I’ve just been over at Will Richardson’s blog – reading his post: What do we do about that? – which is essentially challenging educators or perhaps questioning why we aren’t paying more attention to how students are using technology and working with them (not against them) – including guiding them on some of the issues of cheating, copyright, and how to use other peoples’ ideas to shape and inform their own!
" Instead, why aren’t we asking them to first show us they can find the answers on their own, and, second, show us that they understand what those answers mean in terms of their own experience an in the context of what we are trying to teach?"
"…in terms of plagiarism and cheating and ethical use… I have arrived at the point where it’s just so clear to me that it’s not the kids that need to change. It’s us. We have to redefine what those things mean, because the old definitions just are not reasonable any longer. And please hear me when I say that I’m not advocating that we accept cheating or copying as the way of the world and not work to prevent it. But I am saying that we need to drastically shift our approach to dealing with it. Blocking blogs or Websites or Google is not the answer. "
Yeah – Will – at least I’m not the only one out there banging on about this!
But then…..I came crashing back to earth….in the Sydney Morning Herald today is an article: "School orders students to remove blogs"!
Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta (USA) has ordered its students to remove their blogs from the internet citing a threat from cyberpredators! The official spin is cited as:
"… a matter of safety, not censorship….students weren’t being silenced but rather told that they cannot post online writings about school or their personal lives."
The article goes on to quote Kurt Opsahl of Electronic Frontier Foundation – which is supposed to champion the rights of bloggers – Kurt says:
"…it would be better if they taught students what they should and shouldn’t do online rather than take away the primary communication tool of their generation."
Exactly!!!! Looks like a few more of us need to take up this challenge….are you ready for this?
Digital Dialogues 
so interesting to read this section of your blog…it is so amazing to learn from others across the globe…I am in the UK.
I found your blog from the edublog map…email me if you have a moment…best wishes
Richard Smith (ICT teacher and consultant)
Hi, I am trying to deter Copyright Infringement’ by changing the actual Law.
There basically is nothing to deter this type of theft.
The law does not Protect the poor because of the 3-year Statute of Limitations.
The claim that ‘Infringement’ is illegal has nothing to back it up since ‘no Criminal’ charges can be filed unless ‘Civil’ litigation happens first.
It should be the other way around.
It is not as easy to get an Attorney for this type of claim as one might think.
If an Infringer believes that they could go to jail then I believe that they would think twice before doing this.
This is the intro to my Petition:
We, the Undersigned, endorse the following petition:
Copyright – Get Rid of the 3-year Statute of Limitations
Target: Congress
Signatures: 1,196
Goal: 135,000
Deadline: Ongoing…
Our ‘Protected Rights’ are supposed to be for 70 years after our death, they have drastically reduced this to a mere 3 years, and that’s only if we catch someone stealing our writings, art, etc…, in time to file a Lawsuit.
The STATUTE of LIMITATIONS has no place in our society as it promotes Infringement, and proves that our Laws don’t work for US.
Please help to restore our Copyright Protections to,
“70 years past Death, not 3 years past theft”
Thank you for your time and consideration.
(You have my Permission to copy the heading from ‘We the undersigned, etc…’ to the end of the url of this Petition and to distribute it in an effort to obtain signatures to change this Law. )
Strike the Statute of Limitations @CARE2.com
There is no charge and you can remain anonymous to the Public
Click here if you want to go directly to thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/264941759