· What did you learn about digital citizenship?
I learned that there are nine elements to digital citizenship. I learned that practicing good digital citizenship requires being and an advocate for yourself and an advocate for others in the digital space. I learned valuable information about copyright laws and how it relates to my profession, lessons, and graduate schoolwork. · What was your biggest accomplishment in the course? My biggest accomplishment in this course was completing the leading video. I was not sure if I would be able to get participants in time. To my surprise, each of the participants were willing and eager to contribute to my presentation on diversity and social issues. · What challenges did you face in completing this course? The challenges I faced in this course were understanding digital laws and coming up with five resources each week for the journal entries. I was also pretty sick when editing and recording the first and final part of my video, so getting through it was definitely a challenge. · What was your best work for the course and explain why it was your best. What did you learn by creating it? My best work in this course was my reflective essay because I was able to outline and apply everything I learned throughout the course. I learned that digital citizenship applies to the multi-faceted ways in which we live. · How does what you learned through completing this course connect to your outside the classroom experiences? In my essay I was able to expand on this, and I feel that outside of the classroom and outside of work, we are still digital citizens. We have to adhere to the same responsibilities online and in a digital realm as we would in the classroom. · What was the one most useful or meaningful thing you learned in this course? One of the most meaningful things I learned in this course is to listen, pay attention, and take action when it comes to students who say they are being harassed online. · What have you learned in this course that will help you continue to grow as an educational leader? I will continue to grow as leader by continuing to execute leading presentations. My first leading presentation was within the leading video in this course. I feel that I can learn and improve with more opportunities and more practice. · What was your favorite aspect of this course? Why? My favorite part of this course was watching the web conferences. It is always nice to hear insightful and useful information from your professor. I also enjoyed taking part in the weekly discussions. Getting feedback and seeing others’ perspectives on assigned topics is interesting and helpful. · What suggestions would you give other students on ways to get the most out this course? I would suggest planning and organizing. I think it’s always important to plan ahead of time when you will complete assignments. I also think it is a good idea to organize your notes and thoughts when planning to complete lengthy assignments and time consuming projects. · If you could change any one of the activities you did for this course, which one would it be? What would you change about it? If I could change one of the activities I did for this course I would change my PowToon video on digital health and wellness. I would have spent more time on it, changed the aesthetic of the video and added more useful information. What will you say, if you have a chance to speak to your friends, about this course? If I had the chance to speak to my friends about this course, I would say that it is a lot of work. I would say that I spent a lot of time completing the assignments and projects in a five-week span. I would say that the professor shared important and useful information and did not waste the students’ time. I would also say that the course was interesting and I would share how each of the nine elements of digital can be applied to our lives. Polgar, D. R., & Curran, M. B.F.X. (2015). We shouldn't assume people know what digital citizenship is.Retreived from http://www.teachthought.com/technology/we-shouldnt-assume-people-know-what-digital-citizenship-is/ Ohler, J. (2011). Character education for the digital age. Educational Leadership, 68(5), 187-205. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb11/vol68/num05/Character-Education-for-the-Digital-Age.aspx Copyright in the Digital Age http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmDeBYosaJU Cyberbullying Statistics. (2014). Retrieved from http://nobullying.com/cyber-bullying-statistics-2014/ To This Day Project - Shane Koyczan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa1iS1MqUy4
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The topic this week was difficult in terms of emotions and hard truths. The fact that so many young people have taken their lives from bullying and cyberbullying is a hard pill to swallow. It is true that adolescents can be mean, but there has to be some sort of solution to end the horrible trend causing youth and people in general inflict harm on themselves and others. Honestly, I think learning how to behave in social situations and how to treat others with kindness and respect starts at home. Unfortunately, in schools students can deviate from kind behavior.
