WEEK SIX DISCUSSION BOARD - SUMMER I 2014

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brenda Tomeo on June 17, 2014 at 9:10am

The topic I choose to read more about was "Students Are The New Digital Influencers".  Check out the link below...

http://www.teachthought.com/social-media/students-new-digital-influ...

The article discusses the importance of creating a positive digital footprint by those in 8th grade or 13 year olds.  The young students are not aware of how sending a picture could be forwarded on and floating around in this technology driven society.  Students and even adults are not aware of the items which you think are deleted, but not really. 

In order to keep students safe, they must learn about digital identity and the risks of pictures and other items they post online.  It further goes onto discuss that their online posts are forever.  As a mother of a 20 year old I feared MySpace as this was extremely popular a few years ago and that "selfies" are now a common occurrence.   I tried to caution, monitor and view the site and explain the issues with posting pictures.

Now a days no one takes pictures with a regular camera (I still do) then develops the pictures at the local store, but rather people import them instantly to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share with the world.  It is a scary time and place that people share intimate details of their lives, where they go to eat as well as take a vacation.  We might as well post the address of the hotel we are staying at.   

In any case, digital identity and appropriate behavior should be taught as early as Kindergarten as the article mentions how kids are using and accessing mobile devices, laptops and other means of communication younger and younger. 

Teaching digital citizenship is an important role not only parents, students but teachers as well.  We want our students to be prepared for the world which lies ahead. 

I feel as both a teacher and parent we must instruct and identify with the up and coming trends associated with technology as even employers and colleges view online profiles and students may not obtain a job simply based upon their posts, tweets and pictures.

 

Permalink Reply by Gail Scharmberg on June 19, 2014 at 8:24am

I agree with you 100%, the earlier we make our children/students aware of digital footprints the safer they will be. Several years ago one of the allied health programs expelled a student because they posted inappropriate comments regarding an instructor on Facebook. People don't understand or think about the consequences of posting "all" for the world to see. Identity theft is also a real problem in the world today, everyone needs to realize that you don't need to share every little detail of your life for safety purposes. Plus, do people really care what you are doing every minute of the day?

Permalink Reply by Kelley on June 20, 2014 at 9:18am

Hi Brenda,

I recently saw an article that stated that many children will leave a digital footprint before they even turn 2 years old because we (their parents) post their pictures online. This stuck out to me and I always try to be mindful of the pictures I post of my son. I think to myself "would he be embarassed if people saw this when he was in high school?" before I post anything. I always think to myself how I need to take more "real" pictures that get printed instead of just taking pictures on my phone where they are so unpredictable. I hope that by teaching these concepts early, students/children will be aware that their digital footprint will follow them for ever and they need to be mindful of what they post!

Permalink Reply by Kevin Majewski on June 22, 2014 at 5:34pm

I completely agree with your concerns regarding how kids are using mobile devices, computer and other technological devices. I had an issue this past school year where some of my fifth graders would log into website that appeared to look like many other educational websites my students have been given permission to access throughout the school year. The difference in this site and many of the others was that this website allowed the students to "chat" with one another as well as with individuals they have never met. I personally think that this website should have caught the attention of the technology department so to make sure that they knew about this website several teachers along with myself emailed the technology department. The hope is that the students will now be unable able to access this website from any district computer. As a teacher, it is scary that students could be having an online conversation with someone who is claiming to be the same age as them when really that person could be an adult.

I agree with your statement about teaching children about digital identity and appropriate behavior. Children are learning how to log into computers and surf the internet at 3-4 years old, so what is appropriate behavior online and what is not should be taught to them as early as preschool and kindergarten.

Permalink Reply by Ashley Grant on June 23, 2014 at 9:51pm

Brenda, 

Recently it has become a common thing to see a teacher, parent or child posting on social media with the sole purpose of showing how far a single picture can travel. These photos get thousands of likes within days and sometimes even hours! I'm definitely scared to see the affects that this digital age has on our students. As an eighth grade teacher, I already hear about girls who have sent naked pictures to their boyfriend and then after they break up the boy shows the pictures to their friends. Something as small as one photo can completely change a child's life and reputation. I really think that these middle school students need to be spoken to specifically about web safety and the repercussions about their actions from a police officer (or someone that can scare them into believing the truth and not making decisions they will regret for the rest of their life!)

Permalink Reply by Kelly Winchell on June 24, 2014 at 9:21pm

Hi Brenda,

This topic is so scary to me!  I still think of my kids as too young to worry about this, but realistically they are not.  My oldest is almost 9 and has an ipod.   Right now, he doesn't know the password needed to get different apps so I have to enter it every time he wants a new app.  But how long will that last?  My biggest concern is that I don't even know what to be concerned about.  I mean, I can study up now, but something new will come up before I can master the last thing. 

I THINK...the key is to keep the lines of communication open with our own children as well as our students.  We need to listen to what they are saying and talking about if we are to have any chance of staying current with the technology they have at their fingertips.

