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Children's & Teens Reference Desk and Computer Lab: 303-651-8477
As parents and/or educators, we try to protect children while also exposing them to the resources necessary for a successful life. Through both the exploration of our own beliefs and knowledge of the resources, we can effectively guide today's youth.
Please explore the pages below as a way to become more familiar with the Internet. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to speak with the information professionals in the CATS Department.
The Internet is a global network of information networks accessible with a computer.
Information, educational resources, and entertainment are all at your fingertips on the Internet. You can visit the world's great libraries, take a college course, play games, check weather forecasts, stocks, and sports scores.
The
Internet makes possible a number of online functions such as e-mail, a way
of sending messages electronically from one computer user to another; chat
rooms, which are places online where you can communicate with others instantaneously
using your keyboard; and e-mail discussion groups, places where you can read
and post information about particular topics.
There is unlimited information on the Internet, but it can often be difficult
to find specific information. Search engines exist to help with this. With
a search engine you can sort through vast amounts of online information to
pinpoint the material you want. Search engines work by matching words you
enter into the computer with the same words found in various information sites
on the Internet.
An important thing to keep in mind is the credibility of online information. It is easy to be dazzled by all of the sights and sounds of the online world. However, unlike books, magazines, and other information sources that are scrutinized by an editor, much of the information online is not. Individuals with Internet access can post almost anything they want. Don't take everything you see and hear for truth. Always consider the source, and exercise common sense and good judgment in evaluating the information you see.
Children are taking the lead to get online—and need parental guidance to use this new medium as a rich opportunity for learning.
Children using the Internet can rapidly research topics of interest. If, for example, a child is doing a report on African music, he or she could visit an Internet site dedicated to music from Africa. This site would likely have short reports concerning all phases of the music genre. One can also see pictures, short video, and hear samples of the music.
Children can work on a school project with other children in countries thousands of miles away—or gather information from and interact with renowned scientists, authors, and business leaders.
The Internet can help children learn skills using information resources and technology that employers will seek from future workers.
The Internet can increase access to children who have been shut out. Children in poor or rural school districts can use online services to visit museums, cities, and wildlife preserves they would not otherwise get to see. Children with disabilities can participate more fully in learning, in art programs, and in socializing.
The Internet offers challenges to some people raising their children, and it is important we recognize the Internet is more their future than ours. Guiding your child's Internet use will help shape both their future, and the future of the Internet.
E-mail
E-mail (electronic mail) is a way of sending messages electronically from
one computer user to another. Typically there are two ways to obtain an e-mail
account. One way is through a company called an ISP (Internet Service Provider).
The ISP provides your home computer with access to the Internet, and an e-mail
account is part of the service package. Your ISP can help you configure your
home e-mail account. This account can only be accessed on your home computer,
and typically provides the most privacy and security for your e-mail. It is
sometimes possible to access your home e-mail account from computers outside
of your home. This will depend on your ISP; please check with that company.
It is possible to sign up for an Internet-based e-mail account. There are several web sites that offer free Internet e-mail accounts. This type of e-mail account can provide you with greater flexibility as it can be accessed from any computer with Internet access.
Chatting
Chat rooms are places online where you can communicate with others instantaneously
using your keyboard. It takes a little getting used to, but with practice
can begin to feel very much like a telephone conversation. There are many
incredible uses for chat technology. If you call your sister in Georgia every
Sunday to talk with her and the kids, you know what the phone bills for that
can be. Now it is possible to get online with your family and friends at a
much lower cost, while taking advantage of this incredible new communication
device of the 21st century.
Indeed, 'chatting' may become increasingly important as the technology progresses. In August, 2000 President Clinton gave the first online presidential 'chat' address. Many authors, educators, and celebrities are now using this technology to communicate with a broad range of people. Many higher education institutions use this technology in many ways from conducting the entire course, to establishing meetings with experts, to contacting people and groups around the world.
Please be aware there are many different types of chat rooms, and using your best evaluation skills can be helpful in choosing the right one for you.
Mailing Lists
Mailing lists are discussion groups that use your e-mail to read and post
information about particular topics. Mailing lists are maintained by software
that automatically distributes an e-mail message from one member of a list
to all other members on that list.
When you subscribe to a list, your name and e-mail address is automatically added to the list. You will receive a standard letter of welcome (via e-mail) telling you about the list. From that time on, you will receive all mail (postings) sent to the list by its members. You may follow the discussions or join in on them. If you respond, you can send your response to the list (in which case, all members of the list will receive it), or to an individual on the list. You can signoff (unsubscribe) from a list at any time. You can also get a listing of all the members of a list and their e-mail addresses. Each mailing list description will give you directions for signing onto that mailing list.
Portions of this page were adopted from the New York Public Library's "Safety Net for the Internet".