A pivotal part of our lives is when we are very young children who are unimpressionable, naïve, and oblivious. If I had unlimited resources I would promote kindness by investing in nurturing and developing social skills of children. Parents and teachers would play a major role in modeling, practicing, and educating students on kindness and empathy. As adults, I think it would be important to prioritize wellness programs through work. I read that in Sweden people are generally happier and more productive because they have shorter works days. I would use my unlimited resources to create work conditions that improve well-being rather than hinder it. Cyberbullying is bullying that transpires across digital mediums. With the use of devices such as cellphones, computer, and tablets, cyberbullying can happen through texts messaging, email, social media, and various other web forums. It often occurs by sending or sharing negative, harmful, false, and malicious information about someone else. The effects of cyberbullying can be devastating. Too often people have harmed themselves or committed suicide as a result of cyberbullying. It is a major responsibility of all humans to educate themselves and act against the destructive nature of bullying. Cyberbullying is a phenomenon that tends to largely affect school aged kids. We live in an era where the use of social media apps like Twitter, SnapChat, and Instagram are very popular and predominantly used by a younger generation. As an educator, I feel that I have a responsibility to model effective use of the apps and educate students on the serious repercussions that cyberbullying can cause. I would make students more aware of the issues and consequences of cyberbullying by showing or sharing real life situations of cyberbullying that ended in tragedy. I would also encourage students to make a habit out of making their first post of the day a positive one. Whether it is complementing a peer, sharing a helpful tip, or posting a positive image. In addition, I would also teach my students to celebrate diversity. It’s important for student to understand that it’s okay to have differences in opinion, culture, and customs. Lastly, students should be taught empathy and compassion. It’s important for teachers to model this behavior and talk about why it is crucial to behave in this manner. All in all, schools need to focus a large part of the curriculum not just on core subjects but also on social issues including mental health and social skills. Resources: Brewer, G., & Kerslake, J. (2015). Cyberbullying, self-esteem, empathy and loneliness. Computers in Human Behavior, 48, 255-260. Brewer_Cyberbullying_Self-esteem_Empathy_Loneliness.pdf Essex, N. L. (2016). School law and the public school: A practical guide for educational leaders. (6th ed.) (pp. 107-110). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Essex_Bullying.pdf Essex, N. L. (2016). School law and the public school: A practical guide for educational leaders. (6th ed.) (pp.111-114). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Essex_Cyberbullying.pdf Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J.W. (2015). Developing a positive school climate: Top ten tips to prevent bullying and cyberbullying. Cyberbullying Research Center. Hinduja_Patchin_School-Climate-Top-Ten-Tips-To-Prevent-Cyberbullying.pdf Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2015). Cyberbullying legislation and case law: Implications for school policy and practice. Cyberbullying Research Center. Cyberbullying Legislation and Case Law.pdf This week in Digital Citizenship we covered the topic Copyrights and “Copywrongs”. This topic is a bit challenging to understand but is also very interesting. I learned about laws pertaining rights to different types of tangible works. More specifically I learned what copyright is. Copyrighted materials are tangible works that are protected by U.S. law for original authors and creators. Tangible works include original literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and other intellectual works. Tangible means something that has been reproduced in copies or phonorecords. This week it was noteworthy to learn that copyright infringement and plagiarism are not the same. I did not know that works have an expiration date and once expired it enters public domain.
The case studies in this week’s assignments were challenging to decipher based on my knowledge of fair use and the TEACH Act, but they where beneficial in helping me reflect on my teaching and how I use certain copyrighted materials in my classroom. Fair Use and the TEACH Act are statutes that grant usage to copyrighted works through certain stipulations. According to Brigham Young University, the fair use exemption exists so that there is balance between copyright owners and the general public who may benefit from using copyrighted materials without permission. This is a limitation on the exclusive rights of the copyright owner. When used properly, fair use can be beneficial in educational instances for teaching and research. The TEACH Act is a bit more complicated but provides educators with a distinct set of rights to use additionally to fair use. Under the TEACH ACT educators may display and perform others' copyrighted works in a classroom setting. I would say a major realization that I gained this week is that copyrighted material does not necessarily have to be true, honest, correct, effective, appropriate, or positive in nature. I think for teachers, discernment of choosing the right materials plays a major part in enhancing the teaching and learning process. For instance, there has been a great debate regarding the information in history textbooks. Some textbooks have neglected to include all aspects of what lead to the Civil War and other periods in history that may not shed the best light on the U.S. As a teacher, I would say that using copyrighted material such as textbooks, videos, and works that promote effective strategies for a successful classroom have positively enhanced the teaching and learning process. Many times these materials have been accompanied with professional development from the authors to help validate the efficiency of teachings and strategies including in the works. I also think that educating students on what copyrighted materials are is a great responsibility. Ethics wise, they should also be taught how to properly cite and attribute works that are not their own. In addition, students should be challenged to create their own original works and use knowledge and inquiry to form ideas. The goal is for students to effectively contribute to society and utilize the right to take ownership of the work they produce. Resources: https://luonline.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-3340414-dt-content-rid-53823145_1/courses/12780.201890/Copyright%20Basics%281%29.pdf https://copyright.byu.edu/section/knowledgebase https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2013/10/07/difference-copyright-infringement-plagiarism/ ttps://guides.lib.utexas.edu/copyright/teachact https://luonline.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-3340414-dt-content-rid-53823147_1/courses/12780.201890/Copyright%20Term%20and%20Public%20Domain%281%29.pdf This week in Digital Citizenship, I was able to reflect upon and learn details about net neutrality and investigate my personal digital footprint or tattoo. I also revisited the element of digital health and wellness as I created a short animated video that addressed the topic.
