Digital Citizens, Internet Safety, and Students

I was reviewing the student safety features of an educational online tool for creating digital posters called Glogster EDU, and it got me thinking about how are we (teachers) and schools preparing students to be digital citizens? At first, I thought of digital citizenship meant knowing how to keep yourself safe on the internet, but I learned that it is so much more. Citizenship is not only knowing the laws, but also participating in the society in a productive manner.
In my searching, I came across a number of curriculums that propose to teach digital citizenry over multiple units and lessons. These sites talked about not only keeping students safe by protecting the information they share online, but also how to create a secure password. The sites also contained a literacy component of teaching students how to use the internet and to be critical evaluators of the information learned there.
With this new technology comes the possibility of misuse in the form of cyberbullying and digital cheating.

As I sat reading about the depth and breadth of digital citizenship, I began to wonder how MY elementary school was handling these same issues. I know that students as young as second grade have access to laptops, but I don't know what curriculum the school has adopted to teach these students about becoming a digital person of integrity.

Prior to entering the T-Cert program, I would not have described myself as techno-savvy. In fact, I was probably more like an ostrich, burying my head and ignoring the waves of change. During the two years of classes and training for becoming a teacher, I have moved into a new technology phase. I still wouldn't describe myself as techno-savvy: I have a dumb phone, as opposed to a SMART phone; I use a PC; and I'm not a fan of blogging. BUT, I know what the SMART phones can do; I have worked on a Mac and feel comfortable; and I see the purpose of blogs and the importance of being connected to a digital community for resources and growth in my career. I have learned to embrace technology and I am excited to discover new tools, tips, and programs. And now I want to help others embrace technology, too. Unlike the rest of teaching, I think technology is an area where students are way ahead of their teachers, and I want to catch up.

Using Voicethread to Share Math Strategies

During my Math Methods course this quarter, I was introduced to an online tool called Voicethread. This tool allows you to upload pictures, documents, or video, and then share them with others. You can comment using audio, video, or text features, and you can allow those who you share the thread with to make these comments as well.

I played around with the tool a lot this weekend and I used it to upload a teaching video that I needed to share with some other teachers. I can see the potential to use this tool among other educators as a way to challenge ourselves on our teaching craft. I also think it could be incorporated into an upper elementary, middle or high school level for certain projects.

We used Voicethread in my Math Methods course to show how some students think about solving quick image activities. These activities have you look at a picture comprised of grouping of images and you have just 3 seconds to count the images. We did an example in my Methods course with other teacher candidates, and I was surprised at how we each looked at the problem differently. During a field day placement, we used Flip cameras to record our students' thinking and then uploaded these videos onto voicethread to share and comment on their thinking amongst ourselves.

I have not worked all the kinks out yet, but I can see that voicethread will be a powerful tool to use to reflect on my teaching. It might also provide a new technology medium to use in my classroom for homework help or instruction.

Google Docs

I just spent the past two hours working in and with Google Docs, so I thought I should take a minute to describe my experience here. First, let me say that I am a big fan of this technology. It allows you to create a document, spreadsheet, or presentation which can then be shared among other users whom you select. I have worked on Google docs that others have created, but I had never before created one on my own. I like the automatic save feature, and the fact that you can see who else is editing the document at the same time. I think Google Docs is especially helpful for group projects - no more saving and renaming so you know you are working with the latest version. I can see how introducing this technology in the classroom would be helpful for students, especially students who have to work together on group projects. My vote is two thumbs up!

Professor Grover makes teaching look easy

Touch Apps Update

So, I successfully found and downloaded 6 free apps to my iTouch.  I had one criteria - that they be FREE.  I actually had fun looking for apps.  I found several that I thought were fun to play and also educational.  The two I like the best were Numberline and Pearl Diver.  I wrote reviews for these and put them on our class Wiki site.

My current questions about iTouch and apps regard how to best search for a particular app.  I searched for "special education" and "factorization" and these did not produce the kind of apps I was looking for.  It seems that the search function for apps is somewhat limited to the name of the app.  I wonder if the creators can tag the app so that it would be easier to search for it?

