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Big Ideas

#1 Our citizenship is digital.

The article Digital Citizenship in the Curriculum by Daniel G. Krutka and Jefrey P. Carpenter, explores the diverse boundaries schools navigate when examining whether they choose to participate in digital citizenship. The citizenship this article is referring to is related to our responsibility with using digital forums within the context of our democracy. “Social media platforms have provided a microphone to the “people formerly known as the audience,” who can now interact around common interests including civic activities”(Krutka & Carpenter, 2017). Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok, Instagram, Snapchat, and other media platforms are familiar news sources that influence social issues. These outlets, which students follow as “digital citizens,” are here to stay, whether schools accept the challenge or not.

#2 Personally responsible citizenship also creates an excellent school model to teach digital citizenship.

Krutka and Carpenter noticed that many school systems already claim to prepare citizens in their mission statements. They claim it would be best for schools to teach digital citizenship along with the curriculum. They mention the Westheimer and Kahne (2004) study of citizenship, which recommends students learn to be, “Personally responsible citizens who act responsibly in their communities…, Participatory citizens, who understand government…, and Justice-oriented citizens who ...tackle injustice..,(Krutka & Carpenter, 2017).

#3 Students must practice distinguishing credible -vs- non-credible sources.

If students are to accomplish responsible citizenship roles, they must first be adept at weeding out false information. “Digital citizens should be able to distinguish between credible and untrustworthy news sources and sites, corroborate information across websites or accounts, contextualize stories, and understand the perspectives, methods, and evidence that authors use in multimodal literacy as they did in the past” (Krutka & Carpenter, 2017). That is quite a complex list, even for adults! Fortunately, there are already specific strategies that educators can teach. One strategy is the (Currency Reliability Authority and Purpose/Point) test. An educator teaches how to use this strategy to analyze the “accuracy of politicians’ claims about correlations between demographic and economic trends” (2017).

Pro’s and Con’s

Pro’s

Teaching digital citizenship and doing it well in schools can only help our society. In my opinion, it is essential that as educators, we do what we can to foster critical thinking skills such as those used in the C.R.A.P. test and encourage students to stand up for what they feel is socially responsible. “Throughout U.S. history, justice-oriented citizens have interrogated social, political, and economic structures to fight systemic injustices..”(Krutka & Carpenter, 2017). I believe positive change begins with our youngest citizens, and we should always give them a chance to prove their character.

Con’s

Many people on social media platforms have ulterior motives, are not good digital citizens, and wish to harm others. Some young people are vulnerable and easily manipulated by these people or groups, even with proper teaching. Teaching individual responsibility does not always prepare or keep away all online predators or cyberbullies.

1 Question?

What are some other strategies for teaching digital citizenship besides the Currency, Reliability, Authority, Purpose/Point test?

References

Krutka, Daniel & Carpenter, Jeffrey. (2017). Digital Citizenship in the Curriculum. Educational

Leadership. 73.

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Big Ideas
#1 According to the IDEA act of 2004, assistive technology is a requirement in the discussion at any individualized educational plan meeting to meet the needs of a Free and Appropriate Public Education for all students. To "meet the needs" of students means that educators have carefully structured a plan that addresses any challenges a student with a disability has in accessing the general education curriculum. Assistive technology is a part of that plan. Assistive technology, however, can take upon many different forms and functions.

#2 The article, Assistive Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities, "Assistive technology (AT) refers to the devices and services in use to increase, maintain, or improve the capabilities of a student with a disability" (Young & MacCormack, 2014). The function of each technology will be specific to the individual's IEP plan.

#3 The forms of AT range from high tech to low tech to no tech at all. Some high-tech forms of assistive technology are text to speech programs, Goodreader, IWordQ, and Prezi. Alternatively, stick notes, highlighters, slant boards, and pencil grips can be just as effective as assistive technology, depending on the student's need.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:  The pros are that a student wins when educators are innovative and carefully consider which AT device and services will be of most benefit to helping that child succeed in accessing the curriculum.

Cons: Some of the AT is expensive and requires a great deal of training to master. Not all school districts are willing to invest the time and money into the best resources.

Questions:
Are there libraries that loan AT for student teachers to utilize or learn from?

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This post references a reflection from my reading of Blended Learning Are We Innovating, or Just Digitizing Traditional Teaching? on Edutopia by author Beth Holland.

3 Big Ideas

#1 The author points out that digitized learning can reform our educational system for the better in the United States. She is a proponent of a classroom without "four walls." She proposes that students receive hybrid instruction; that way, each child will have a "more personalized, active learning experience" (2017).

#2 Although hybrid learning is widely in use, the author does not see a change in the educational system as we know it. The majority of education she says remains traditional teacher-led instruction in a digital format. Students are completing the same work and then turn it in digitally. Beth writes, "Instead of filling an inbox on the teacher's desk with packets and worksheets, students now completed the exact same procedures online. Rather than write homework assignments on the board, teachers posted them to the students' digital news feeds," (2017).

#3 When used well, tools such as screencasting have the power to transform hybrid learning. According to Ann Feldman and her colleague Jeanette Carlson, students as young as Kindergarten "not only learned to work independently on an analog task but also leveraged videos to help them decipher directions and comprehend the material" (2017).