This summer I heard a lot of reports about net neutrality and how legislation may change to where net neutrality would no longer be available in the United States. At the time, I was not exactly sure what net neutrality was and how it would effect me. I now know that as a student, educator, and someone who would eventually like to be a creator and business owner in the future, the loss of net neutrality would greatly effect me, my students and many others. I am also someone who enjoys seeing and learning from the creative content of others and therefore podcasts, YouTube channels, and educational blogs that I follow might not be available to with such ease of access. Like I said in the assignment, I feel that losing net neutrality would revert our society in a regressive direction, which in my opinion is the opposite of the essence of education. I also took the time to Google my name to examine my digital footprint. As a millennial, I grew up in a critical era where social media and digital communication began to make an impact (AOL instant messenger, MySpace, Facebook) so I have used many platforms as well as see them come and go. With that, I can proudly say that there was no damaging information concerning me, which I expected anyways. None of my social media came up through the Google search but work and academic information did. However, I was not too found to find out that personal information such as my home telephone number and address is available for anyone to look up. I would definitely like to keep it this way. I am looking into finding out how to get my ePortfolio to come up whenever my name is searched as that link was not produced in my name search. Lastly, I was able to create a PowToon addressing the digital citizenship element of health and wellness. I naturally gravitate towards this element because in my spare time I enjoy researching, learning and participating in improving my own health and wellness whether it’s digital or not. Through my findings, I’ve come across apps such as Forest rewards you with planting actual trees for productivity. I’ve also learned that there are therapy options available where you can communicate with real licensed therapists through video or text with the use of an app. I think it’s pretty innovative and convenient to allow apps to aid in mental health and wellness. In the following weeks I would like to delve into other elements, as they are very important too. I’m not too savvy when it comes to digital law or digital literacy so I plan to read up and pay more attention to these topics. Resources: https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2018/01/4-ways-net-neutrality-repeal-could-impact-k-12-education Forest App forestapp.cc How to Have a Healthy Relationship with Social Media https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLbKaftiDfo http://neatoday.org/2015/03/11/net-neutrality-means-students-educators/ Online/ App Based Therapy www.talkspace.com What Is Digital Citizenship? The term Digital Citizenship has been defined and understood in many different ways. On his website, Mike Ribble defines digital citizenship as the norms of appropriate, responsible technology use. Another definition by Terry Heick is, the quality of habits, actions, and consumption patterns that impact the ecology of digital content and communities. In a video presented by CyberWise, digital citizenship is defined as the essential first step to becoming media literate in the 21stcentury. The word citizenship can be pretty vague. I believe that just because you’re a citizen doesn’t mean you interact with others in a safe and responsible way. I feel that when we are addressed as “fellow American citizens” we have been conditioned to lean toward a positive connotation of the word. I think the word citizenship alone is neutral. It’s up to our decisions and behaviors, respectfully, that determine what adjective fits best in front of the word. The 9 Elements of Digital Citizenship According to Mike Ribble there are nine essential elements to digital citizenship.
