6c+Scott+Gellman

The assessment of any tool used for teaching is appropriateness. For most teacher the question is whether this lesson is age-appropriate for our students. In this digital age the most important assessment of the web tools we use is whether it is appropriate for children of any age, or people of any age.

In my experiences in camp and youth group we encourage our children to explore and discover new things in their own way. If we were to encourage the use of some of these websites I would be worried about the exploration of the kids. We bring these kids into our informal education because it is a safe place to find information and to grow personally. If I sent a child into the world of SecondLife I would be very worried of the influences they would encounter. I can see how these websites CAN be a great tool. But I do not feel that as they stand now they can truly be a safe learning experience when I would encourage children to learn and grow.

The most important assessment is the safety of these websites. If they can be safe for a child to explore and be influnced by, then it can be a positive learning tool. If there is any reason to not trust it as a positive influence, then the website cannot be encouraged by the Jewish community, let alone Jewish educators encouraging its use by their students.