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Capstone Video: https://youtu.be/IWB8V1p_FEE

For me, the end of this journey in Digital Learning and Leading is just the beginning. This program has helped me gain the skills and knowledge necessary for creating significant learning environments where student's receive an authentic learning experience in which they can truly take ownership of their learning through having choice and voice in their work (How COVA has aided my learning process). As in my example for the epiphany I had with my psychology student's, I have radically altered my learning environment to a discovery model rather than a model that covers the necessary information. This has been a difficult change as students are not used to the responsibility of ownership of their learning, but time and training has turned the idea into an expectation. My students have gained tremendously from this transition, and engagement has skyrocketed. I provide a framework with a number of resources, pose the essential questions, and guide them when necessary to pursue knowledge rather than have it force-fed to them. This has come in very handy since we have been forced into remote learning due to the COVID-19 situation, and I have felt prepared enough for the transition, that I am enjoying the ability to use my time and resources to create a functional online environment for my students.

The creation of my ePortfolio (https://sites.google.com/view/darren-newberg/home) has been a building process that is far from over. The ability to document, organize, and share my progress has been extraordinarily helpful as an aid for reflecting my work as well as a form of organization that has lent itself to being a very helpful resource as I continue to build, evolve, and share my plans with my colleagues and students. I do feel the need to make several tweaks and will continue to do so long after I complete this program.

My initial focus at the beginning of the program was addressing issues of technology that were the unintended consequences associated with the rapid development and use of digital technology in a 1:1 school. Issues such as online conduct, digital distractions (Digital Distractions) like social media and games, or other cognitive issues such as studies that have investigated the benefits of using paper and writing over screens and typing and the different effects each medium has on learning and development. I soon came to realize after conducting action research (https://sites.google.com/view/darren-newberg/innovation-plan/action-research) that the key to addressing such issues was to seek out tools and methods that creatively and systematically disrupt the educational process rather than to limit the use of digital tools by placing sanctions on devices and access, ultimately limiting and contradicting many of the benefits of being connected in the 21st Century classroom.

Throughout this learning process, I have developed an innovation plan centered around a district wide initiative that focuses on implementing digital citizenship by incorporating the elements into our pedagogical framework and become a practice at all levels, from explicit instruction in citizenship to a general way of conducting business on a daily basis as a student and member of a global digital society (Digital Citizenship).

The process of researching, developing, and implementing the innovation plan has evolved over time, and given the rapidly changing classroom landscape, I have not been able to begin the professional learning community as originally planned. Additionally, the current situation regarding COVID 19 has most likely delayed the possibility of following my initial plan for this year. Regardless, all is not lost as there are obvious silver linings as a consequence of having to revert to online teaching and learning, to which I felt prepared and have also been able to help the faculty and staff make decisions that will allow our district to fair well and provide every student possible with quality learning online. I have been able to utilize and advise strategies inline with the concept of providing quality blended instruction. Additionally, I have been able to utilize many of the tools I have accumulated (EdShelf).

As we are pushed into remote learning, our spectacular staff has embraced the challenge and have become excited about the possibility of digital collaboration due to its effectiveness and efficiency. There is a peaked interest in continuing to use digital connectivity for conducting future PD’s even when we return to the classroom. This opens the possibility for me to apply my innovation plan to a much more accepting audience as it is now more relevant than ever to propose a professional learning opportunity for digital citizenship and blended learning strategies.

The journey of the Digital Learning and Leading program has opened many opportunities for future developments in my district, serving to benefit our students and community in many ways, some of which we are recently experiencing for the first time. I do believe our innovative spirit and the gains I have made from this program put us in a good position, one which puts our students and the future first. Regardless of delays, everytime I rethink or tweak my plan, I continually borrow and benefit from the goals I have set for our school.

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It is clear that more action must be taken by schools and that a strong connection between the schools and community is necessary for providing a pathway to digital citizenship, as much as any other character education based on expected behaviors, rights, and responsibilities. Time in class must be taken to address how we are approaching cyberbullying on several fronts in and out of the classroom and beyond the school walls.

Addressing cyberbullying alone, separate from how people treat each other in real life and not incorporating digital citizenship in with other socio-emotional developmental programs will most likely be fruitless. Also, programs and curriculum alone are not enough. Proper practices must be supported and sustained through academics, relationships, and resources, empowering students to act and know they have the support from those around them.

