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DC in the Classroom

Digital Citizenship in the Classroom: A Project

In my fourth grade classroom, I feel that the most important aspects of digital citizenship to share with my students are digital communication, digital literacy, and cyberbullying. All nine elements and other aspects are important and should be part of digital citizenship education, but these are the most critical for fourth graders. Students need to understand how to use technology and how to use it appropriately. They need to know how to type in a Google search bar, but they also need to know how to send an appropriate email and report cyberbullying. Learning can occur through discussions, experiences, activities, games, and more depending on students and their needs. There is no part of digital citizenship that can be removed from a digital citizenship education, but the discussion must be age-appropriate and relevant to students’ current lives.

digital citizenship mantra 3.png

As a teacher in the digital age, it is my responsibility to promote digital citizenship and educate others about the concept. Along with this essay, I have created a digital citizenship presentation in the form of a game to share the importance of digital citizenship in the classroom. After reading this essay, the presentation acts as a review of the material using the Kahoot! platform. I chose this format because it promotes digital citizenship in itself. Kahoot! is an online tool where users can create games and share them with others. It requires digital literacy, digital access, and digital communication. Kahoot! also follows digital law and digital rights and responsibilities, as there is a section for crediting resources in each question. The game also has a feature where you can award points for correct answers or not, and I chose to turn that feature off to create discussion instead of competition. Kahoot! also has a feature to upload media like pictures and videos, which I used. Digital citizenship does not have one winner; everyone that is a well-versed digital citizen is a winner, and when there a lot of digital citizens, society as a whole wins.

Kahoot! References
Kahoot! Screen Recording
Kahoot! Questions - PDF
Reflection 1

Week 1 Journal Reflection: Introduction to Digital Citizenship

Digital citizenship is more elaborate than common sense; it is more than citizenship in an online world as it has many components below the surface. Digital citizenship is critical in today’s digital age, and students must be taught how to be digital citizens.

 

My learning this week was a major wakeup call. I realized that administrators and teachers in my district have never mentioned the importance of digital citizenship. How could something so important to the success of our students go unnoticed? Do those in education not understand what it is? Do they not see its importance? Do they think it should be the responsibility of parents instead of the school? Do they recognize it as something valuable, but it unfortunately gets pushed to the back burner because of other demands and expectations? I believe it is a mix of all of these. The term digital citizenship gets thrown around loosely like another buzzword when it should be treated with the importance that math or science is.

 

Before doing research, I thought that digital citizenship meant not cyberbullying and avoiding scams/dangerous people online. I never made the obvious connection to regular citizenship and that being a digital citizen is about being a good person. Ribble (2015) takes a comprehensive approach to define digital citizenship, breaking it down into elements, categories, and principles, but overall claiming that it is the norms for appropriate and responsible technology use. Ohler (2012) connects digital citizenship with character education and states that it is based on a sense of personal, community, and global responsibility. Heick (2018) defines digital citizenship as “the quality of habits, actions, and consumption patterns that impact the ecology of digital content and communities” (para. 6). The iCitizen Project by Curran (2012) claims that awareness, empathy, and social responsibility are the focus of digital citizenship. Based on my learning, I have drastically shifted my personal definition of digital citizenship. I believe that digital citizenship is being respectful, responsible, and safe when using technology.

 

Defining digital citizenship is one thing, but actually implementing it into the classroom is another. Digital citizenship must be taught and modeled in schools. Ribble (2015) provides a framework to teach the nine elements, three categories, and three principles from K-12 to ensure that students receive all instruction throughout their schooling. It is important that students learn each piece of digital citizenship, and that they do it in a way that is integrated into the regular curriculum instead of being separated. Additionally, teaching digital citizenship should give students ownership and allow them to be active in their learning (Curran, 2012). It is also important to teach digital citizenship in a way that recognizes school and home are not two separate entities but rather a connected online world (Ohler, 2012). Digital citizenship needs to be incorporated into a successful 21st century education.

 

Educators should be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to the issues of digital technology by teaching digital citizenship. Technology issues include, but are not limited to, cyberbullying, plagiarism, and privacy protection. If we, as educators, cultivate digital citizens, these no longer become issues as students are knowledgeable and equipped to handle the situations. Digital citizenship is not merely a phase in education; it is the now and the future. Creating digital citizens creates a better world.

 

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.

 

Heick, T. (2018, September 09). Definition of digital citizenship. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/the-definition-of-digital-citzenship/

 

Ohler, J. (2012). Digital citizenship means character education for the digital age. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 77(8), 14-17.

 

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students should know (3rd ed.). Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.

