Welcome to EDLD 5316
Digital Citizenship
Putting your best foot forward
Week 1 of 5316 introduced the concept of digital citizenship. Before taking this course, I thought I understood what being a good digital citizen entailed. I believed as long as I took a common sense approach using the Internet, I would be safe. Come to find out, Digital Citizenship is a much larger umbrella than I ever imagined covering a plethora of topics related to much more than just safety.
In order to comprehend what is under the digital citizenship umbrella, it is helpful to share some definitions.
In order to comprehend what is under the digital citizenship umbrella, it is helpful to share some definitions.
- What is citizenship?
Source: dictionary.com
- What is digital citizenship?
Source: dictionary.com
Clearly, when comparing and contrasting the two, there is not much of a contrast. In comparison, it helps to understand the ways in which technology is being utilized in today's society. It has been said that just because kids know how to use social media, it does not mean they know how to use technology to enhance their learning.
This statement correlates nicely to the question, is there a difference between citizenship and digital citizenship? Today, I believe most kids are fortunate enough to be raised by an adult who is generally invested in developing a child with good character. Even children who lack this commitment from a parent can fill this void with the guidance of another family member, teacher or community member.
Children grow up knowing the six pillars of character, but do they always know how to apply them to enhance their learning? So, is there a difference between citizenship and digital citizenship? I say no. The difference comes in knowing how to filter massive amounts of digital info to make the correct choices in applying that knowledge to the real world.
When challenged to form my own definition of digital citizenship, I would definitely include the words character, commitment and community. Fellow Kappa Delta Pi member, Jason Ohler confirms this point in his article, Digital Citizenship Means Character Education for the Digital Age. Mr. Ohler states, "the digital age beckons a new era of character education, aimed directly at addressing the opportunities and challenges of living a digital lifestyle."
Taking the article into consideration, my definition of digital citizenship is as follows: A commitment to effectively applying positive character traits to actions within a highly functioning digital community.
In developing an understanding of digital citizenship and its implementation impact on school districts world wide, it is essential to identify the Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship.
This statement correlates nicely to the question, is there a difference between citizenship and digital citizenship? Today, I believe most kids are fortunate enough to be raised by an adult who is generally invested in developing a child with good character. Even children who lack this commitment from a parent can fill this void with the guidance of another family member, teacher or community member.
Children grow up knowing the six pillars of character, but do they always know how to apply them to enhance their learning? So, is there a difference between citizenship and digital citizenship? I say no. The difference comes in knowing how to filter massive amounts of digital info to make the correct choices in applying that knowledge to the real world.
When challenged to form my own definition of digital citizenship, I would definitely include the words character, commitment and community. Fellow Kappa Delta Pi member, Jason Ohler confirms this point in his article, Digital Citizenship Means Character Education for the Digital Age. Mr. Ohler states, "the digital age beckons a new era of character education, aimed directly at addressing the opportunities and challenges of living a digital lifestyle."
Taking the article into consideration, my definition of digital citizenship is as follows: A commitment to effectively applying positive character traits to actions within a highly functioning digital community.
In developing an understanding of digital citizenship and its implementation impact on school districts world wide, it is essential to identify the Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship.
Each of the nine elements of digital citizenship are interdependent on one another. With so many intersecting ideas, school districts can easily become tangled and trapped in the massive web of technology do's and don'ts. To avoid the complex nature of navigating digital citizenship, the elements are further broken down into three relatable principles: Respect, Educate and Protect.
With the REP's, understanding the nine elements of digital citizenship are as easy as 1, 2, 3. All you need to do is to grasp the three definitions of Respect, Educate and Protect and the three elements housed under each category. Then, you are well on your way to becoming a valuable member of the digital community.
It is no secret that school districts world wide are filled with students who have grown up in a rapidly advancing tech-filled world. Because of this, these students are considered to be digital natives.
I believe it is necessary to reiterate and caution educators that just because kids know how to use social media, it does not mean they know how to use technology to enhance their learning. It is equally important for schools to realize that simply hanging a few digital citizenship themed posters in the classrooms and in the hallways is not enough to call yourself a digital citizen. Schools must be aware that authentic digital citizenship learning happens when all stakeholders appropriately acquire the knowledge and effectively apply it to the real world.
For my school district, I would love to see more campuses engaged in digital literacy learning. It is hard to believe that the iPhone 7 is the worst technology a five year old will ever see in their lifetime. This rapid advance in technology is forcing schools to quickly catch up to the needs of digital native learners. Curriculums must be re-designed around the fast pace of learning in a digital society. Also, today’s scholars need to be taught the skills to filter the massive amounts of digital information and the proper ways to use this digital literacy knowledge to their best advantage.
As you can see, week 1 of 5316 was chocked full of valuable information to help all citizens put their best digital foot forward. I am excited for the weeks to come and the opportunities to discover the impact of every footprint left behind.
Sources: Ohler, J. (2012). Digital citizenship means character education for the digital age. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 77(8), 14-17. (PDF: Ohler_Digital_citizenship_means_character_education_2012.pdf)
It is no secret that school districts world wide are filled with students who have grown up in a rapidly advancing tech-filled world. Because of this, these students are considered to be digital natives.
