Activity+9

Activity 9 Motteram and Sharma (2009) state sociocultural theory argues “all human activity is mediated by tools and signs and it is through tools and semiotic systems that humans have developed as a race over time” (p.84). They further asserts in the early stages of development, humans used spoken language in education and now we use computers, forever changing the way knowledge is constructed and changing the boundaries and ownership of the classroom. Instrumentalization theory holds that “technology must be analyzed at two levels, the level of our original functional relation to reality and the level of design and implementation” (Feenberg, 2005, p.50). Feenberg contends one level streamlines objects for integration into a device, while the other level incorporates the simplified objects to a natural and social environment. Today, it is apparent, the Internet can provide meaningful learning opportunities for educators and students; however, it can raise a host of concerns for school administrators, students, and parents regarding appropriate use (Broek, Puiszis, and Brown, 2009). Therefore, it is always imperative students understand safety guidelines and security implications regarding Internet use. Both aforementioned theories allude to the acknowledgement and integration of best practices associated with effectively protecting students from the Internet in an educational setting.

Applying socialculture theory to security, one might say students are exposed to broad arenas in which their content is their displayed, yet ownership and control of their material becomes, at times, vague or clouded. A student exploring wikis, blogs, or a document sharing site, might be at risk for unprotected or perceived web security breaches that then might be used by others for whatever means they want. Relating instrumentalization theory to this topic can help shed light on the desensitization of cognitive theory in which we no longer pay attention to what we write, where we store it, or who sees it. According to Feenberg (2005), “This involves a process which we can call ‘disclosure’ or ‘revealing’ of a world” (p.50).

In K-12 education, teacher’s play a pivotal role in helping to protect students using the Internet from inappropriate content or predatory practices (Broek et al., 2009). As Mensch and Wilkie (2011) point out, organizations should also take proactive steps to reduce the likelihood of identity theft and personal data loss by ensuring password management guidelines are adopted and widely dispersed, and regular training sessions are conducted. Network administrators should consider banning users from accessing private email accounts, instant messenger programs, and social networking sites, such as Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook (Brodkin, 2008). And, lastly, schools should always update privacy and security policies to include all IT resources (Allison & DeBlois, 2008).

**References ** Allison, D. H., & DeBlois, P. B. (2008, May/June). Top 10 IT issues 2008. Educause Review, 43(3), 1622-1629. Brodkin, J. (2008). One in four firms block Facebook. NetworkWorld, p. 20

Broek, K. S. V., Puiszis, S. M., & Brown, E. D. (2009). Schools and social media: First amendment issues arising from student use of the internet. //Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal, 21//(4), 11-0_1. Retrieved from []

Feenberg, A. (2005). Critical theory of technology: An overview. Tailoring Biotechnologies, 1(1), 47-64. Retrieved from []

Mensch, S., & Wilkie, L. (2011). Information security activities of college students: An exploratory study. //Academy of Information and Management Sciences Journal, 14//(2), 91-116. Retrieved from []

Motteram, G., & Sharma, P. (2009). Blending learning in a web 2.0 world. //International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Society, 7//(2), 83-96. Retrieved from []