To some parents, it may seem to be the school's responsibility to address cyberbullying. To the students, feelings of exclusiveness to their age group and experience puts them in a position to think adults just don’t understand. To teachers and administrators, cyberbullying is a complex issue that we are just starting to wrap our heads around and come to terms with the fact that if we give children the digital tools that have the potential to make cyberbullying easier, it is our duty to teach and model proper behavior and help them develop the skills and behaviors of good digital citizens.

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                 Digital Footprint, Net Neutrality, and Thinking Ahead

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                 Digital Footprint, Net Neutrality, and Thinking Ahead

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Digital Citizenship, Pocket-Size Devices, Our Digital Footprint, and Net Neutrality; It’s a big and exciting gray area of complex issues that must be addressed in education as much as in our society as a whole. How we conduct ourselves, access information, and utilize technology have personal, social, and educational value as we continue to innovate and connect digitally in our daily lives.

The Digital Footprint

After learning more about the impact of the digital footprint and doing a Google search of my name, I fall back to decisions I made a long time ago, in that I do carefully consider when, where, and how to share any information of a personal or professional manner. I have always treated social media as a public forum where I won’t post anything that I wouldn’t say or print in a public context. With that said, it is impossible to account for another person or organization posting or releasing information that is personal in nature. It is also nearly impossible to post something in one context (a family vacation) and it not be looked at by an employer or anyone else that the information was not intentionally targeted. In my own personal experiences and relationships, I have witnessed many non-digital native participators exercise greater caution when utilizing social media or digital technology. This leads me to question if being cautious is a product of growing with the advancements and being introduced to various digital platforms as a young adult rather than being born into this new digital world. It seems to be a larger issue for younger people to safeguard themselves against posting something that could have a significant impact on their reputation and future opportunities. This is where it is critical that children are being taught digital citizenship beginning at a young age. Based on how differently people use and accept technology, it is equally critical that this begin in school, as many children may not be getting the information that they need to safeguard themselves against issues and utilize the tools appropriately and to their full potential. Some parents, such as Tabitha McMonagle (Detwiler, 2015) will not let their children have cell phones until they reach a certain level of maturity and responsibility. Others hand over technology as soon as a child has the capability of using the device. Many of my own students at the middle school age are not allowed to have a social media presence until they are in high school, whereas others began Facebook and Instigram pages as young as 8 or 9 years old, falsifying their age of course, which seems an acceptable practice socially. With that practice also comes a question of social acceptability. It may be possible that it is easier to accept behaviors that we are learning are not good for society as a whole and must be addressed in schools.

Regardless of how and when we are introduced to technology and social media, their comes a cost with both using and not using the internet for personal, professional, and educational means. I had also come to the conclusion several years ago that privacy will never be the same and that we are open to a host of possibilities, both positive and negative, directly or indirectly impacted by what we choose to share and not to. I have always practiced caution when considering my privacy settings and leave nothing open if I am not using it. On several occasions I have considered leaving various social media sites as I have lost interest, however choose to hang onto them because the possible impact of closing them may leave me open for ridicule or a lack of connectivity that is necessary in the 21st century.

I have a personal story of how using social media can have unexpected consequences even considering posts that are seemingly inaquous. My wife and I tend to use social media, in this case instagram, to document our leisurely life and adventures. A few weeks ago, I needed to take a day off work to tend to several appointments and combined it into one day. We teach at a 4 day a week school and typically have Friday’s with the exception of PD days and when my wife and I are taking children to the local ski resort for our ski club. It just so happens that in the month of October and November that we had several PD days and no time for scheduling Dr. appointments and such. Needless to say, I had every reason to use sick leave for my appointments. My principal was under the impression that I was just taking a couple hours in the afternoon. When she found out I had taken the entire day, she spoke to me privately and reminded me that Fridays are a better choice and that the perception is (according to a staff member) that I do my appointments during the week so I can go skiing on Friday. When I reminded her of the fact that we hadn’t had a Friday off and I spend most of my free time working on school related material and am in a masters program, she agreed and said she understands that, but perception is reality. This got my wife and I thinking about issues that people have with false impressions from posts that appear to display a life of constant luxury and endless vacation, not an uncommon viewpoint shared by those who do not understand the work teachers do. So, my wife began #teacherlife and began documenting when and how long I was dedicating time outside of school to my work and studies. The idea is to create a positive image of working hard for our professions and bring a little bit of reality to those perceptions. Perhaps diversifying our posts will help paint a more realistic impression of daily life and not lend itself to an opportunity for assumptions of one's daily life.