I believe it is necessary to reiterate and caution educators that just because kids know how to use social media, it does not mean they know how to use technology to enhance their learning. It is equally important for schools to realize that simply hanging a few digital citizenship themed posters in the classrooms and in the hallways is not enough to call yourself a digital citizen. Schools must be aware that authentic digital citizenship learning happens when all stakeholders appropriately acquire the knowledge and effectively apply it to the real world.
For my school district, I would love to see more campuses engaged in digital literacy learning. It is hard to believe that the iPhone 7 is the worst technology a five year old will ever see in their lifetime. This rapid advance in technology is forcing schools to quickly catch up to the needs of digital native learners. Curriculums must be re-designed around the fast pace of learning in a digital society. Also, today’s scholars need to be taught the skills to filter the massive amounts of digital information and the proper ways to use this digital literacy knowledge to their best advantage.
As you can see, week 1 of 5316 was chocked full of valuable information to help all citizens put their best digital foot forward. I am excited for the weeks to come and the opportunities to discover the impact of every footprint left behind.
Sources: Ohler, J. (2012). Digital citizenship means character education for the digital age. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 77(8), 14-17. (PDF: Ohler_Digital_citizenship_means_character_education_2012.pdf)
Eating Dessert First
There are a lot of things you can say about this course, but lacking in resources is NOT one of them. Week 2 of EDLD 5316 challenged us to further understand the impact of technology on the way we live our daily lives.
Highlights of the week included: defining digital footprints, discovering our own electronic mark on society, a retrospective look at technological advances over the last thirty years along with how these innovations and predictions are shaping our future, linking connections between net neutrality and its purpose in today's education system and finally, creating an animated video to illustrate how certain progressions in technology are impacting digital citizenship.
When thinking of the impact the access to technology has upon my life and the lives of my students, I am reminded of how much technology in the classroom has evolved since I was a student. Growing up there were no telephones in the classroom. The only form of electronic communication was the intercom system where the teacher pressed the switch and talked into a speaker on the wall connected to the front office. The technology temptation was real even back then as there were so many times I wanted to pull the switch and talk or run. Equally as exciting were the times when the classroom door opened and out rolled the TV cart signifying technology day!
As a teacher with my very own classroom, I have seen technology advance from TV cart, to TV hanging on the wall, to a Purple Cow projector on wheels pre-loaded with curriculum, to an overhead projector/interactive whiteboard combo, to laptop carts and to the present 1:1 initiatives mixed with a little BYOD. With each advance in technology, I was more able to connect our learning to real world situations faster and better than ever before. Real-time learning brings an abundance of opportunities to acquire new knowledge and appropriately apply it creating more freedom for deeper learning.
But anyone with a hint of "Spidey sense" knows that with great power comes great responsibility. Throughout the DLL program, we were challenged to always remember to connect technology to learning. At times, I have become so involved in producing the product that I forget to make the most important connections. So, when discussing the power and responsibilities of digital citizens, who better to turn to than the ones with their fingers on the pulse of society...my students.
I enjoy asking my students some of our weekly discussion questions and hearing their various opinions. Recently and out of curiosity, I asked them to describe a digital footprint/tattoo. The best answer I received and could not have said better myself was a digital footprint/tattoo is a mark left behind after a decision you make that you may or may not regret. Funny how truthful kids can be with their definitions. I can definitely think of a few personal digital and non-digital tattoos that I may or may not regret.
Our class discussion over digital citizenship led us to identify all of the factors that go into the formation of an online reputation. I asked my students that if I were to look at their social media posts from the last six months would I have a different impression of the person they are outside of school versus the one I know inside of school? Surprisingly, most of them said they would be embarrassed for a teacher or administrator to see their social media pages. I challenged them to do a social media cleanse by taking down inappropriate posts or pics and unfollowing people who can be perceived as a negative influence. I asked them to imagine their social media pages were the only determining factors in their college acceptance. I want them to see their posts through the eyes of an adult with their future in their hands. I plan to follow up on our cleanse and hopefully they will have some "ah-ha" moments when it comes to their digital footprints.
As far as educating my students on their online presence, I strive to teach them good overall citizenship that hopefully carries over into their digital lives. But what about my digital life? Are my digital footprints ones I would want my students to follow?
I had not conducted a digital footprint search of myself in a long time. Wow, was I surprised by the findings. After Googling my full name, my biggest realizations were in the amount of images that immediately appeared. While my photos are all acceptable, I had no idea they were that easily accessible. Even a picture of my dear sweet MawMaw showed up and she has never had any form of social media. Possible explanations for this presence could be that we do share first names and I do an awful lot of including her in my social media life.
I did see a profile for myself on Rate My Teachers. It had me currently employed at school I have not worked at for three years now. Luckily, there are no reviews negative or positive. My digital footprint showed up on the major social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Thankfully, I never created a MySpace, so no awful memories to relive and delete with that one. I do have separate Twitter accounts established for work and home. I realized that I need to revisit some of my privacy settings on Facebook and Twitter as some school posts and home posts have the potential to crossover into that social media gray area of info sharing.
Highlights of the week included: defining digital footprints, discovering our own electronic mark on society, a retrospective look at technological advances over the last thirty years along with how these innovations and predictions are shaping our future, linking connections between net neutrality and its purpose in today's education system and finally, creating an animated video to illustrate how certain progressions in technology are impacting digital citizenship.
