Just read an article in the Washington Post that speaks to this…sadly for some this learning is coming too late and for others, this learning still hasn’t happened.

The article is about graduates of law school not getting call backs for jobs based on what they believe is slanderous discussion happening in public forums (most to all of it untrue). I am writing about it on my blog.

If it wasn’t clear enough for people before, this should do the trick. Kids NEED to learn about safe, responsible use of this participatory environment. If they don’t it is their future and their friends which will suffer. And that responsibility is ours, as their teachers.

Certainly if the impact on their futures is so great, learning to be smart, responsible “world (electronic and non-electronic) participants” has to be AS important as, if not MORE important than whether a child learns how to graph a parabola or cite a source, or write a 5 paragraph essay.

[...] It’s no wonder that there is misuse, just as it is no wonder that some are learning on their own how to behave well and how to protect themselves (great post on this from Justin at Medagogy and teacher directed kids learning based at ThinkingStick). [...]