On Net Neutrality

Net neutrality serves to prevent this by legislation that keeps the internet a free and open platform. Without these protections, it is possible that small businesses and public institutions may be limited by the inability to pay for higher bandwidth as large corporations essentially “own” priority access and can determine what you see and how quickly you see it (An introduction to net neutrality, 2014). It’s likely that as potential costs rise for priority service, schools will be faced with choosing between slow connections with limited content or be responsible for paying a high cost, also making up the difference from cost being passed to other users. In addition, innovative technology, limited educational content (controlled by corporate interests). The inability for homes to be able to pay for the same service could also widen the digital divide and be counterproductive for schools to move in the right and necessary direction (McMahon, W., & McMahon, W., 2019).

Following the new rules by the FCC in 2015 (aimed at protecting net neutrality), providers cannot block content, practice throttling (controlling where, who, and how content is delivered), and no paid prioritization (Reardon, 2015). This came as a relief to many who feared the government would deregulate or avoid legislation to protect a free and open internet. The flipside argument comes from another fear, that of government intervention. Because the rules are a reclassification of the 1934 Communications Act, the same government regulations of the telephone industry now apply to the world wide web. This causes many to question whether or not this type of government intervention may lead to some of the same issues of cost, lack of competition, and the success of technological innovation following the deregulation of the telephone industry. Some who argue against government protections of net neutrality feel that it may be mismanaged and limit innovation if companies are restricted from competing by not being able to adopt the practices limited by the FCC’s regulation (Steimle, 2014).

This makes the controversy behind net neutrality a complex issue as both sides prevent very compelling arguments. When it comes to education, I fall in the gray area, leaning toward net neutrality, but wondering if brand new legislation be introduced in order to avoid many of the pitfalls that can be associated with the 1934 Communications Act. When you boil the controversy down to the sides of government regulation versus free market competition, one must ask themselves who can they trust more? A tough call given the history of stifling control and lack of organization on one side, and corrupt corporations and their special interest groups that grease the palms of our politicians in order to make record breaking profits regardless of the cost to the people or the impact on public institutions. My opinion is that we should be skeptical of both, and begin thinking of different solutions for this different world.

Response to Another Nicholas Negroponte Quote

In modern education, metacognitive processes (thinking about thinking) and the explicit teachings of this skill has become a hallmark of teaching authentic critical thinking skills thereby raising student achievement. With a sense of self-awareness, students begin to explore the nature of being human through evaluating their own life experiences and others perspectives (Price-Mitchell, 2015). With a sense of self-awareness, students also benefit from greater autonomy and ownership of their learning, skills that fit the 21st century mold. In a TED talk conducted by multi-media revolutionary Nicholas Negroponte (2014), he quoted a colleague in stating “You can’t think about thinking without thinking about thinking about something”. He left the audience to reach their own conclusions about what he meant in this statement. To me, I believe he is comparing the processes behind using technology to design and create as a learning tool. Through this creative approach, real learning takes place by utilizing metacognitive skills. One can teach metacognition as a process, but to truly understand and develop those skills and raising awareness, something must be done in a way that students can apply that concept to a creation. Students need a tangible goal in which they have control of the outcome, can troubleshoot, and make improvements and additions to their product. I believe this to be another reason that ICT and teaching digital citizenship are absolutely necessary in every educational institution.

It is apparent that the information age and accepting digital life as a normal part of our daily life is a fast moving train that cannot be stopped or reversed. To ensure success to our students, we need to offer the opportunities to utilize digital tools in a proper way if we truly wish to prepare our students for the world we live in today. It would be a grave disservice to deny these opportunities. With the utilization of these devices, we need to be aware of issues like net neutrality, protecting educations ability to offer an open connection to the world free from political and/or corporate interest. With this freedom comes the responsibility to ensure that our students are responsible users and have the guidance and knowledge to be productive digital citizens.