When thinking of the impact the access to technology has upon my life and the lives of my students, I am reminded of how much technology in the classroom has evolved since I was a student. Growing up there were no telephones in the classroom. The only form of electronic communication was the intercom system where the teacher pressed the switch and talked into a speaker on the wall connected to the front office. The technology temptation was real even back then as there were so many times I wanted to pull the switch and talk or run. Equally as exciting were the times when the classroom door opened and out rolled the TV cart signifying technology day!
As a teacher with my very own classroom, I have seen technology advance from TV cart, to TV hanging on the wall, to a Purple Cow projector on wheels pre-loaded with curriculum, to an overhead projector/interactive whiteboard combo, to laptop carts and to the present 1:1 initiatives mixed with a little BYOD. With each advance in technology, I was more able to connect our learning to real world situations faster and better than ever before. Real-time learning brings an abundance of opportunities to acquire new knowledge and appropriately apply it creating more freedom for deeper learning.
But anyone with a hint of "Spidey sense" knows that with great power comes great responsibility. Throughout the DLL program, we were challenged to always remember to connect technology to learning. At times, I have become so involved in producing the product that I forget to make the most important connections. So, when discussing the power and responsibilities of digital citizens, who better to turn to than the ones with their fingers on the pulse of society...my students.
I enjoy asking my students some of our weekly discussion questions and hearing their various opinions. Recently and out of curiosity, I asked them to describe a digital footprint/tattoo. The best answer I received and could not have said better myself was a digital footprint/tattoo is a mark left behind after a decision you make that you may or may not regret. Funny how truthful kids can be with their definitions. I can definitely think of a few personal digital and non-digital tattoos that I may or may not regret.
Our class discussion over digital citizenship led us to identify all of the factors that go into the formation of an online reputation. I asked my students that if I were to look at their social media posts from the last six months would I have a different impression of the person they are outside of school versus the one I know inside of school? Surprisingly, most of them said they would be embarrassed for a teacher or administrator to see their social media pages. I challenged them to do a social media cleanse by taking down inappropriate posts or pics and unfollowing people who can be perceived as a negative influence. I asked them to imagine their social media pages were the only determining factors in their college acceptance. I want them to see their posts through the eyes of an adult with their future in their hands. I plan to follow up on our cleanse and hopefully they will have some "ah-ha" moments when it comes to their digital footprints.
As far as educating my students on their online presence, I strive to teach them good overall citizenship that hopefully carries over into their digital lives. But what about my digital life? Are my digital footprints ones I would want my students to follow?
I had not conducted a digital footprint search of myself in a long time. Wow, was I surprised by the findings. After Googling my full name, my biggest realizations were in the amount of images that immediately appeared. While my photos are all acceptable, I had no idea they were that easily accessible. Even a picture of my dear sweet MawMaw showed up and she has never had any form of social media. Possible explanations for this presence could be that we do share first names and I do an awful lot of including her in my social media life.
I did see a profile for myself on Rate My Teachers. It had me currently employed at school I have not worked at for three years now. Luckily, there are no reviews negative or positive. My digital footprint showed up on the major social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Thankfully, I never created a MySpace, so no awful memories to relive and delete with that one. I do have separate Twitter accounts established for work and home. I realized that I need to revisit some of my privacy settings on Facebook and Twitter as some school posts and home posts have the potential to crossover into that social media gray area of info sharing.
Click below to follow Pasadena ISD AVID on Twitter
The intrigue surrounding cyberspace's impact on daily life continued with a retrospective look at technological advances over the last thirty years along with how these innovations and predictions are shaping our future. Nicholas Negroponte, a pioneer in the field of computer technology, stars in a thought provoking TedTalk that revisits past innovations and leaves the audience riveted with the predictions of those yet to come.
Nicholas Negroponte: A 30-year history of the future
Duration: (19:44)
User: TED - Added: 7/8/14
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b5BDoddOLA
Duration: (19:44)
User: TED - Added: 7/8/14
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b5BDoddOLA
“We are going to ingest information.” ~ Nicholas Negroponte
To ingest information, I am instantly fascinated by this forward thinking concept. At first, I was skeptical of this notion, but Negroponte’s 40+ year track record of predicting technology innovations and them eventually coming true was enough to convince me to entertain the highly likely future of information gathering through ingestion.
I cannot help but think of the possibilities this biotechnology brings to Alzheimer's and other cognitive robbing disease research. Can you imagine giving back memories to people who were resolved to the fact they were lost forever? Think of the flip side, what if you could put the memories you would like to forget inside of a pill and with one swallow they were erased from your mind forever.
Deciphering this quote reminds me in my professional educational career to never be afraid to ask questions because like Clayton Christensen says, questions are the places in the mind where the answers fit. If you never ask the question, the answer has nowhere to go. Negroponte teaches us the value in unplugging from the digital overload and allowing time for your mind to wonder, to innovate and to predict. You might have to wait 30 years for the answers to find their true fit, but I would venture to say it will be well worth the wait.
Week 2 continued to impress with the introduction of net neutrality and its current effects on the education system. According to Google, net neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites.
In my opinion, net neutrality matters to education because it opens the door for big business corporations to enter in and take over our public schools, especially budgets and funding of initiatives. The education system cannot be run like a corporation. I cannot stand to hear the buzzwords – the principal is the CEO of a campus and the students are its customers.