Reflection 2

Week 2 Journal Reflection: Understanding the Impact of Technology

Technology has advanced significantly in the last few decades and has become a significant part of modern life. Society impacts technology, and technology impacts our lives. The concept of net neutrality opened my eyes to how the Internet impacts me, and the concept of the digital footprint opened my eyes to how I impact the Internet.

 

Technology has become an undeniable part of modern society. For decades Nicholas Negroponte has been predicting what will become of technology, like in 1995 when he predicted that multimedia would move from our living rooms to our hands with small high-resolution screens and also that we would soon be buying books and newspapers online (Negroponte, 2014). At the time, these predictions were mocked. Of course, now these are things we do daily – use our smartphones and buy things online. It is fascinating how far technology has evolved in the last few decades considering it took over one hundred years to go from Benjamin Franklin’s electricity discovery to Thomas Edison’s lightbulb. We have watched phones evolve from rotary to mobile and music evolve from vinyl to MP3. Now, the general public, myself included, makes online purchases, listens to music digitally, and uses smartphones daily for reading and multimedia.

 

Because we do all of these tasks online, net neutrality is extremely important. Net neutrality essentially means that the Internet is open and equal, not giving any one site more priority or charging more for the use of certain sites (Reardon, 2015). As someone who uses the Internet for various things from social media, to academics, to streaming on Netflix, it is important to me that I pay one price for my Internet access and can use all of these features equally. As an educator, this is also important to me because I know that I can plan lessons that incorporate technology and not worry about slower speeds for certain websites or not being able to access certain resources. I have taken net neutrality for granted and dismissed it as a political issue that didn’t impact me, but now I realize that could not be more false.

 

With using the Internet also comes a digital footprint or digital tattoo. A digital footprint or digital tattoo is your online activity that can be searched, copied, broadcasted, and is permanent (Common Sense Education, 2013). Digital footprints can be intimidating to control, knowing that everything you do online is permanent because the Internet is forever. However, it is important to recognize that each person is in control of their own digital footprint, and they have the ability to cultivate a positive image. Over the years I have taken precautions to protect my positive image online such as adjusting my privacy settings and deleting any questionable content, but seeing how the digital footprint acts as a first impression has inspired to me to ensure that I am always portraying myself in a positive way, search my name online every so often, and intentionally post content that is productive. Additionally, as an educator I have already been creating ePortfolios with my students, but I now see how these ePortfolios can contribute to my students’ positive digital footprint.

 

As Negroponte predicted, technology has drastically changed since the 1990s. Net neutrality and the digital footprint are just some of the results of these changes. Technology has had a profound impact on our society and will continue to impact us as it expands and changes.

 

References

 

Common Sense Education. (2013, August 12). What’s in your digital footprint? [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P_gj3oRn8s

 

Negroponte, N. [TED]. (2014, July 8). A 30-year history of the future [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b5BDoddOLA

 

Reardon, M. (2015, March 14). What you need to know about the FCC's 2015 net neutrality regulation. Retrieved from https://www.cnet.com/news/13-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-fccs-net-neutrality-regulation/

Reflection 3

Week 3 Journal Reflection: Copyright and Copywrongs

Never have I ever broken a law. Just kidding! I’m a teacher. I’ve probably unknowingly broken the law, the copyright law, at least weekly. I will openly admit my wrongdoings. I have printed extra copies of resources that I purchased on Teachers Pay Teachers for my team instead of telling them to buy their own copy. I have shown my class a movie on Netflix as a reward. I have scanned a textbook page into a PDF and posted it on Google Classroom even if the fine print said not to do so. Should I have done these things? No. Are these things morally wrong? Yes. However, I did not realize how big of a deal these things that seemed so miniscule actually were until I delved into copyright infringement, the TEACH Act, Fair Use, and Creative Commons. I can’t take back what I have done, but I can right those wrongs now that I know better. Educators need to effectively use copyrighted materials to be a role model for students, and there are many tools to assist them with this process.

 

I never realized how much the terms copyright, plagiarism, attribution, and transformation connect with what I do as a teacher on a daily basis. Learning about copyright was a huge wakeup call for me. I always knew that the works of authors should be respected and used fairly, but I was uninformed when it came to actual definitions and guidelines, such as that copyright is automatic (Copyright Basics, n.d.). Plagiarism is something I always associated with students, but it is important for educators to model accurate citations to deter plagiarism. The idea of attribution and Creative Commons as a whole was completely new to me. I can share my original work through a Creative Commons license and legally use the work of others through it as well (Creative Commons, n.d.). The idea of transformative work reminded me of a DOK 4 task on Webb’s Depth of Knowledge, as students must understand the original work enough to create their own version with expression or meaning that adds value to the original piece (Stim, 2015). My teachings have always had copyright as the foundation, unbeknownst to me.