References

Detwiler, J. (2016, December/January). Technology and the American teenager. Popular Mechanics, 193(1), 100-107. Detwiler_Technology and the American Teenager.pdf

McMahon, W., & McMahon, W. (2019, June 5). 4 Ways the Net Neutrality Repeal Could Impact K-12 Education. Retrieved from https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2018/01/4-ways-net-neutrality-repeal-could-impact-k-12-education.

Negroponte, Nicholas. (2014, August 7). A 30 Year History of the Future. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b5BDoddOLA.

Price-Mitchell, M. (2015, April 7). Metacognition: Nurturing Self-Awareness in the Classroom. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/8-pathways-metacognition-in-classroom-marilyn-price-mitchell.

Reardon, M. (2015). 13 Things you need to know about the FCC’s net neutrality regulation. Retreived from http://www.cnet.com/news/13-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-fccs-net-neutrality-regulation/

Steimle, J. (2014, May 14). Am I the only techie against net neutrality? Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshsteimle/2014/05/14/am-i-the-only-techie-against-net-neutrality/

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The Need for Digital Citizenship in the 21st Century

Darren W. Newberg

Lamar University Digital Learning and Leading

Defining Digital Citizenship

When considering the need for teaching and learning 21st century skills, it is necessary to identify the technological needs of our students and embrace the systems developed around current social norms and expectations as they relate to the use of technology, both in and beyond the school walls. If schools are to adequately teach these skills, technology must be a part of the pedagogy of those responsible for educating our children. Digital citizenship is a must for doing this appropriately. It has been concluded at many levels that teaching 21st century skills (such as critical thinking, information literacy, leadership, social responsibility, etc.) is necessary for the success of our students in and beyond school. Furthermore, by not teaching these skills, educational institutions are robbing students of necessary skills for navigating the 21st century. It is essential that we teach and practice digital citizenship in order to prepare students for the skills that they need to acquire.

Educators, students, and parents have a general assumption that people know or have a general understanding of what digital citizenship is. Just as the institution of education itself is complex, so is the technology used within those institutions. The topic of digital citizenship has become widely used in educational circles and is widely misunderstood or reinforced with false assumptions. Educational leaders can no longer assume that students know what digital citizenship is (Polgar and Curran, 2015). Adopting technology and creating an environment that embraces proper use and implementation requires a great deal of thought, consideration, and research. Technology in society has advanced so rapidly and the school doors have opened so quickly to let it in, that we are forced to make the rules as we play the game. Therefor the process of learning and sustaining an environment that promotes digital citizenship is somewhat experimental in nature. The nine elements proposed by Ribble (2015) are a strong foundation on which to build digital citizenship in and beyond the school. The concept of the elements and categories for identifying and adopting digital citizenship is thorough and flexible (Ribble, 2015) enough to bend with the changes in technology as we teach and learn in the 21st century.

Current acceptable use policies provide structure and guidance for institutions that utilize technology as a teaching tool. Many policies are aimed to protect students and schools from abuse and misuse of technology and allow users (students, teachers, and parents) to understand the rules of engagement when connected to and harnessing the power of being connected to the internet. AUP’s without considering the elements and complexities of digital citizenship speak to what can and cannot be done while utilizing technology. AUP’s that address misuse and abuse by restricting access and taking technology away from misusers treats the symptoms of technology abuse, but do not aim to solve the issues at hand (Ohler, 2012). Teaching, modeling, and practicing digital citizenship everyday can address those issues in a way that is not separate from the ideals of good civic behavior but can be learned and practiced right along with a civics curriculum.

By identifying the elements and explicitly teaching and modeling them, educational institutions can provide students with the foundation that is necessary for increasing achievement and obtaining the skills that they need to flourish in the 21st century.

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 icitizen_paper_M_Curran.pdf

Ohler, J. (2012). Digital citizenship means character education for the digital age. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 77(8), 14-17. (PDF: Ohler_Digital_citizenship_means_character_education_2012.pdf)

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools - nine elements all students should know. International Society For Tech.

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Meaningful Learning Environments in the New Culture of Learning

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Meaningful Learning Environments in the New Culture of Learning

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As I began the course Creating Significant Learning Environments, and read the New Culture of Learning (Thomas, D., & Brown J. S., 2011), I had already began a documentary series that focuses in on the holistic approach to understanding the changing world we live in and how we approach future problems with climate as it relates to the changing planet. The essential question my students have been challenged to address is “What kind of future would you want to see?” (Bridges, Kucera, 2018). The producers of the documentary created a wonderful documentary and resource rich lesson guide for introducing the information and concepts to middle and high school students. I am fortunate to be a part of their pilot program, and equally as excited to see that the core of the project-based learning experience is centered on similar concepts found in the New Culture of Learning.