It seems business has a way of bringing about competition. This notion gives an educational advantage to only those schools who can afford to pay for faster, better web services. Isn't all supposed to mean ALL especially in education?
I have a hard time with treating all Internet traffic or all students equally. Think if we had equal healthcare. One person goes to the doctor for a cut on their finger, another for a broken leg and another for cancer treatment. At "equal" doctor’s office everyone is treated the same and all three get a band-aid. It makes no sense.
In education, the concept of equal is often confused with equitable. Equity deals with being fair and something that is fair is not always equal. If all truly means all in education, then maybe net neutrality regulations need to do some equity work before imposing their corporate interests on education.
Along the lines of how net neutrality effects education is the concept of providing Internet access in schools.
A really nice change of pace came in the form of a guest speaker joining us on our weekly video conference. I enjoyed Ms. Johnson’s insight into the rights and responsibilities of providing Internet access for schools, protecting students' online activities and the necessities of Acceptable Use Policies.
For me, listening to the talk on E-RATES was like listening to a conversation in a foreign language. I did begin to pick up on some of the lingo and conducted some research of my own within my district. I called a friend in the district that works in the IT department and said talk to me about E-RATES. Their initial response was a huge laugh, a why do you want to know and a how long do you have.
To ingest information, I am instantly fascinated by this forward thinking concept. At first, I was skeptical of this notion, but Negroponte’s 40+ year track record of predicting technology innovations and them eventually coming true was enough to convince me to entertain the highly likely future of information gathering through ingestion.
I cannot help but think of the possibilities this biotechnology brings to Alzheimer's and other cognitive robbing disease research. Can you imagine giving back memories to people who were resolved to the fact they were lost forever? Think of the flip side, what if you could put the memories you would like to forget inside of a pill and with one swallow they were erased from your mind forever.
Deciphering this quote reminds me in my professional educational career to never be afraid to ask questions because like Clayton Christensen says, questions are the places in the mind where the answers fit. If you never ask the question, the answer has nowhere to go. Negroponte teaches us the value in unplugging from the digital overload and allowing time for your mind to wonder, to innovate and to predict. You might have to wait 30 years for the answers to find their true fit, but I would venture to say it will be well worth the wait.
Week 2 continued to impress with the introduction of net neutrality and its current effects on the education system. According to Google, net neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites.
In my opinion, net neutrality matters to education because it opens the door for big business corporations to enter in and take over our public schools, especially budgets and funding of initiatives. The education system cannot be run like a corporation. I cannot stand to hear the buzzwords – the principal is the CEO of a campus and the students are its customers.
It seems business has a way of bringing about competition. This notion gives an educational advantage to only those schools who can afford to pay for faster, better web services. Isn't all supposed to mean ALL especially in education?
I have a hard time with treating all Internet traffic or all students equally. Think if we had equal healthcare. One person goes to the doctor for a cut on their finger, another for a broken leg and another for cancer treatment. At "equal" doctor’s office everyone is treated the same and all three get a band-aid. It makes no sense.
In education, the concept of equal is often confused with equitable. Equity deals with being fair and something that is fair is not always equal. If all truly means all in education, then maybe net neutrality regulations need to do some equity work before imposing their corporate interests on education.
Along the lines of how net neutrality effects education is the concept of providing Internet access in schools.
A really nice change of pace came in the form of a guest speaker joining us on our weekly video conference. I enjoyed Ms. Johnson’s insight into the rights and responsibilities of providing Internet access for schools, protecting students' online activities and the necessities of Acceptable Use Policies.
For me, listening to the talk on E-RATES was like listening to a conversation in a foreign language. I did begin to pick up on some of the lingo and conducted some research of my own within my district. I called a friend in the district that works in the IT department and said talk to me about E-RATES. Their initial response was a huge laugh, a why do you want to know and a how long do you have.
Click on the link below for more info on E-RATES
I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn from an expert on some pretty tricky technology topics. My biggest take-away from our meeting was this advice gem: TRY TO STAY ONE STEP BEHIND THE STUDENTS WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM! These days, I'm lucky to be two or three.
Week 2 of EDLD 5316 culminated in the production of a video supporting how advances in technology have impacted digital citizenship. I selected the hot topic of customer review websites and their effect on determining the online reputation of small business owners.
Do you remember a time when you wanted to try a new restaurant? Prior to such customer review sites as Yelp became popular, we would just go into the restaurant, sit down and give it a try. Now, before we ever get off of the couch, decisions to eat, shop and live are instantly made for us by the opinions of those who ventured ahead of us.
Inevitably, the more adventures you have dining out, the more chances you have to experience bad customer service. Unfortunately, when we do have a negative public experience, our ability to communicate our discontent remains public through postings on social media platforms. Expressing opinions on the Internet can be difficult for those with no sense of digital etiquette. No matter the situation, people need to slow down and think before they post the good or the bad of what they are feeling.
Week 2 of EDLD 5316 culminated in the production of a video supporting how advances in technology have impacted digital citizenship. I selected the hot topic of customer review websites and their effect on determining the online reputation of small business owners.