One of the elements that is particularly important to me is Digital health and wellness. Health and wellness in general has always been important to me. Unfortunately, when it comes to being a digital citizen, many people including myself may not have realized the toll social media and the constant need to be in the know can take on your health and well being. It’s easy to fall in a trap and lose hours of time by becoming engulfed in the rabbit hole of endless information, whether it is useful or superficial information. I have learned to take care of myself by limiting the time spent on social media and Google. This has helped to ease my mind and promote interactions with people and nature in real life. iCitizens Dr. Marialice Curran created a seminar where students were asked the question: Are You a Socially Responsible Digital Citizen? Within the seminar students defined an iCitizen as someone who is loyal to the human race and human experience globally, regardless of nationality. They emphasized the importance of respect and empathy to others in order to create and exist in a harmonious world. I agree with the students’ definitions and perspective on what an iCitizen is. I feel like currently, we as humans focus a lot on our differences and the boundaries (whether it be nationality, race, socioeconomic status) that separate us. No matter how cliché it may sound, what I got as an underlying message from the students’ definitions is the need for world peace. World peace is necessary for our communities to co-exist and function in ways that are helpful and not harmful to one another. Conclusion This week’s studies and findings have helped me understand that in order to be a good digital citizen or iCitizen, continuous education and collaboration are essential. As an educator and student of education, a frequently used buzz word/phrase is lifelong learner. I demonstrate to my students that I am continuously learning whether it be coincidental or purposeful. I share with them that I am continuing my education and how much I value education. I think it is important for students to realize that teachers may not have all the answers and that learning is a collaborative process. I try to create a classroom atmosphere where we can explore new ideas and learn from each other. References Curran, M. (2012, June). iCitizen: Are you a socially responsible digital citizen. Paper presented at the International Society for Technology Education Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX. Retrieved from (PDF: icitizen_paper_M_Curran.pdf) Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students should know(3rded.). Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education Cyberwise YouTube URL:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH6869bD8iU
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I have joined the following professional learning networks:
CEDFA- Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts CEDFA The Kennedy Center, ArtsEdge ArtsEdge ISTE-International Society for Technology in Education. ISTE As a first-year dance teacher and previous self-contained elementary teacher, the fine arts education world is very new and different from teaching core subjects. Professional learning communities outside of my school and district are also new to me. I am glad I have these communities as a first-year dance teacher. I wish I would have known more about these communities when I began teaching a few years ago. My experience as a member of these communities thus far has been gaining an understanding of the mission and resources offered by each community. CEDFA offers resources including standards, curriculum, and TEKS for the fine arts subjects of Dance, Art, Music, and Theatre. ArtsEdge offers news, media, lessons, how-to's and more. ArtsEdge uses digital media to provide support in the classroom for teachers, students, and parents. ISTE is also a very interesting site focused on innovations in technology in the classroom. I am excited to delve deeper into these websites and communities. Because I am fairly new to PLNs and new to my current position, my contributions to these communities have been limited. I have contributed my interest and willingness to learn and build within these communities. I am consuming resources such as lesson plans, TEKS, how-to's, and a collaborative attitude. I plan to engross myself in these PLNs so that I can share and contribute my experiences with others. PLNs are critical to advancement because it allows individuals with similar professional interests and goals to interact and learn from one another. They also encourage professionals to come together and create with one another. My current status of collaboration and engagement in my field is eager. I am eager to learn from and engage with other professionals in my field and I am eager to teach and make a positive difference in the education of my students. My quest for knowledge is centered around this statement: Learning is changing information into knowledge. Information and knowledge are not the same. Having knowledge is the application of information. I am passionate about learning because it is a crucial determining factor of how our world will evolve. As I reflected on the word ‘Learning’ and what it means to me, a variety of different words came to mind, some words complementary of each other and others contradictory. I believe that is the beauty of learning, that there are no rules. Emerging Issues in Digital Learning In regards to state and national contexts, I believe the issues we face with digital learning are based on lack of funding and fixed mindsets. As an educator in a public school system in the state of Texas, I have observed how budgeting can play a major role in resources available to students and teachers. Grants are available and outside sources are willing to donate, however the motivation to learn new systems, new programs and new technology is lacking. This brings me to fixed mindset. Teachers sometimes adopt the attitude that “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” However the problem is-- something is broken. When scores are low for 5 consecutive years (specifically at the Title I school that I work at) something is wrong. Digital learning could be the answer, however according to an article in the New York Times from 2011, technology in schools has not necessarily shown a positive impact on test scores. According to Bryan Goodwin, spokesman for Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, a nonpartisan group, “Good teachers, can make good use of computers, while bad teachers won’t, and they and their students could wind up becoming distracted by the technology.” Teachers must be trained effectively to promote and implement