 

There are numerous copyright resources and acts beyond Creative Commons to aide teachers as well. The whole idea of the Fair Use Doctrine recognizes that teachers need to be able to use materials in their classroom. This regulation allows teachers to use materials for educational purposes based on the four factors of purpose, nature, amount, and effect (Stim, 2017). This is extremely valuable to me as an educator because it opens doors to materials that my students would benefit from using. Similarly, the TEACH Act recognizes the need for online and distance learning to have valuable resources (The TEACH Act, 2011). Copyright law understands that education requires effective resources, and I appreciate that recognition and leniency.

 

Based on my learning, I can no longer claim ignorance when it comes to copyright. It is my responsibility to uphold copyright law as a digital citizen. I know what is allowed and what is not, and it is up to me as an educator to be morally and ethically sound in the materials that I use to provide the best learning experience possible for my students while respecting authors’ work.

 

References

 

Copyright basics [PDF]. (n.d.). United States Copyright Office. Retrieved from https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ01.pdf

 

Creative Commons. (n.d.). Licenses and examples. Retrieved from https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/licensing-examples/#by

 

Stim, R. (2017, April 10). Measuring fair use: The four factors. Retrieved from https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/four-factors/

 

Stim, R. (2015, July 30). Fair use: What is transformative? Retrieved from https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/fair-use-what-transformative.html

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The TEACH act [PDF]. (2011). Copyright Clearance Center. Retrieved from https://www.copyright.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CR-Teach-Act.pdf

Reflection 4
Reflection 4

Week 4 Journal Reflection: Cyberbullying - Just Say No

Cyberbullying is new-age bullying. As students realize they can easily get caught picking on someone on the playground, they take their bullying online where they can hide behind a screen of anonymity. Kids are smart; they know how to use devices secretly to become a person online that their parents wouldn’t even recognize. Cyberbullying can take many forms, doesn’t limit itself to a specific group of people, and has a lasting negative impact on all involved. Whether the cyberbullying is taking place on school grounds or not, schools have a major role in preventing cyberbullying.

 

Before researching cyberbullying, I thought that the majority of students had experienced cyberbullying. It seems like with every scroll on social media there is another negative comment or someone ignoring the golden rule of treating others as you want to be treated. Fortunately, this is somewhat of a misconception. Research studies have varied percentages, ranging from 5% to 74% of students having been cyberbullied in their lifetime, but the actual percentage is probably somewhere in between (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015). The media may make cyberbullying look like an epidemic, but it is not occurring at the alarming rates they insinuate. Of course, any cyberbullying is too much cyberbullying. The fact that some students do not feel safe or loved and are constantly ridiculed online in some form is heartbreaking.

 

Ryan Patrick Halligan and Kylie Kenney are two students that suffered through cyberbullying. Ryan had rumors about him spread online, and a girl pretended to like him. As a result, he sank into a deep depression and committed suicide (Halligan, 2015). Kylie’s story did not end in tragedy, but her cyberbullies created a website called “Kill Kylie Incorporated” and forced her to transfer schools (Struglinksi, 2006). Having graduated high school in 2011, cyberbullying was happening all around me. I was not cyberbullied or a cyberbully, but I wish I could say I was more than a bystander. Only about 33% of students that are cyberbullied tell their parents (Juvonen & Gross, 2008), so I look back with regret thinking I should have done more to be a peer that victims of cyberbullying felt comfortable talking to about their experiences. Although I cannot go back to high school and do more, I can do more now as an educator. I need to be that person - the trusted adult that students come to for empathy and support when they are the target of cyberbullying.  

 

This is not just my responsibility; it is the responsibility of all educators. It is the school’s responsibility to establish a positive and supportive school climate in which bullying of any kind is not tolerated (Essex, 2016). Cyberbullying, for both perpetrators and targets, can cause damage to mental, emotional, social, and physical health (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015). Students must be made aware of the consequences of cyberbullying. Schools cannot go home with students and watch everything each student does on their electronic devices, but schools can make a difference nonetheless. Behind the scenes, schools need policies that outline cyberbullying and what actions will be taken in a cyberbullying situation. On the front line, educators should be infusing cyberbullying into their lessons to educate students on the topic. Actions schools can take to prevent cyberbullying include promoting awareness, building relationships with students, setting up anonymous reporting, collecting data, and instilling hope (Hinduja & Patchin, 2018). Schools have the ability to make a difference in their students’ lives.