Do you remember a time when you wanted to try a new restaurant? Prior to such customer review sites as Yelp became popular, we would just go into the restaurant, sit down and give it a try. Now, before we ever get off of the couch, decisions to eat, shop and live are instantly made for us by the opinions of those who ventured ahead of us.
Inevitably, the more adventures you have dining out, the more chances you have to experience bad customer service. Unfortunately, when we do have a negative public experience, our ability to communicate our discontent remains public through postings on social media platforms. Expressing opinions on the Internet can be difficult for those with no sense of digital etiquette. No matter the situation, people need to slow down and think before they post the good or the bad of what they are feeling.
View the video below to discover the
impact of customer review websites on digital citizenship
Madeline Brandi Collins: Protect Your Online Reputation
Duration: (2:55)
User: YouTube - Added: 3/8/17
YouTube URL: https://youtu.be/HsuzhSnwsx0
Duration: (2:55)
User: YouTube - Added: 3/8/17
YouTube URL: https://youtu.be/HsuzhSnwsx0
It has been said that people tend to consume the information they find the most interesting, much like eating their dessert first. I can definitely say that week 2 of EDLD 5316 was like being served a sixteen course meal. The resources kept coming one after another with each silver dome reveal increasing in its presentation flare.
Several times during the week, I pushed back from the table and threw my hands up in defeat. Signaling I had had enough but, most of it looked so good that I kept returning for more. Admittedly, during the week there were items served that I wanted so badly to feed to the dog under the table. As unhappy as I was struggling to ingest enormous amounts of information, it was an opportunity for unexpected growth. By the end, I was able to sift through the overwhelming aspects to find the sweet spots. This week, I can definitely say...eating dessert first has made all the difference.
Several times during the week, I pushed back from the table and threw my hands up in defeat. Signaling I had had enough but, most of it looked so good that I kept returning for more. Admittedly, during the week there were items served that I wanted so badly to feed to the dog under the table. As unhappy as I was struggling to ingest enormous amounts of information, it was an opportunity for unexpected growth. By the end, I was able to sift through the overwhelming aspects to find the sweet spots. This week, I can definitely say...eating dessert first has made all the difference.
Sometimes Permission is Better than Forgiveness
It is week 3 of 5316 and I have one question...Anyone know a Philadelphia lawyer? The course I affectionately refer to as "THE BEAST" continued with its barrage of resources, as we were challenged to understand the rights and responsibilities of digital citizens regarding copyright law, plagiarism, fair use, public domain, creative commons and the TEACH Act.
The rules surrounding Copyrights and Copywrongs led off the week as we were asked to comment on the following statement: "The effective use of copyrighted materials enhances the teaching and learning process."
Reflecting on the statement, I was reminded of my days as a Criminal Justice undergrad. As an aspiring officer, one of the first things you are taught is ignorance of the law is no excuse. The same statement applies to using copyrighted materials to enhance the teaching and learning process. Teachers and students cannot claim unawareness of copyright or fair use laws as a reason to go forward with using such materials in effective learning.
In this situation, effective use is the key. After all, any materials when used “effectively” can enhance the teaching and learning process. When it comes to preparing a lesson with possible copyrighted materials, teachers need to do their homework. If researching does not uncover the answers to its acceptable use then simply “ask” the owner for permission to use their work or do not use it.
Once the teachers are educated on the use of copyrighted materials, it is time to pass that knowledge
onto the students. It is important for students to understand why we have copyright laws in the first place and the legal factors involved in determining what is or is not proper use.
Students need to comprehend that the creator of the work is the owner of the work as soon as the ideas are expressed in a tangible medium, therefore giving the owner the potential to gain financially from their work. When educating on the rights, teachers also need to inform students on their responsibilities related to using copyrighted materials. Simply teaching students how to find the creator of the work and ask for permission could save everyone a lot of hassle in the future and a hassle free classroom leaves more time to create significant learning environments.
The rules surrounding Copyrights and Copywrongs led off the week as we were asked to comment on the following statement: "The effective use of copyrighted materials enhances the teaching and learning process."
Reflecting on the statement, I was reminded of my days as a Criminal Justice undergrad. As an aspiring officer, one of the first things you are taught is ignorance of the law is no excuse. The same statement applies to using copyrighted materials to enhance the teaching and learning process. Teachers and students cannot claim unawareness of copyright or fair use laws as a reason to go forward with using such materials in effective learning.
In this situation, effective use is the key. After all, any materials when used “effectively” can enhance the teaching and learning process. When it comes to preparing a lesson with possible copyrighted materials, teachers need to do their homework. If researching does not uncover the answers to its acceptable use then simply “ask” the owner for permission to use their work or do not use it.
Once the teachers are educated on the use of copyrighted materials, it is time to pass that knowledge
onto the students. It is important for students to understand why we have copyright laws in the first place and the legal factors involved in determining what is or is not proper use.
Students need to comprehend that the creator of the work is the owner of the work as soon as the ideas are expressed in a tangible medium, therefore giving the owner the potential to gain financially from their work. When educating on the rights, teachers also need to inform students on their responsibilities related to using copyrighted materials. Simply teaching students how to find the creator of the work and ask for permission could save everyone a lot of hassle in the future and a hassle free classroom leaves more time to create significant learning environments.
Checkout the good people over at Education World for a comprehensive guide to copyright and fair use in the classroom.
