Internet Safety in the Classroom
Firewalls & Filters
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Introduction
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Firewall software provides protection to the school network
from unauthorized access such as hackers and viruses.
Hackers are those who attempt to gain unauthorized access to a network for dishonest purposes. Viruses are simply programs that are written with the intent of disruption or destruction. Viruses gain access to computers through email attachments or downloaded files. All users must understand the risks involved when opening email attachments or downloading files from the Internet. Open email attachments only from known and trusted senders-be sure you know the intent of the attachment before opening-was it expected? Download only from reputable sites-avoid shareware programs Check with network administrator to verify current updates of antivirus software: program designed to scan for viruses for disarmament or removal. No antivirus software can provide total protection against all viruses. Filtering Software provides protection by denying access to a list of specific sites. These sites are inappropriate due to language, violence, graphics, or other content. Inappropriate sites include pornography, profanity, violence, gambling, chat rooms or other materials considered to be of adult content. Filtering software is updated weekly. However, no filtering software will be able to block all inappropriate sites on the World Wide Web therefore Internet access must be carefully monitored. It is the responsibility of the the instructor to vigilantly monitor student activity on the Internet! Narrow the research topic choices; provide a list of appropriate sites for each project; review and enforce the school's acceptable usage policy frequently with students. Remind students of the consequences for not complying with Internet protocol. Students will be flattered by contact made with someone in a chat room pretending to be someone famous or desirable. Many child predators use the Internet to contact a victim. Stress the importance of never providing personal information such as name, address, and phone numbers to any stranger they 'meet' on the 'net. Students need to be made comfortable in reporting to teachers any such contact. Security is a danger of the Internet. Be sure the site is secure i.e., it is not a site monitored by others outside the school network. Review the possible security warnings. Ordering supplies for the classroom can be quite simple but can also provide an opportunity for fraud or identity theft. Most secure servers on the Internet have URLs that begin with "https" as opposed to "http."
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