Technology and School Safety
By Saliu Ali
Are Schools Safe?
For my Genius Hour Project, I decided to focus on how safe schools are and whether that has an impact on learning. Through my blog posts and research, I was able to conclude that schools aren't very safe. Sure schools today have cameras, and recording systems but do they make schools safe? Not entirely. Through my research I have found 3 new technology solutions that will make schools safer and allow our kids to better protected!
In the 2009–10 school year, 74 percent of public schools recorded at least one incident of violence, including serious violence, fights, physical attacks, and threats.
Desktop Alerts
Desktop Alerts is a great tool to disseminate information to kids about potential dangers. Desktop Alerts are similar to mass text messaging software because they send alerts to Computers to notify students.This tool would be great for 4-6th grade because they are old enough to have cell phones. Information can be delivered to them via Desktop Alerts.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a social media scanning software placed on a student’s social media account. Once students opt-in to the service it constantly surveys for instances of cyber bullying and school violence on their social media platforms. This kind of software will be very helpful because it can intervene and alert the proper authorities, like parents, if situations arise. This would be great for 7th-9th grade because they typically use social media more and it will be a great way to ensure that they are using for educational purposes and not getting distracted by it in the classroom.
e2campus
e2campus is a mass messaging software that allows schools to send messages to parents, faculty, staff and students when there is a threat. It can send email, voice or text. Even though it has practical safety uses, it can also be used for sending important reminders or notices to the school community.
Solving Issues
Technology can solve many issues."All-in-one" applications are made today that integrate older/outdated school safety policies and procedures with new technology products.