The biggest takeaway that I have from merging this project and a New Culture of Learning, is the concept of creating parameters (rules) within a certain context, allowing students to explore and learn within those rules, free from constraints. The lessons provided with the documentary project follow a similar philosophy, based on several concepts, one being that facts alone will not bring change (learning) or motivate people to take action. Three fundamental principles are:

1. There must be an emotional appeal, a call to action. Something real or relevant.

2. An ability to be in control of the learning.

3.  An overall purpose for understanding or learning the material. A viable application that is greater than the sole purpose of in-taking and memorizing the content.

I found the overall content and philosophy compatible with the idea of creating a meaningful learning environment. The concept of creating simple and specific guidelines for learning altered my viewpoint on general classroom rules and the overall purpose and functioning of any lesson.

After guided discussions, vocabulary, and chunking the documentary, I created a simple structure of staying on task, using all available resources, and proposing to me how they (students) would like to present their findings on the topic. The documentary came with 17 essential questions to stimulate project creation. The only directives I gave were to begin researching the question (student choice). Consider why this question is important and think big! It was important to me that I stressed going “above and beyond” a simple grade on a project. I need each student or group to think beyond classroom walls. The importance of addressing this topic is greater than a grade alone, the purpose was a call to action to do something greater. I proceeded by providing students with examples of other teenagers who have impacted change and innovation in the last decade. With a bit of empowerment, I ended the instructions with “show me what you can do”, and I am blown away by the results!

The concept fits perfectly into the idea of peer to peer learning and the concept of the collective. Within the specific boundaries I laid out, students have the freedom and ability to seek out what they need in a non-restrictive environment and to have agency. It beckons them to turn to the collective, free from judgement and personalized learning, allowing them to explore ideas with little fear. I found many students immersed in content and ideas that exceeded my expectations for 6th and 7th grade students.

I have found that emergent behavior (the overall behavior is greater than the sum of its parts) is at the heart of the New Culture of Learning. Simply redesigning my learning environment for one lesson led to the following projects:

One group calculating the acres, cost, and number of solar panels it would take to effectively power our county facilities. They want the final presentation to be to the county!

Another group will film themselves for a month in situations where one use plastic is an issue. They have also started a Go Fund Me in order to contribute money to fighting the “plastic island” in the Pacific Ocean and toward creating their documentary.

In addition, another small group  wants to start an initiative at our local stores to promote alternatives to one use plastics and educate the public through free resources, such as pasta straws, tagged with an emotionally appealing message with facts related to the damage that plastic straws can have on the environment.

One final example, and not limited to many other great ideas, is a group that is creating a three dimensional community based on sustainable energy practices, and they are seeking out small communities to which they want to promote the practices.

All of these groups and more have been invited to share the projects in an assembly on Earth Day in April.

The remarkable thing about these innovative and inspiring ideas is that they all came from the students with little to no suggestions, rubrics, guidelines, or specific detailed instruction. They received the question, rules, and boundaries, and told to think big! Before this experiment, I would've been much more cynical in my acceptance of the concepts in the New Culture of Learning. After applying the concept to my classroom, I am convinced that a learning environment that promotes passion, opportunity, and imagination (Thomas, Brown, 2011), is a leap in the right direction for the 21st century classroom.

The concept, like many, is not without its flaws as many situations in classrooms are unique to the population of students. In a discussion with my colleagues on the New Culture of Learning, two things came up to ponder. One addressed the level and capabilities of students in the classroom. An example put forth was recognizing the fact that in my 6th and 7th grade classes, I have a handful of special needs students who struggle with grade level performance and emotional-behavioral issues. One major challenge that I face and differentiate for is the fact that I have students that perform at the first or second grade level in terms of reading comprehension and writing skills. How does the New Culture of Learning affect these particular needs? How can I differentiate the classroom without completely ditching the concept, yet help low performing students see success through the same model?

Another question that arose was the teaching of skills, such as writing, math, speech, etc. How will this look in a classroom that promotes the concept of the collective and peer to peer learning without there being direct and intensive instruction for those who perform far below grade level?

