I’ve watched the internet grow and change for 29 years now. Humans are innovative and we keep finding new ways to create and share interesting content. The internet and being online are integral to teaching and learning in the 21st century.
What controls do schools have for what comes in, and goes out, online?
Who looks after this, and whose responsibility is it?
What tools do we have for internet filtering?
There are a few protections available to schools to help keep ākonga safe online. These include:
What is N4L?
N4L is the crown agency tasked with:
Nearly all schools across New Zealand use N4L for their internet connection. This allows schools to access safer, high speed internet to support teaching and learning.
The filtering that N4L does is domain based. That means that it’s the whole website that’s blocked. This means that R18 websites are easily categorised and blocked. But, websites that have some R18 content (like Netflix) can’t be partially blocked. In some instances it may be the settings (and access) within a site that control what students can access.
If you’re concerned about a particular video on YouTube, for example, N4L can’t block just that video. They can only block all of YouTube. Similar for game sites, media and news.
A couple of websites that I consider very useful need to come with a warning label. Wikipedia and YouTube are two of my go-to’s if I personally want to learn something. Wikipedia is more accurate than most resources and usually has a balanced point of view. YouTube is great for simple explanations, however, it’s less reliable.
Both websites contain a lot of content that should be age restricted. Both should be used sparingly in the classroom.
Through N4L, ākonga and kaiako can have different rules for what websites they can access. For instance, many kura allow Facebook for kaiako, but not for ākonga. This means that there can be some differentiation of access.
N4L can block a certain category or domain school-wide (or for particular user groups in many cases). They generally take a day or so to do that. This is good for games (like Roblox) or messaging apps (like Discord).
To change N4L settings you have to go to N4L directly or through your IT Support provider to make these requests. N4L on its own, however, does not provide the fullness of protection schools require.
Make the most of settings by user
The settings for YouTube in Google Admin are pretty good. I have tested them and they were fairly effective at filtering what can been viewed on YouTube. You can:
You can also override these settings by allowing full access to a channel for ākonga. I strongly recommend taking the time to set this up correctly. Here’s what I suggest:
How user filters work:
I searched “Blurred Lines” in YouTube using two different accounts. The first search was done from a teacher account which shows quite a different set of results than the second search done from a student account.
As you can see in the screenshots below, I could find the clean version of this explicit music video as a teacher but there’s no sign of any music video for this song as a student.
Teacher view
Student view
Additional settings within Google include ensuring safe search at schools. This is provided in part by N4L, but the security settings in Google should still be checked. I would also recommend to check:
What are some of the school-funded services available in New Zealand?
Hāpara and Linewize are the two examples of internet filtering and monitoring products most used by New Zealand schools. Internet filtering is a technology that stops users from viewing certain URLs or websites by preventing their browsers from loading pages from these sites.
Hāpara is primarily for Chromebooks. If ākonga bring their own device it will need to be enrolled and managed by the school systems for this to work, but Hāpara now enables whānau to manage internet usage at home, too.
Linewize is better for schools with BYOD, and which have more complex systems and policies.
Both products have live monitoring and filtering – kaiako can see what students are doing right now and intervene immediately.
Where Linewize and Hāpara differ and enhance N4L is:
| N4L | Google Admin | Hāpara, Linewize | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Block a specific page or video? |
No |
No |
Somewhat |
|
Filter YouTube content based on age? |
No |
Somewhat |
Somewhat |
|
Allow exceptions for a specific page? |
No |
Somewhat |
Somewhat |
|
Monitor what students are doing right now? |
No |
No |
Somewhat |
These tools cost a school and require training for teachers to ensure they are used effectively. Even when all the tools are used, nothing is 100% certain.
So, how does this affect my practice?
Sometimes I see kaiako ask ākonga to “find 5 interesting facts…” about an inquiry topic. Frankly, this is a bit lazy and not well thought-through.
When we ask ākonga to “research” a topic, we need to be aware that anything could come up. Searching for a word like “mouth” can bring up some very concerning content. I don’t support this type of learning task, and it certainly isn’t research. What I do support is asking students to search for specific answers to specific questions.
When ākonga are engaged in a learning task like the one above, the top priority for kaiako should be monitoring what students are finding. Yes, it’s classroom management.
There are so many moving parts to this. There will be new apps and websites, new trends and concerns.
The most effective way to keep ākonga safe is good teaching practice and good task design. Teaching intentionally, with a clear idea of what you want ākonga to produce. This, alongside ensuring the settings and restrictions your school manage are managed, will provide your students the best and safest online experience.
