Fighting the Filter

I'm not a member of ISTE, however, I am a member of the ISTE-SIGMS, a support group for school librarians and others "who are working to promote the use of instructional technologies to enhance student learning." (Find out more about ISTE-SIGMS below.)

The first activity of 2010 was a webinar, "Fighting the Filter" presented by Buffy Hamilton, The Unquiet Librarian. Ms. Hamilton's presentation included 13 different strategies to remove the "roadblock of fear," ways to challenge and change filtering policies.

1. Establish a conversation with the decision makers in control. Gather your documentation in support of access to web-based information and send it to those decision makers and cc your principal.
2. Ensure that filtering policies and procedures are in writing. Volunteer to serve on any filtering policy committee.
3. Collect examples of effective instructional practice to include with documentation when arguing for the use of a specific resource or tool.
4. Develop a plan for the use of that resource and how it will be implemented.
5. Develop a plan for addressing the potential challenges.
6. Advocate for intellectual freedom and equity of access to information.
7. Become transparent - show why/how the resource makes a difference.
8. Advocate for the digital citizenship which 21st century students will need.
9. Remind decision makers that students need guided instruction to learn how to use the resource effectively.
10. Enable students to voice their needs to decision makers.
11. Collect qualitative and quantitative data to support your story of the effective use of the resource.
12. Tie your argument to performance standards, i.e. AASL, NET-S, and district/building goals.
13. Let students learn how to be their own filter.

KEEPING TRYING AND BE PERSISTENT!

In addition to Ms. Hamilton's presentation there was a back channel also happening. Much conversation and sharing took place with Ms. Hamilton and among the attendees. A great suggestion that one attendee voiced was changing AcceptableUsePolicy to ResponsibleUsePolicy.

Ms. Hamilton has gathered various resources including the slides used in her presentation at ISTE-SIGMS Filtering Issues Webinar LibGuides. She also shared bookmarks from her Delicious account here.

If you are not a member of ISTE-SIGMS go to the ISTE Community ning and sign up and then participate in the discussion in the Media Specialists SIG group. See the sigms home's schedule of upcoming activities.

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