Overall, this week was extremely eye-opening when it came to the right and responsibilities of educators regarding copyright infringement and fair use. I learned more than I wanted to about the laws surrounding film and/or film clip usage in the classroom leaving me with no claim of ignorance. I know now when deciding whether or not to use certain materials in class that I need to run a checklist on its purpose, nature, amount and effect of its intended use.
When I first started teaching I was given a piece of valuable advice. I was told that in most cases it is better for the teacher to ask for forgiveness rather than to ask for permission. I can honestly say I have lived by this adage for many years with hardly any significant backlash.
However, this course has caused me to rethink the situations in which it is appropriate to apply the motto. And from here on out, this teacher will ALWAYS ask for permission rather than beg the copyright police for forgiveness.
Why Stop at Empathy...
Week 4 of EDLD 5316 focused on the hot topic of cyberbullying. We were asked to investigate the differences between bullying and cyberbullying, identify the impact cyberbullying has on student achievement and to explore possible strategies educational leaders have for combating cyberbullying both inside and outside of the school building.
Having taught junior high students for the last fourteen years, I feel somewhat of an expert on the topic of bullying. Unfortunately, over the years, I have seen my fair share of bullies in action. Also, I have seen the types of bullying evolve from name calling to sexual harassment to cyberbullying with each incident becoming increasingly more alarming and harmful to the target.
Cyberbullying is defined as bullying that takes place through the use of an electronic communication device. In order to fully understand cyberbullying, it is best to first recognize what is bullying. Bullying can be described as the intentional hurt, harm or humiliation of a person by another’s words or actions. Often bullying is a repeated action but can be solo in occurrence.
Therefore, cyberbullying is simply bullying with the assistance of technology. Anyone can be affected by bullying. However, children who are perceived as “different” in some way by their classmates or community are more likely to experience the harmful effects of bullying.
In educating today’s youths on the seriousness of cyberbullying, it is important to teach the concept of diversity. Children as early as Pre-K 3 need to be taught to embrace the variety of backgrounds and interests of their peers. Also, teachers need to be trained on meeting the needs of an ethnically, culturally and spiritually diverse community of learners.
Just as this community of learners grow and change, so do their interests and beliefs making
the need for teaching appropriate technology use even more important than ever before.
Teachers must understand that culture is what they allow in their classrooms. With a curriculum rich in diversity and the proper modeling of technology use, teachers hold the power to forever change our cyber culture for the better.
In researching all things cyberbullying, I was taken aback by one of our resources, a TedTalk featuring Monica Lewinsky. I initially thought what could this famous scandal have to do with cyberbullying? After all, it did happen in 1998 before the advent of social media influences. After watching the video below, I quickly realized its poignant connections to our current cyber culture.
Having taught junior high students for the last fourteen years, I feel somewhat of an expert on the topic of bullying. Unfortunately, over the years, I have seen my fair share of bullies in action. Also, I have seen the types of bullying evolve from name calling to sexual harassment to cyberbullying with each incident becoming increasingly more alarming and harmful to the target.
Cyberbullying is defined as bullying that takes place through the use of an electronic communication device. In order to fully understand cyberbullying, it is best to first recognize what is bullying. Bullying can be described as the intentional hurt, harm or humiliation of a person by another’s words or actions. Often bullying is a repeated action but can be solo in occurrence.
Therefore, cyberbullying is simply bullying with the assistance of technology. Anyone can be affected by bullying. However, children who are perceived as “different” in some way by their classmates or community are more likely to experience the harmful effects of bullying.
In educating today’s youths on the seriousness of cyberbullying, it is important to teach the concept of diversity. Children as early as Pre-K 3 need to be taught to embrace the variety of backgrounds and interests of their peers. Also, teachers need to be trained on meeting the needs of an ethnically, culturally and spiritually diverse community of learners.
Just as this community of learners grow and change, so do their interests and beliefs making
the need for teaching appropriate technology use even more important than ever before.
Teachers must understand that culture is what they allow in their classrooms. With a curriculum rich in diversity and the proper modeling of technology use, teachers hold the power to forever change our cyber culture for the better.
In researching all things cyberbullying, I was taken aback by one of our resources, a TedTalk featuring Monica Lewinsky. I initially thought what could this famous scandal have to do with cyberbullying? After all, it did happen in 1998 before the advent of social media influences. After watching the video below, I quickly realized its poignant connections to our current cyber culture.
T. (2015, March 20). The price of shame | Monica Lewinsky. Retrieved March 21, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_8y0WLm78U
I enjoyed the opportunity to revisit the Monica Lewinsky story and to view it from a much different lens than a college sophomore in 1998. One take-away is that we are allowing a culture of humiliation because it is an easy way to make a profit. Mrs. Lewinsky stated that public humiliation is a commodity and shame is an industry(Lewinsky, 2015). It makes me wonder how the principles of supply and demand apply to social media?
Mrs. Lewinsky also stated that shame cannot survive empathy(Lewinsky, 2015). I agree with Mrs. Lewinsky that being empathetic is a trait that is difficult for most people. I believe sympathy often gets confused with empathy. It is easy to say you care about someone's feelings because sympathy is a reaction to someone's situation. But it is much more difficult to be empathetic to someone because that requires you to personally invest in knowing that person so you can feel their pain. I do not like how people carelessly throw around the line, "I feel your pain". STOP THAT PEOPLE unless you truly understand what empathy means.