Blogging Reflections Update

I had a very clarifying experience, and it seems only right to share about it here as it has to do with blogging.  A few weeks back, I wrote a post about why people blog.  I understood the need to keep a journal or record of your thought process, and the need to be reflective, but I did not understand why people would want to post this kind of information online for anyone to read.  The truth is that blogging is sort of a professional discipline. It is allowing yourself to be vulnerable to the thoughts of others.  It is also creating a portal between you and another person so that you can learn from each other, and sort of hold each other accountable.

In our math class last week, our professor talked about her teaching experience and how she improved as a teacher when she reflected on her teaching methods.  She saw a gap between the curriculum and what her students were asked to do on tests, and so she created an activity to fill the gap.  Her improvement as a teacher and her decision to add to the curriculum would not have come about if she had not been reflecting.  When she told us that, a huge light bulb went on in my head.  I have noticed that each quarter we are asked to write papers reflecting on our teaching process, reflecting on the experience, reflecting on ..... whatever.  The goal of the teacher cert program I am enrolled in is to create a cohort of reflective educators.  That is their "gift" or what sets this program apart.  In previous quarters, when I saw the reflection assignments, I would sort of roll my eyes and grit my teeth.  I am not a super reflective person by nature, you see, and so writing reflective papers is not on my list of favorite things.  However, after class last week, I am starting to see the benefits and having a little change of heart.  I am going to look forward to being reflective, and blogging, and see these as opportunities to improve myself and my teaching craft. 

blogging reflections

Anyone who knows me, knows I am not a fan of blogging or bloggers.  I'm not opposed to the written word, I just don't particularly like having to wade through the thoughts of others.  Or rather the half-formed, misspelled thoughts of others.  I'd rather read something that had a professional editor attached to it, or a review board that would reject the "duds" and only publish the well-formed and well-articulated thoughts of others.  As I write this, I am fully aware of the hypocracy.  I rarely monitor my speech with the controls that I am advocating for bloggers, and I am writing this on a blog site.  I'll add the disclaimer that I am required to blog for my class, but that still leaves me with the problem of speech.  So, perhaps I have more in common with bloggers than I would like to admit.  They just write their thoughts, while I speak mine. 

Today, I was exposed to the idea that blogging could be useful - as a means of professional reflection.  Again, normally this would not appeal to me.  I am hardly a reflective person by nature, but this education program has sort of forced it on me, and well, I have been converted and I see the value in it, even if I still find it very difficult and unnatural (it's like trying to eat with a blindfold and with your opposite hand).  I can see how we, as humans, have lots of thoughts and ideas, and we all carry around our experiences and these serve as a filter through which we learn everything.  As we gain new experiences that inform what we think and by keeping a written record of these thoughts, we can chart our changing selves.  So now, professional blogging seems more like a journal or diary, except that it is 100% public and open for anyone to read.  Instead of writing these ideas down on paper with a pen, we use the computer and type them (which I understand - it is the technology of our day), but I still do not quite understand why we send them out into cyberspace for anyone else to read.  Is it the desire to leave something lasting behind?  The hope that we'll connect with someone else?  The longing to be seen and valued and acknowledged?  That is still the part I don't get.

Blog is no longer a four letter word for me, but I have not entirely embraced it either.

i See, i Touch

So, I consider myself one of the tech-challenged kids in my class.  But I impressed myself yesterday by charging my iTouch on my laptop and setting up my email.  This might not seem like much of an accomplishment, but I was glad to have made it that far.
I have not attempted to download any applications or applets yet.  I am not sure how to go about that.  I have iTunes and I think I was able to sync my touch to my computer.  Perhaps we could walk through one in class?
Regarding the apps you have to pay for, is there a 3-day trial where you can return if you don't like the product?  Is there a way to test an app before buying?  I guess I can forsee someone buying lots of apps because they are relatively cheap, but if they are not helpful or if you never use them, then why keep them.  Oh, right, you paid 99 cents for it. 

Thanks to our Professor for bearing with the slow ones in the group.  I think you have convinced us all of the merit of technology, but some of us may still need some hand-holding from time to time.