Four key messages to consider
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Our team can help. Get in touch to chat with an expert who can help you understand what flaws to look for in your internet filtering or set up a time to talk through good teaching practice and task design with a professional.
I have been working for TTS for the past 7 years assisting schools with their technology infrastructure and digital alignment with the MoE.
Before that I was completing a Batchelors of Business with a major in Management and a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, I worked in Massey University tutoring, relief lecturing, and marking in the business college while also being a director of a small software company. I also previously held roles as sales manager in the corporate world.
Within the professional learning environment, I specialise in assisting schools with strategic management, change management and leadership. These are all challenging areas that often require specific planning and implementation. Change is not only synonymous with technology but is part of the daily environment in education and embracing change can be a daunting. My goal is to assist schools to feel comfortable and accepting of necessary change.
I am a graphic and digital designer with nearly 20 years experience designing for the digital realm. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication, a Certificate in Computer Engineering and am a certified Adobe Creative Educator.
I am passionate about using technology to bring ideas to life and love encouraging learners to look for new ways to answer old questions. As a life-long learner myself, I always enjoy trying out new creative tools and exploring the impact they can have on students’ learning outcomes.
I am excited to be part of the TTS team and continue to help schools make the most of their websites and support teachers and students in creating engaging graphics, presentations, videos, websites, and more.
I’m a teacher with 20 years of classroom experience in a range of schools, locations, deciles and age groupings. I have background in technology education with a specialisation in Food and Material Technology.
I am passionate about technology education. So much so that it lead me to complete a Masters and PhD in Education qualifications where I explored communities of practice, teacher pedagogy and defined technological food literacy. I believe that many hands make light work, and networking and collaboration are key tools in the teacher kete.
I am currently part of the Subject Expert Group working with the Ministry of Education on the Review of Achievement Standards project.
I am a primary trained teacher with over 20 years’ experience finding new ways to effectively implement digital technologies into the classroom. I have always been passionate about finding and utilising digital tools within my class, and I enjoy exploring the internet to find new tools and learn about new ways in which other educators use digital technologies to best support their students.
I believe that is it important to find the right tools for you and your students as every class and school is different. Digital tools and technologies change rapidly and what may not have been suitable in the past could be just what you need now. I look forward to working with and supporting you to find and implement the best digital technologies for your specific learning environment.
I am a specialist teacher and PLD provider of creative writing, drawing on 20 years’ hands-on experience in the primary classroom teaching years 0-6, and as literacy leader, ALL teacher and CoL teacher.
In addition to my classroom experience, I bring my own experiences as a creative writer to my PLD sessions. I have published over 100-chapter books and 9 novels. Much of my published content is for the education market in NZ, Australia, the U.S, U.K and China. Publishers include Macmillan, Pearson, Oxford University Press, Capstone, Lift education, Sunshine books and Cengage. In addition, I have written several assessment and comprehension guides as well as books on how to teach creative writing (Essential resources). I hold a Doctorate in Education (EdD), where I investigated how primary school teachers teach creative writing, often focusing on the use of digital technology. As well as education and teaching qualifications, I also hold a Masters in Creative Writing.
I can provide individual hands-on modelling and feedback, as well as whole staff PLD. In addition, I examine the potential of new media (technology) in creative writing pedagogy.
I am a primary teacher of 30+ years experience covering all year levels from 1-8. I believe in “lifelong learning” and am passionate about encouraging teachers to be facilitators of their learning, and that of their students. I believe knowing when, what, why and how to implement digital tools to fit the purpose of “the teaching and learning” is essential today. I believe relationships are intrinsic in education, connecting people with tools/resources for teaching and learning, and how they support creativity, collaboration and innovation.
Michael is a teacher with 8 years classroom experience, and has taught students from years 1 through to 8. He has a bachelor of teaching and continues to learn through post-graduate studies. Michael is passionate about literacy education, and how reading and writing can – and should – be made accessible and interesting for all learners in schools. As a teacher, he recognises the need for resources that engage, enable, and empower students so they can achieve a meaningful, successful, and sustainable education.
I am an MoE Accredited PLD facilitator with a BEd (Hons) Degree in Education. I have over 20 years of experience in teaching 11 to 18-year-olds, with the last fourteen years being in New Zealand. I believe in empowering teachers to be confident in a modern learning environment and to discover new ways of inspiring students. I am a firm believer of continuous improvement in the skills of a teacher to deliver a more interactive, productive and engaging experience. I am extremely skilled with Google Suite/Apps and Microsoft.