The image below represents the various emotions surrounding bullying. I believe the engagement arrow should be extended to include Altruism. I say why stop at empathy and compassion when we can be altruistic. Not until people are truly unselfish in the way we treat others both on and off line will society have a much needed cultural revolution.
Mrs. Lewinsky also stated that shame cannot survive empathy(Lewinsky, 2015). I agree with Mrs. Lewinsky that being empathetic is a trait that is difficult for most people. I believe sympathy often gets confused with empathy. It is easy to say you care about someone's feelings because sympathy is a reaction to someone's situation. But it is much more difficult to be empathetic to someone because that requires you to personally invest in knowing that person so you can feel their pain. I do not like how people carelessly throw around the line, "I feel your pain". STOP THAT PEOPLE unless you truly understand what empathy means.
The image below represents the various emotions surrounding bullying. I believe the engagement arrow should be extended to include Altruism. I say why stop at empathy and compassion when we can be altruistic. Not until people are truly unselfish in the way we treat others both on and off line will society have a much needed cultural revolution.
Source: Robert Shelton
Looking at cyberbullying through the lens of a district technology officer gave a very different perspective. As a district administrator, I am required by law to investigate all claims of bullying including cyberbullying. Combating cyberbullies takes the effort of all community stakeholders. Here are some suggestions on actions administrators, faculty and staff can take when cyberbullying issues arise in your district:
- ask district IT staff for help in preserving any trails of cyber evidence relevant to the incidents
- bring in the school counselor to address both the victim and the bullies
- get the campus principal involved in assessing the overall climate of the campus and feeder schools ensuring that the environment is one where students feel safe to interact and learn free from barriers
- develop ongoing support and training for faculty and staff regarding bullying prevention
- revisit campus policies and procedures to make sure they are up to date with the rapid changes in technology
- set district wide expectations for bullying prevention to be included throughout the curriculum at every grade level
For more info on how administrators can prevent bullying, check out the helpful guide from stopbullying.gov
To sum up our thoughts on the week's learning, the question was asked if you had unlimited resources (money, time and people), what would you do to prevent cyberbullying and promote kindness?
Tough question, but if I had unlimited resources, I would design a curriculum built around altruism that would begin as early as Pre-K 3 year olds. After all, society at any age could benefit from a little unselfish regard for the well-being of others. Maybe then thinking before you post will become an altruistic societal norm.
Lewinsky, M. (2015, March 20). The price of shame | Monica Lewinsky [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_8y0WLm78U
Tough question, but if I had unlimited resources, I would design a curriculum built around altruism that would begin as early as Pre-K 3 year olds. After all, society at any age could benefit from a little unselfish regard for the well-being of others. Maybe then thinking before you post will become an altruistic societal norm.
Lewinsky, M. (2015, March 20). The price of shame | Monica Lewinsky [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_8y0WLm78U
Digital Citizenship...It's Your CHOICE!
Welcome to the last week of EDLD 5316 Digital Citizenship! When I first glanced at the syllabus for this course and saw the mountain of resources and assignment requirements, I thought this had to be a cruel joke. This course was the tenth one I had taken in the DLL program and absolutely NO part of it fit the five week model I had grown accustomed to over the last 18 months. Was I being tested to see if I could recognize what a course with little to no COVA would look like? Unfortunately not, this course and its requirements were no joke.
After the initial shock wore off, I decided to embrace this course for what it is...another opportunity for personal growth. With this mindset, I was more determined than ever not to let this course beat me and blow up the 4.0 I have worked so hard to maintain throughout the entire Master's program.
Although each week seemed more daunting than the one before, my saving graces were always my colleagues and my professor. I could not have asked for better sounding boards, collaborative discussions and understanding accommodations by all. Knowing I would be supported throughout this learning experience, I set out on the curviest leg of my DLL journey thus far.
Week 1 set the tone by introducing the 9 Elements of Digital Citizenship. I never realized that digital citizenship is a much larger umbrella covering a plethora of topics related to much more than just safety. In researching digital citizenship, my eyes were opened to the challenges school districts face in educating the generations of digital natives on the appropriate use of technology both inside and outside of the school building.
Continuing with the theme of digital awareness, week 2 was all about recognizing your digital footprint. The best moment of the week came when I asked my junior high students to define a digital footprint/tattoo. Their response was a digital footprint/tattoo is a mark left behind after a decision you make that you may or may not regret. Out of the mouth of babes...right! I can definitely think of a few personal digital and non-digital tattoos that I may or may not regret. The culmination of week 2 came in the form of a PowToon video supporting how advances in technology have impacted digital citizenship. I selected the hot topic of customer review websites and their effect on determining the online reputation of small business owners. After 10 courses, I finally decided to tackle the production of my first PowToon video.
To be honest, in the beginning of the program, I hated PowToon. We would go round and round until I finally gave up and went to Prezi. Since I was determined not to let this class beat me, I was also determined not to let PowToon beat me. I trusted the process and produced a quality product. I found PowToon to be the easiest of the free video production products to record and add voice overs. However, I discovered I hate to hear my own voice on playback. So, if I could do anything differently when producing videos, I would pay for the professional voice over upgrade feature or recruit one of my friends to be the voice of my productions.