A colleague of Jeanette and Ann, Jeffrey Bernadt, harnessed digitized learning effectively when he gave his high school social studies students multiple options for their knowledge. Putting them in charge, let them choose when, where, and how to complete their work. He offered to learn via "video, digital text, paper or e-books, or face-to-face conversation" (2017).

Pros and Cons

Pros:

As the author claims, digitized learning can be an excellent learning experience when offered creatively, and students know how to use and apply it. It would be inspiring as a teacher to see what students could create on their own, and it may help with scaffolding and differentiating those students who are talented and gifted,

Cons:

Teachers did not choose digitized learning as it stands now, but I have seen many creative uses of technology in my school. The problem with switching to the agency type learning the author is speaking of for everyone is that not all children have a support system at home.

If children do have the opportunity to do so, I think it would be fantastic if the schools could offer this. It is more money and likely would require extra teachers, but a creative and worthwhile opportunity. I provided my daughter with an innovative education at a private project-based school until she went to high-school. She is twenty-four and lives on the West Coast now, but was using iMovie in eighth grade for projects. I have never even used iMovie! Shouldn't we want that for as many students as possible?

Most teachers I know, when asked, love technology to use in their classroom and love when they are actually inside those same classrooms. Many parents can't be at home during the day, and school is where students need to be. Perhaps we need to do a better job of Agency-type education while students are in school.

Question:

I wonder how much training the Kindergarten students needed before they were independent with their hybrid learning tasks? Was that something they already had in place in their classroom?

References

Holland, B. (n.d.). Are We Innovating or Just Digitizing Traditional Teaching?
Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/are-we-innovating-or-just-

digitizing-traditional-teaching-beth-holland.

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3 Big Ideas with Pro's & Con's

As I read through Understanding Digital Kids II, three big ideas stayed with me from the 21st Century Fluency Project. The first is engagement, and motivation is the key to successful learning in the classroom. That is no huge surprise. But not everyone agrees on how to engage and motivate students. The second, to teach the whole mind. The author claims that students now have digital brains, and therefore we should instruct to that type of brain.   And lastly, Discovery learning is critical. I agree, but what age, what kind of discovery, balance of skills? Please read along as we quickly explore both sides of these modern-day challenges.

#1 Engagement and Motivation

What Engages and Motivates Children? Young children? Play! Old children? Play! I am confident that is why game-based learning is so popular. In defense of technology, children using technology are likely already doing something highly relevant and engaging. However, I am not sure it is always the correct learning choice in the classroom.  For very young students, which I will be teaching, the more actual interaction with the real world, outdoor learning, and hands-on materials will benefit them more than a game. In my opinion, technology is a beautiful tool to enhance learning, not replace it for younger children.

#2 Teach the Whole Mind.

I agree with the author on point #2. Students are used to a faster-paced environment with more exciting learning opportunities online. It is up to us as teachers to provide learning that is relevant and highly engaging. That should include technology, using our brains for higher-level thinking, active learning, cooperative projects, outdoor learning, and community projects. The flip side to this argument would be that some level of delayed gratification is good. No one can have what they want all of the time quickly!

#3 Discovery Learning

Yes, but what type of discovery learning. Discovering life cycles is more exciting on a video to most students than a textbook and a game even more enjoyable. However, nothing can compare to the student who places leaves in a container, watches the caterpillar grow, observes a chrysalis form, and waits for the butterfly to emerge. Everything should have a balance. I have seen preschool students using pads to play games, compared to playing a board game with friends.  Working with others, they must take turns, solve problems, share space, help each other, use their hands to move natural objects, and have conversations. I would still use the iPad; it is simply the choice of being selective about using it for the best purpose.

Question ?

I wonder if schools will begin to offer technology classes within high schools as beginning college-level courses, such as AP History?

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Big Ideas

#1 "We all want our kids to be educated. What’s changing is what an education is and what “being educated” means." -Tweet by Marc
It is our responsibility as teachers to engage students with an education that meets their needs, not ours. If we can let go of the fact that learning does not always have to look the same for each student, and teach to a student's interests, that child's education will be more meaningful and motivating.

#2 Digital Immigrants/ Resistance to Change
A problem is that we have a large portion of educators who prefer to teach a different language. Instead of digital learning through games and multi-tasking, many educators still prefer to focus on learning that does not include technology.  This can lead some students to become bored or uninterested in learning.

#3 Learning Can Be Incorporated through Creative Online Games
If digital immigrants (teachers) embrace and research technology, they will find many different resources available for all subjects to actively engage the digital native in their learning. The immigrant may not understand how to create a learning game, but can still search for and encourage the use of learning through game-based technology. A site with many alphabet and math interactive games is education.com.

Two Sides of Learning through Digital Technology

The Pros: The article Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants listed several positives for children growing up as digital natives. Some positive things mentioned are the ability students seem to have to multitask, carrying out many different cognitive abilities in a somewhat unstructured format. Gone are the days where there is "one" right way to do something.. I feel this is positive as it displays students have original thought, and are able to express those thoughts creatively.

The Cons: The use of technology begins far too young in my opinion. Parents, caregivers, and even teachers offer technology as easy entertainment. Studies show that neural connections are formed and strengthened in young children through hands-on experiences, Technology only offers a one-dimensional view of those experiences, and robs children of the joys of childhood play and sensory experiences, Once students are ready, they can transfer their creative knowledge of real-world experiences and incorporate them into their virtual ones as well.

???Question???
What are some of the best teacher resources about creating online learning games for students?