I’ll address and discuss these issues as I move forward and implement my project that is focused on digital distractions and the use of technology in the classroom. https://sites.google.com/s/117EqiVU0hjytHasYefoRziArhe-QbSnw/p/1ZnhdNjQLHUXy9C2UnumxlUX72i2s-9Ca/edit

I feel that proper instruction and use of technology in the classroom can be equated with the ability for students to have and use all available resources, commonly found by the utilization of the internet through Google Chromebooks. My hypothesis is that blended learning and proper use of multiple devices in class will prove to be much more advantageous over limiting technology use and taking devices out of the hands of our students. I am feeling confident of the impact that this design will have on the majority of my students. The challenge is meeting the needs of every student within this learning environment.

Please comment below with any suggestions you may have for addressing these needs. I am looking forward to continuing with creating meaningful learning environments in my classes and welcome any suggestions, successes, and failures that you have experienced in adopting similar ideas in your classroom.

References

Bridges, Jeff. (Producer), & Kucera, Susan (Director). (2018). Living in the Futures Past [Motion Picture]. United States: Vision Films.

Thomas, D., & Brown J. S. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. (Vol 219) Lexington, KY: CreateSpace. ISBN 1456458884

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Project Proposal

Changing the Culture of Distracted Learning: Technology in the 21st Century Classroom

My goal is to address several problems educators face when implementing technology in classrooms. Specifically, this project will identify common distractions, challenges educators face, and how these issues are impeding progress in educational institutions.

I am fortunate to work in a public school that has embraced and implemented many of the technologies I will be addressing. It has come to fruition that educators face a dilemma concerning the challenges of managing digital distractions. If educators are unable to effectively utilize technology in classrooms, it will hinder growth, innovation, and quality of education rather than enhance it.

Current research clearly shows that digital distractions are a global issue at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. Students are distracted by instructional and non-instructional technologies alike. Both have a profound negative impact on student. Historically speaking, many technological advancements and new ideas come with unintended consequences. In the past, time has been more of an ally for ironing out these wrinkles in progress, but we are in the midst of a paradigm shift that will be less forgiving. We must identify the problems and solutions that relate to the 21st century learning with expediency before we see further drops in innovation and student achievement.

Digital distractions fall into three main categories:

The impact of digital distractions on students

The use and misuse of educational technology

The need to be connected

The misconceptions of multitasking

The factors that hinder educators’ abilities to implement quality instruction

Monitoring use and misuse

Policies that are effective and relevant

Addressing the needs of each student educationally and culturally

The effects that “digital culture” has had on our educational institutions.

These distractions, higher demands, and rapidly changing culture as it relates to the use of technology, suppress what could unlock boundless potential in education.

The traditional model of education is overdue for change. By adopting innovative practices, we can work to address the potential roadblocks to the progress necessary for that change. I will use a “TED TALK” style presentation to my school staff at a professional development session in the spring of this year.

Darren Newberg

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A Culture of Empathy and Compassion; Defining the Cyberbullying Epidemic

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A Culture of Empathy and Compassion; Defining the Cyberbullying Epidemic

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What constitutes bullying is highly debatable. The issue of defining bullying is one that is complex and has changed over time, resulting in many debates on the legislative front, in schools, socially, and politically. The language must be carefully crafted in order to provide legal definitions that are easy to attribute to the law, protections to freedom of speech and expression, how it effects the individual, and how to make it consistent and easy to understand and convey to educators and students (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015). Therefore, it is equally as difficult to define cyberbullying as issues become more complex when considering the nature of real life versus cyberspace. Because education is mandated by the state, each state has developed their own laws and procedures related to cyberbullying (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015), yet cyberbullying is not confined to borders, therefor should it be federal as many states vary on what is mandated?