 

There are many types of cyberbullying and different devices and platforms where cyberbullying can occur. None of these variations of cyberbullying are positive. There is no such thing as “good” cyberbullying, so there is no place for it in our schools, or in our world for that matter. Educators may not be able to put an end to cyberbullying completely, but education on cyberbullying, school policy against cyberbullying, and empathy go a long way.

 

References

 

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.

 

Halligan. (2015). Ryan's Story. Retrieved from http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org/

 

Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2015). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.    

 

Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. (2018). Developing a positive school climate: Top ten tips to prevent bullying and cyberbullying [PDF]. Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved from https://cyberbullying.org/School-Climate-Top-Ten-Tips-To-Prevent-Cyberbullying.pdf

 

Juvonen, J., & Gross, E. F. (2008). Extending the school grounds? Bullying experiences in cyberspace. Journal of School Health, 78(9), 496-505. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18786042

 

Struglinski, S. (2006, August 18). Schoolyard bullying has gone high-tech. Retrieved from https://www.deseretnews.com/article/645194065/Schoolyard-bullying-has-gone-high-tech.html

Reflection 5

Week 5 Journal Reflection: 5316 Final Thoughts

EDLD 5316 was different than any other course in Lamar University’s Digital Learning and Leading program. While previous courses have been based on the ideas of COVA and innovation, 5316 was a structured format based on an important and well-established topic – digital citizenship. Throughout the course, I learned about what digital citizenship is, the nine elements of digital citizenship, the digital footprint or tattoo, copyright, and cyberbullying. None of these topics were completely new, but the details went deeper than anything I knew before. For example, I knew what copyright was, but I did not know that showing my class a movie on Netflix breaks copyright until this course. Before the course I knew what cyberbullying was, but I learned that cyberbullying is actually less common than I thought it was.

 

In this course, my biggest accomplishment was completing all of the extensive tasks in a short 33 days, especially around the holidays. I worked every night and every weekend to complete my assignments, and it was taxing. I attended 5 web conferences and reflected on them, wrote 25 blog posts, created 2 multimedia presentations, wrote a lengthier APA formatted essay, conversed with classmates in the discussion board, answered 65 questions over 4 quizzes, read an abundance of text, watched numerous videos, cultivated resources, and continued to develop my ePortfolio. My biggest challenge has been time. Being a full time teacher and wife with regular responsibilities and activities, completing this particular course was more challenging than others have been. Each week was met with two discussion boards and multiple tasks that required lengthy reading or viewing and thorough responses. I devoted as much time as humanly possible to the course beyond my school day, but it was not met without a challenge.

 

The course was challenging, but I learned a lot. I feel that my best work for the course was my case studies. I enjoyed putting myself in the shoes of a chief technology officer and really got into the role. I thought about the situations from various angles and tried to remember that these are human beings rather than data points. These exercises showed me that digital citizenship situations can be tricky, but schools have a role in teaching about digital citizenship and handling digital citizenship issues such as copyright and cyberbullying. The most meaningful thing I learned in the course is that cyberbullying can be prevented; schools can make a difference in these unfortunate situations. Everything I learned connects to my experiences both in and out of the classroom and will help me to grow as an educational leader. Inside the classroom, I have seen my students using technology inappropriately and not protecting their information online. Outside of the classroom, I am a heavy social media user and need to remember to always put myself in a positive light. As an educational leader, this knowledge propels me to spread the word about digital citizenship to both students and adults.   

 

My favorite aspect of this course was the clear expectations. I love COVA as both a teacher and learner because it offers the opportunity to be creative, but a clear list of exactly what was expected for each task was exactly what I needed at this time of year. What was left of my creative brain went to my teaching during these five weeks, so it was nice to come home and know that I would be meeting expectations if I did x, y, z. For other students taking this course, I would tell them to start their culminating project during week one and continue as they find time. The culminating project is lengthy and mostly based on the material in week one, so students should try to get a head start if they can. One thing about this course that I would change is the video in the week two assignment. Although I love creating multimedia presentations, the video was a lot of work for the amount of points it was worth compared to the other assignments. I would either remove it altogether, shorten the length requirement, or give the option to write instead.

 

If I had a chance to speak to my friends about this course, I would say that it was a valuable learning experience that taught me a lot about digital citizenship, which is vital in today’s modern world. I would share with them that it is important to monitor your digital footprint and adhere to copyright. However, I would also apologize to them and thank them for sticking by me. I truly enjoyed the course, but I also feel distant from my friends, family, and traditions because I have not had time for other people or holiday activities. Certainly, spending a significant amount of time on coursework is to be expected with graduate school. The course was demanding, but I am coming out on the other side as a stronger teacher because of it.

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