Week Eight

     Our last week of courses has finally arrived, I can't believe it! For our eighth week, we ended with security on a personal and educational basis.
     We of course think of security every day, whether it be wearing our seat belt, locking our doors, or using a password for our email. Safety is a big part of our lives in these times. Safety on computers is very important on a personal level. Online shopping has increased immensely in the past few years, which means security issues that go along with that have as well. It is important to always remember to use strong passwords, ones that use letters and numbers. It is also great to always use caution, if something seems off, that means is probably is. 
     In an educational setting, security is even more important! We are responsible for keeping and teaching our students security. We should teach them first, the school's policy, second how to stay safe on the internet. They should rarely ever give their full name on the computer/internet at an elementary school age. They should also remember to not give out personal information. I think that it is also a great point to show students why it is so important to be safe on the internet. They should understand why it is so vital to be safe, both at school and at home. 
     Thinking back about the computers at school, students are required to sign in on the computer using their unique login and password. Students are also required to sign an agreement at the beginning of each year stating that they understand the rules and usage requirements. Students are also using computers that block certain websites including facebook, shopping, and of course adult content. Students should know why they are blocked and that we are at school to learn! 
     I also experienced online safety at WKU when I worked in a computer lab there. Those computers were on what is called a deep freeze, where students had to save information and data in another place other than on the actual computer due to the fact that when logged off, all content from that entry is wiped off. This can seem somewhat annoying when a computer turns off unexpectedly and data is lost, or if you forget to save things is a "findable" place. However, this can be a good thing in the security realm. It was a life saver whenever strange things popped up, or it seemed that a virus had taken over. All we simply had to do was restart the computer and everything was good as new! So on an educational basis, this kept students safe! 
     On my personal computer, I have some type of software (not sure of which specific brand) that sometimes prevents pop-ups and restricts downloads. Everything is able to be controlled by me, and it seems to be working well (knock on wood!) The only things that every concern me is online shopping at places that do not accept PayPal. I feel that if you don't accept PayPal, you are just not very credible! 
     Overall, security online is extremely important! It is important for ourselves, and especially to teach our students!