Cyberbullying has been defined as “the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person (such as a student) often done anonymously” (Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary, 2019). This definition points out the inadequate nature and lack of depth and seriousness associated with the criminal act of bullying. “Mean-spirited” does not elicit a sense of urgency and does not match the fall out of the thousands of cases and millions of acts of cyberbullying that plague our schools. Bullying has been a long-standing issue that affects many people of all ages and has been given much attention over the years. The emotional and psychological consequences of bullying have sent shock waves through many families and communities evident in acts of aggression, violence, and suicidal tendencies to name a few major effects. Cyberbullying must undergo the same scrutiny, but at a much faster rate as the means by which cyberbullies lay their attacks change at the same rate as our technological advancements. Hinduja and Patchin (2015) define cyberbullying as “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cellphones, and other electronic devices”. This definition of cyberbullying addresses the issue of subjective and petty language and begins to get to the heart of the harm that can be done to so many. It shows willful intent and uses stronger language that can insinuate the possibilities of criminal behavior and harm. I would define cyberbullying as any act that utilizes digital technology to willingly threaten or inflict physical or emotional harm to others. I feel that this language is less specific on the type of device to not limit future technology from consideration, particularly with the advancements of AI. Additionally, physical and emotional harm maintains a sense of harm beyond the use of “mean-spirited”, opening it up for legal consideration and language targeting specific acts as currently defined in the definition of bullying.

Bullying has gone high-tech, evident in the case studies of Ryan Patrick Hannigan and Kylie Kennedy from the early 2000’s (“Schoolyard Bullying Has Gone High-Tech.”, 2006), (Deseret News, 2006). These two young people, one with devastating consequences resulting in suicide and the other severe lifetime trauma both illustrate the massive impact that cyberbullying can have on the lives of young people. In each case, physical and/or emotional harm and intent inflicted pain on each one of them, at a time in history preceding the ease and accessibility of social media apps as a platform for bullying. From each case, changes occurred leading to how we define and understand the sevarity of cyberbullying. Although the primary focus is on protecting our young people and their ability to receive an education, cyberbullying is neither limited to young people or educational institutions. Cyberbullying affects millions of people around the globe of many ages.

It is imperative that given the number of cases and rise in psychological and physical injury or death as a result of cyberbullying, that we must begin addressing this epidemic in a consistent and systematic way, beginning in, but not exclusive to schools. Educators need to raise student and community awareness as cyberbullying occurs as much outside of school as in. Although cyberbullying effects many people spanning beyond school walls, learning about cyberbullying and what to do about it must be a partnership that begins in the classroom. Technology aside, it must begin with teaching, modeling, and sustaining empathy and compassion for others. As basic as the golden rule, we need to take time from academics and testing to tend to the socio-emotional needs of our children by providing a safe and caring environment not limited to learning but including their overall well-being. We need to close the gap created between adulthood and adolescents as it relates to the myth created by the development of the  “Kinderculture” and self-esteem movements of the 1960’s and 1970’s (Steinberg, 2019) that created a cultural rift between kids and adults, evident in the belief that “adults don’t understand” and “adults don’t know what’s cool and how things work”. Educational institutions can begin by developing a positive school climate through promoting awareness, cultivating lines of communication, establishing a level of recognizing individuals through personalized experiences, and by connecting teachers, administrators, parents, and teachers to a set of common goals (Hinduja, Patchin, 2015). Through the establishment of positive norming campaigns, schools and communities can establish a safe and caring environment that encourages a community effort for change and instilling hope for those who face the savage clutches of a cyberbullies grip. Much of this can be framed around the teaching and practice of digital citizenship.

Digital citizenship is an avenue for teaching appropriate use and as the title suggests, proper conduct and behavior that set acceptable practices within a community. Children must understand that they have rights and responsibilities in life and online both in and out of school. Mike Ribble (2015), lays out a foundation for nine essential elements that schools should use to teach, model, and sustain digital citizenship as a means for addressing many issues surrounding our rapid advancements in technology and online social conduct. These elements include digital access, commerce, communication, literacy, etiquette, law, rights and responsibilities, health and wellness, and security. These elements cover a plethora of topics and issues related to how we use technology as a way of life and provide a structure that can be molded to fit unique situations and the ever-changing digital landscape as technology continues to evolve at a break-neck pace. Of these elements, a focus and emphasis should be placed on etiquette (how we conduct ourselves in a digitally civil manner), rights and responsibilities (how we are protected and duties we owe for the participation in our digital communities), health and wellness (including socio-emotional development) and security, with an emphasis on our safety and protecting the safety of others).

Continued research into cases of cyberbullying and developing a working definition for social and legal purposes is a necessary starting point for addressing the epidemic we have come to know as cyberbullying. Collaboration between schools, communities, and law enforcement must continue to be a priority as society works toward sailing toward a positive future with empathy and compassion at the helm. Through continued education and training, schools can incorporate digital citizenship into their curriculum and culture as the focus shifts from a large focus on academics to a shared focus with the physical and emotional well-being of our children.