Permalink Reply by Gail Scharmberg on June 19, 2014 at 7:34am

Although it is relatively short, the article I selected is titled: 7 Characteristics of a Digitally Competent Teacher. Here is the link: http://www.teachthought.com/technology/7-characteristics-digitally-... This article interests me because I often question myself; am I prepared to incorporate technology into my instruction or do I still have a lot to learn? To put it simply, the author lists the seven characteristics with a brief description. Here is a list of the characteristics and my self-evaluation regarding each one. You can integrate digital skills into everyday life: Evidently digital skills are transferable; since I do shop online I am able to teach online. You have a balanced attitude: I really like this one since the author point out that we are teachers not techies. I interpret this as using technology to enhance your instruction while making sure technology doesn’t take over your instruction. You’re open to using and trying new stuff: There are so many digital tools available; all an instructor needs to do is look for them. You can even challenge your students to find new and exciting ways to learn, you just need to make sure they work. You’re a digital communicator: I certainly know how to send an email and love social media. The trick is to appropriately incorporate it into your instruction. You can assess digital quality and utility: I must confess that this is something I need to work on but as I continue to take the EDT courses my knowledge base keeps growing. You understand and respect privacy: Working in healthcare for over 30 years has taught me a lot regarding patient privacy. This is easily transferred into my treatment of personal data so I do not have any concerns regarding this characteristic. You’re a digital citizen: This refers to appropriate online behavior, including social media sites. All of the allied health programs have a strict policy regarding social media. Several years ago a student was expelled from one of the programs for posting inappropriate comments on Facebook about one of their instructors. Each student must sign a waiver when entering a program that states they understand this policy. After reviewing each characteristic, I feel more confident in myself in regards to my digital competency. Looking toward the future I will utilize Black Board more; I am going to post an introductory discussion board and another area for students to ask each other questions and learn collaboratively. I plan to create more instructional video for my curriculum that usually presents a challenge to my students. Most of all, I plan to keep learning about new technology and apps that I can incorporate into my instruction by utilizing websites such as Thinkfinity, Web 2.0 and other educational resources.

Permalink Reply by Brenda Tomeo on June 20, 2014 at 1:28pm

Hey Gail!  Thank you for sharing the article you had chosen.  I first looked through the 7 characteristics before reading your comment and learned a lot about myself as well as where I needed to focus more on.  I thought I was technology oriented for the most part.  I like how you pointed out that you are a teacher not a techie and that technology does not run your classroom, you simply allow it to enrich your lessons.  I think as someone working in the health care field, having that ability to be mindful or careful of what information you share is crucial in protecting every ones privacy.  That experience will help you in the field.  I also love that students must sign a waiver when beginning the program in order to protect their privacy and that of the program.  Too often students are way to comfortable in posting status updates and expressing how they feel for everyone to read and repost.  I also think by offering a discussion board for your students to learn and collaborate with one another will be a great opportunity for them to learn.    Thanks!  Brenda

Permalink Reply by Ashley Grant on June 22, 2014 at 7:42pm

Gail,

I definitely feel that this article is kind of a "pick me up" for teachers who are unsure about using technology within their classroom. I wonder how well these skills really integrate into the classroom though. I know that I am/have a lot of the things that were listed in that post, but I often second guess myself on whether I am really ready for my students to have iPads next year. I've grown up in this technology world, however, there are still so many different things and tricks that I do not know. Are my basic functions really enough to begin implementation within my classroom? I hope so!

Permalink Reply by Kevin Majewski on June 23, 2014 at 8:36pm

Hi Gail,

I also read the article on the 7 Characteristics of a Digitally Competent Teacher. While the article was a bit short on length but was filled with a lot of useful information. After reading this article I realized that I am a lot more confident in my digital competency than I thought I was before reading this article. I definitely feel like children need to know the consequences of their behaviors online. Several of my students in the past two years have gotten into trouble because of issues they have started with other students on social media websites. I think if students knew how much their actions online affected themselves as well as others I think students would be more conscious of what they post or do. As far as incorporating technology into my classroom, I have began using instructional videos, specifically the flipped classroom model in my classroom as of this past spring. My students seemed to really enjoy the flipped classroom. Using this model allows me to go around the classroom and help students while they are watching me teach on the SMART board. Next year I plan to incorporate more flipped classroom videos, SMART board technology and Game Based Lessons into my regular instructional time.

Permalink Reply by David Miller on June 24, 2014 at 11:10am

Hey Gail, It seems like you're already digitally competent and you're just refining your knowledge and level of comfort with incorporating technology. Based on your own self-evaluation, I'd say you're pretty far ahead of a lot of teachers these days. The fact that you are aware of the areas where you need improvement is a plus. I also agree with you that these EDT courses have helped a lot in developing my ability to assess digital quality and utility. There are a large number of apps and sites that we have used for this program that I was aware of before, but I never realized how useful they could be in the classroom. I'm now taking more time to go back and review some of the resources I've found over the years so I can re-evaluate them. Hopefully I'll find some gems that I'd skipped over before.

Permalink Reply by Julie Hartman on August 20, 2014 at 6:39am

Great article and helpful for reflection. Thanks for sharing your reflection also. I like the balanced attitude tip.  

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