digital learning in their classroom. The Huffington Post followed up with a response to the New York Times article by suggesting that teachers are usually given various technology tools and minimal training on how to use their features. The article concludes that schools and classrooms are continuing to do what they have always done, but with sporadic and minor uses of the technological devices. There are educators who are not well versed in using the technological tools provided to them. They also have limited access to those tools and limited access to dependable IT support. Even though these challenges occur, it is still expected that changes in learning outcomes happen anyway. This is expected despite the environmental factors and despite the fact that those outcomes may not be what the schools were striving for initially. For some odd reason if we don’t see specific outcomes, we assume that it’s the fault of the technologies themselves rather than human and system factors. As a result, the claim is that traditional analog learning environments are just fine in a digital, global world. (McLeod, 2011). Based on my experience, I can say that this statement resonates with issues in my particular district. There are a handful of amazing teachers who take technology to the next level and enforce it in their classrooms with fidelity, however many just do not take on the challenge to try something new. This could be due to lack of training, lack of interest, and lack of engagement. Rights and Wrongs of Education There are many facets to education today and there are many factors that are dependent on the pros and cons of education including but not limited to: Passionate Educators- To me, these are the teachers you never forget, the teachers that inspired you and the teachers that changed your perspective in one-way or another. Qualified Educators- It’s important that our schools have teachers that are competent in the area that they teach. It is a disservice to our students when the teacher is having just as much of a hard time teaching the material as students are grasping it. Available resources, including technology- When resources are plentiful it can enhance the learning atmosphere and even learning outcomes, however… Proper use of available resources- is just as, if not more important than the resources themselves. Teachers must use available resources with fidelity. Meaningful and Purposeful Training- is of utmost importance. Would you run a marathon with out knowing the basics of pacing, breathing, and hydration? I hope not. Yet, many teachers and administrators insist on implementing programs in their classroom in the same way where knowledge is wanting. Innovation- New approaches and theories on education keep learning fresh, exciting, and challenging. Standardized Tests- Innovations, new approaches, and theories on learning and education are continuously emerging yet the standardized test remains to be standardized, a debatable con to the system of education. Access to quality education dependent on demographics and zoning of schools- based on economic backgrounds and where a student lives, some students are afforded a more quality education that others. Politics- Politics at the federal, state, and local levels plays a huge role in education. It can serve to be a pro or con depending on your beliefs and stance on education. How can we fix it? How can we fix education? I believe one of the major ways to improve education is through adopting and implementing a growth mindset. Learning is essentially about growth. It only makes sense to combat or remedy issues of stagnation in the educational realm with what is fundamental to learning in the first place; growth, development, progress. My Core Beliefs about Digital LearningI believe digital learning is impactful. It serves a purpose to make a difference in ways that may be viewed as non-traditional. Learning has an impact on us when we are taken out of our comfort zone of what is normal to us. I believe digital learning is resourceful. Digital learning can connect us to many resources via the Internet. I believe digital learning is innovative. As new programs are developed and new devices are manufactured, digital learning allows us to view concepts in different ways as well as come up with new concepts. References Richtel, M. (2011). In classroom of future, stagnant scores. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools- faces-questions-on-value.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general McLeod, S. (2011). Schools, technology, test scores, and the New York Times. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott mcleod/schools-technology-test-s_b_952886.html
The TED Talk from Linda Cliatt-Wayman was extremely powerful and touching. I have watched it and shared it multiple times as I was enthralled with her story and her actions towards completely turning around a school. Her slogans are messages I will keep with me as I continue my journey into becoming an school leader. "If you're going to to lead, LEAD" lit a fire in me. Leadership entails being fearless and being able to take on and accept the challenges that come with improving schools and helping students become successful.
" If you're going to lead, LEAD", An aspiring principal has to understand his/her responsibilities. It is vital to know any and all challenges your school faces. Principals must have the determination and courage to take action and find solutions and remedy issues a school may be facing. Linda Cliatt-Wayman knew she was the principal and it was her job and primary responsibility to lead and enforce change at her school. The second slogan was, "So what, now what?", in other words there are no excuses. As an aspiring principal it is important to be a problem solver. There is no time to make excuses because excuses don't benefit students. Students' best interest should always be a priority regardless of factors including poverty, discipline, and under achievement. So what?! Formulate a plan, stick to the vision, and make a difference. The third slogan was, " If nobody told you they love you today, remember I do." While watching this video, it was devastating to know that a child questioned why the principal kept referring to the school as a school--the child clearly disagreed. Students should not have to fear going to school. Aspiring principals have to know that some students don't always come from nurturing environments. Students spend most of their day in school so it's important to create an atmosphere of love and support. Students need to know that educators love, care, and support them. |
Aundrea
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September 2018
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