Week 3 I felt the need to call on the services of a Philadelphia lawyer as we tackled the complicated topics surrounding the rights and responsibilities of digital citizens regarding copyright law, plagiarism, fair use, public domain, creative commons and the TEACH Act. This week I was reminded of a time very long ago when I was given two very important pieces of advice: 1. ignorance of the law is no excuse and 2. it is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. After reviewing several cases of where teachers and students violated copy right and/or fair use laws, I decided to further educate myself on the responsibilities of teaching in a digital world along with reminding myself to recognize the situations that call for permission first rather than forgiveness later. Week 4 was a blast from the past as we connected the very famous Monica Lewinsky scandal from 1998 to the present state of ease at which people's private lives are played out through social media. Monica Lewinsky proved to be an excellent advocate for stopping the trauma of cyberbullying and other modern day forms of harassment through technology. After revisiting Monica's story, I believe we all could benefit from being more altruistic in the way we treat others both on and off line.
Finally, week 5 arrived and I was still alive with a lot left on my plate to finish. First order of business was to capture our view of digital citizenship in 10 words or less. Below is my mantra created using the free program Venngage.
After the initial shock wore off, I decided to embrace this course for what it is...another opportunity for personal growth. With this mindset, I was more determined than ever not to let this course beat me and blow up the 4.0 I have worked so hard to maintain throughout the entire Master's program.
Although each week seemed more daunting than the one before, my saving graces were always my colleagues and my professor. I could not have asked for better sounding boards, collaborative discussions and understanding accommodations by all. Knowing I would be supported throughout this learning experience, I set out on the curviest leg of my DLL journey thus far.
Week 1 set the tone by introducing the 9 Elements of Digital Citizenship. I never realized that digital citizenship is a much larger umbrella covering a plethora of topics related to much more than just safety. In researching digital citizenship, my eyes were opened to the challenges school districts face in educating the generations of digital natives on the appropriate use of technology both inside and outside of the school building.
Continuing with the theme of digital awareness, week 2 was all about recognizing your digital footprint. The best moment of the week came when I asked my junior high students to define a digital footprint/tattoo. Their response was a digital footprint/tattoo is a mark left behind after a decision you make that you may or may not regret. Out of the mouth of babes...right! I can definitely think of a few personal digital and non-digital tattoos that I may or may not regret. The culmination of week 2 came in the form of a PowToon video supporting how advances in technology have impacted digital citizenship. I selected the hot topic of customer review websites and their effect on determining the online reputation of small business owners. After 10 courses, I finally decided to tackle the production of my first PowToon video.
To be honest, in the beginning of the program, I hated PowToon. We would go round and round until I finally gave up and went to Prezi. Since I was determined not to let this class beat me, I was also determined not to let PowToon beat me. I trusted the process and produced a quality product. I found PowToon to be the easiest of the free video production products to record and add voice overs. However, I discovered I hate to hear my own voice on playback. So, if I could do anything differently when producing videos, I would pay for the professional voice over upgrade feature or recruit one of my friends to be the voice of my productions.
Week 3 I felt the need to call on the services of a Philadelphia lawyer as we tackled the complicated topics surrounding the rights and responsibilities of digital citizens regarding copyright law, plagiarism, fair use, public domain, creative commons and the TEACH Act. This week I was reminded of a time very long ago when I was given two very important pieces of advice: 1. ignorance of the law is no excuse and 2. it is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. After reviewing several cases of where teachers and students violated copy right and/or fair use laws, I decided to further educate myself on the responsibilities of teaching in a digital world along with reminding myself to recognize the situations that call for permission first rather than forgiveness later. Week 4 was a blast from the past as we connected the very famous Monica Lewinsky scandal from 1998 to the present state of ease at which people's private lives are played out through social media. Monica Lewinsky proved to be an excellent advocate for stopping the trauma of cyberbullying and other modern day forms of harassment through technology. After revisiting Monica's story, I believe we all could benefit from being more altruistic in the way we treat others both on and off line.
Finally, week 5 arrived and I was still alive with a lot left on my plate to finish. First order of business was to capture our view of digital citizenship in 10 words or less. Below is my mantra created using the free program Venngage.
Part two of my culminating assignment was to write a scholarly reflection that explored the theoretical and practical understanding of the elements of digital citizenship. Reflecting on the nine elements of digital citizenship, I opted to focus my writing on the concept of digital health as I believe it is important for parents, students and educators to understand and embrace some necessary technology lifestyle changes.
collins_b_edld_5316_assignment_5_digital_citizenship_paper.docx | |
File Size: | 117 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Although I seemed to conquer PowToon, in part 3 of my culminating project, I returned to what was familiar and less time consuming to produce...Prezi. The purpose of my Prezi was to educate parents, who attended AVID Parent Night, on topic of digital citizenship. The information in my Prezi ties to the info presented in my scholarly essay. My Prezi serves an assessment tool for parents to rate the overall digital health of their family.
In retrospect, what I perceived as barriers in this course were nothing more than challenges that needed overcoming. I was able to continue trusting in the process and produce what I believe to be some of my best work. The one take-away from this course that I want everyone to have is to always make good choices when it comes to digital citizenship. I am extremely proud of my digital footprints and you should be proud of yours too.