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Holy Family National School
Newsletter November 1999
Our New Website
Email: holyfam.ias@eircom.net |
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Last year our school was provided with
Internet access through the Telecom Eircom Information Age schools project.
This has provided us with free access to the Internet for five hours per week
for two years. Over the last year we have been designing and developing our own
website, the address of which appears at the top of this page. This site will
be officially opened in the coming week to coincide with Netd@ys Ireland week
which runs from 13th to 21st November 1999. |
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Netd@ys Ireland is an initiative which
aims to make people all over the county more aware of the advantages and
disadvantages of the Internet. It is hoped that people will get an opportunity
to access the internet by either surfing the web or sending an e-mail. This
will receive considerable attention in the local and national media in the
coming week and schools are asked to play their part in making this initiative
a success. |
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What is the Internet ? |
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The internet is a worldwide system of
connected computers, each of which may be connected to another network of
computers. For this reason, it is sometimes called a network of networks. The
Internet allows people in all corners of the world to communicate
electronically, and to send and access information electronically in a matter
of minutes. |
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What is the world wide web? |
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The world wide web is the main source of
content that is accessible via the Internet. It is like a library of books,
only the pages are stored on lots of different computers around the world. The
unique thing about the world wide web is that anyone can create content and
make it accessible on the web. |
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What are the advantages of Internet access? |
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The internet allows people to access a
vast information resource, talk to each other by email, and join electronic
news, discussion and special mailing groups. Educationally speaking, it can
open up a whole new vista for the user as well as provide access to information
resources at one's fingertips and provide a creative outlet for those who wish
to create web pages. |
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What are the disadvantages of Internet access? |
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The Internet is a powerful learning
tool, but it should not be used indiscriminately or without supervision. While
your child is at school, the school will make every effort to ensure this
resource is used appropriately. |
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One computer in our computer room is
linked to the Internet. As a result access to the Internet is limited.When
children are sending or receiving emails there is strict supervision. Children
are not allowed to put any personal details about themselves or their friends
on emails. No personal details will accompany photographs of children on the
school web site. Parents must give written permission for their children's art
work, essays, projects, photographs etc. to be included in the school's own
website. There is an appropriate blocking / filtering software called Cyber
Patrol installed in conjunction with the computer's Internet access software.
This software, while not entirely foolproof, will greatly reduce the risk of
deliberate or inadvertent access to undesirable material. |
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As parents, it is your responsibility to
monitor this resource at home, not unlike the manner in which you monitor use
of TV, video games, or the telephone. It is not advisable for children to
engage in hours of unsupervised time on-line. Check their emails, know who they
are chatting to on-line, and scrutinise the websites visited. Keep in mind that
while your child is on-line your telephone bill is getting larger. |
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What use is the Internet likely to be in the classroom?
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The internet has the potential to
provide access from the classroom to educational resources within Ireland or
from many parts of the world. A large variety of source materials, information,
images and computer software can be accessed rapidly. It is possible to
facilitate individual or group project, collaboration and idea sharing between
geographically dispersed pupils, teachers and schools. Through the Internet it
is possible to make contact with people all over the world, whether fellow
pupils, educators or experts in specialist fields. Prominent public figures
occasional make themselves available for on-line question-and-answer sessions
also. Through developing a website of its own, a school can contribute to the
sum of available knowledge on the Internet, publicise its own activities or
encourage collaboration through educational projects. |
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Invitation to parents. |
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Parents are invited to come to the
school next Friday 19th November between 10.30 am and 12:30 pm to view the
school's computers' facility and in particular to browse through the school's
website. It is also necessary for parents to sign an agreement to allow their
children to access the Internet and to have their children's work included on
the web site. The signed agreement should be returned to the school by Monday
next. |
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