Filters on school computers?

[Anonymous]

Do the school issued laptops have filters on them? I mean, I’m sure certain sites are blocked, but I’m guessing that they have a full reign to use the Internet?

[Anonymous]

Very limited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very limited.

very limited access or very limited amount of filters?

[Anonymous]

So at my kid's school they block gmail.

[Anonymous]

Blocking is very hit or miss. Most major obvious sites are blocked. Some are not. Most major social media is blocked now. Kids quickly figure out which sites are blocked and google new ones that aren’t blocked yet.

As a teacher I will turn on my personal block list and then watch through light speed my most internet addicted student(s). I will just add all their sites to my list.

[Anonymous]

I’m an MCPS teacher. I pray that MCPS begins phasing out one to one devices soon. The amount of money, time, and effort spent on Chromebooks is insane considering more often than not they prevent kids from learning. I have so many students who have become literally addicted to playing games on their Chromebook. Trying to limit their access to games is like trying to take drugs from a substance abuser. They have become reliant on their Chromebooks to emotional regulate themselves.

Teachers have access to monitoring programs like light speed….but it’s like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. I can’t stress enough that if a child wants to use their Chromebook for no educational purposes they WILL find a way. Whether it’s by using a VPN, or finding sites with names that sound education such as “geography lessons.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m an MCPS teacher. I pray that MCPS begins phasing out one to one devices soon. The amount of money, time, and effort spent on Chromebooks is insane considering more often than not they prevent kids from learning. I have so many students who have become literally addicted to playing games on their Chromebook. Trying to limit their access to games is like trying to take drugs from a substance abuser. They have become reliant on their Chromebooks to emotional regulate themselves.

Teachers have access to monitoring programs like light speed….but it’s like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. I can’t stress enough that if a child wants to use their Chromebook for no educational purposes they WILL find a way. Whether it’s by using a VPN, or finding sites with names that sound education such as “geography lessons.”

I don’t see that happening at the secondary level. At some point kids have to get use to having access to the laptop. That doesn’t mean all your lesson have to involve the Chromebook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m an MCPS teacher. I pray that MCPS begins phasing out one to one devices soon. The amount of money, time, and effort spent on Chromebooks is insane considering more often than not they prevent kids from learning. I have so many students who have become literally addicted to playing games on their Chromebook. Trying to limit their access to games is like trying to take drugs from a substance abuser. They have become reliant on their Chromebooks to emotional regulate themselves.

Teachers have access to monitoring programs like light speed….but it’s like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. I can’t stress enough that if a child wants to use their Chromebook for no educational purposes they WILL find a way. Whether it’s by using a VPN, or finding sites with names that sound education such as “geography lessons.”

I don’t see that happening at the secondary level. At some point kids have to get use to having access to the laptop. That doesn’t mean all your lesson have to involve the Chromebook.

We can go back to computer labs. Or, have the laptops on carts, so that the teacher/school control access to the computer rather than the child.

[Anonymous]

In high schools kids just switch back and forth between phones/personal devices and the school chromebooks as they want. So, not a huge impact if filtering is turned on. They start using a phone instead. Parents need to teach kids how to manage. Schools and teachers aren’t really capable of doing so alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So at my kid's school they block gmail.

Good they should block google too.

[Anonymous]

Go back to computer labs? That ship passed a long time ago. Most of those rooms have been since reassigned for other purposes, especially with overcapacity issues. We are not ever going back. Next you'll be arguing for overhead projectors, mimeographs, and Kodak carousel slides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m an MCPS teacher. I pray that MCPS begins phasing out one to one devices soon. The amount of money, time, and effort spent on Chromebooks is insane considering more often than not they prevent kids from learning. I have so many students who have become literally addicted to playing games on their Chromebook. Trying to limit their access to games is like trying to take drugs from a substance abuser. They have become reliant on their Chromebooks to emotional regulate themselves.

Teachers have access to monitoring programs like light speed….but it’s like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. I can’t stress enough that if a child wants to use their Chromebook for no educational purposes they WILL find a way. Whether it’s by using a VPN, or finding sites with names that sound education such as “geography lessons.”

+100. Stop wasteful spending on distraction & cheating devices. Lower class sizes.