of information which can be used to enhance the classroom and learning environment.

    Sites such as YouTube, Flickr, Google Earth and Wikipedia allow pupils to gain a wider perspective and increase the potential for quality in their work. Nevertheless, with power comes greater responsibility. Some young people are downloading large portions of information and pasting it directly into their essays without crediting their sources and in some cases, not even verifying if this copied information is even valid.

    The biggest issue arises from young people not understanding the correct protocol when directly copying imagery or information into their work. It is important that they understand the options available and what exactly plagiarism is as they may think that they have done nothing wrong. In some cases, it is possible to accidentally plagiarise but this is no excuse and it is imperative that work must be checked closely for content and consistency.

    A 2016 survey carried out by Common Sense Media in America found that over 33% of teenagers admitted to cheating by using a mobile device and over 50% admitted to using the internet to cheat. These staggering figures show that there is a genuine problem which needs to be addressed.

    Some of the people that were interviewed felt that due to the anonymity of the content, they could just ‘borrow’ it. There are a few issues with this. Firstly, the content has been created and therefore is the Intellectual Property of someone. Secondly, the chances are that an anonymous source is not going to be as accurate as an accredited source. Quality of the resource is always an important consideration when selecting information and is no different with the internet.

    It is important for parents and family to get involved and explain to children exactly what plagiarism is and the gravity of the situation if you decide to follow that route. It is important to pick up good habits now in preparation for university. Many universities have advanced computer ‘reading’ systems that can analyse a students work for plagiarism traits and all institutions take plagiarism very seriously. Depending on the severity of the issue, you can be disqualified from the offending module right up to being asked to leave the course and university permanently. Read More