References

“Cyberbullying.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cyberbullying.

Deseret News. “Schoolyard Bullying Has Gone High-Tech.” Deseret News, Deseret News, 18 Aug. 2006, https://www.deseret.com/2006/8/18/19969197/schoolyard-bullying-has-gone-high-tech.

Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2015). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyberbullying. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

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

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

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools - nine elements all students should know. International Society For Tech.

“Ryan's Story Presentation.” Ryan's Story Presentation, http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org/.

STEINBERG, SHIRLEY R. KINDERCULTURE: the Corporate Construction of Childhood. ROUTLEDGE, 2019.

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Implementation Outline

Changing the Culture of Distracted Learning: Technology in the 21st Century Classroom

Darren Newberg

The following outline is the jump-start to an ongoing project that is directed toward introducing the need for change in our approach to dealing with digital distractions. My overall goal is to use current research for the use of technology in the classroom in a more manageable way. Currently our (educators) approach is to put away or remove access of technology from students when it becomes a greater distraction than an enhancement for learning. This has become a huge problem in our school, as we increase our workload as teachers by printing text, monitoring use, and spending more of our time policing the classroom rather than teaching. For students, it takes away the opportunity to be connected and utilize the endless resources that can accelerate learning to a level never seen before.

I am in a school that is a 1:1 laptop initiative. This has been a wonderful program in many ways, however the distractions that come with putting technology in the hands of all secondary students, albeit distractions to students and teachers, has led to issues that diminish the value of having these tools in the first place. My goal is to find the tools necessary for embracing this paradigm shift in education as it relates to the use of technology. Institutions are quick to adopt new technologies, as they should. The implementation is often rushed by assuming that all students having computers is going to raise achievement, with a lack of consideration to the problems associated with that power. I want a solution. We are currently struggling with the unintended consequences as they relate  to the modern need and power of being connected. My goal is to find a way to implement strategies and find technologies to enhance the learning process as it relates to the use of technology as an educational tool, by addressing these unintended consequences. The outline below is a start to this process.

The “TED TALK” IS the tip of the iceberg as it relates to the initiative I have outlined below. My timeline for launching this initiative is as follows:

1. Spring 2019: Introduce the concepts in a TED Talk format to the staff

2. Summer 2019: Continue research aimed at technologies and strategies aimed at enhancing the use of technology

3. Fall 2019: Introduce these concepts and technologies to the students. Also, address the issues of distraction and mindset explicitly with students.

4. Winter-Spring: analyze the implementation of these concepts and applications, make adjustments, and collect the results with the purpose of making digital learning an efficient and advanced experience for the students and staff at our school.

5. Introduction

6. The Changing Classroom

1. What is the 21st Century Classroom?

2. Types of Tech and Applications in School

3. Goals of Enhancing the Classroom with Technology

7. Intro to The Impact of Digital Distractions

1. On Students

2. On Teachers

3. On Educational Institutions

8. Research

1. Brief on Problems and Solutions

2. Evolving Roles in Education

3. Teaching is changing

4. The Institution’s Role in Change

9. Identifying the Future School

1. COVA, Blended Learning, Differentiated Instruction, etc.

2. Future School Setting (Predicting the Possibilities)

3. Learning Has Already Changed

10. How to Address New Needs

1. Explicit Training: Students and Staff

2. Share the Problems

3. Discuss Solutions

4. Experiment!

11. What the Research Knows and Doesn’t Know so Far

1. The Use of Technology in the Classroom

2. The misuse of Technology in the Classroom

12. Current Goals and Outlooks of Secondary and Post-Secondary Education

1. Specifics of the Many Distractions

2. Students

3. Connectivity

13. Top 5 Uses of Tech in the Lives of Students

1. Problems Beyond School Walls; Unhealthy Relationships to Technology

2. Teachers

3. Distractions to Teachers

14. Problems With Pedagogical Change in an Evolving Institution

1. Impact on Research Based Strategies

2. Compatibility of Traditional Education to 21st Century Learning

3. Challenges of Contradictory Methods

1. Possible Solutions and Further Research

1. Demands and Conflicting Approaches

2. Blended Education

2. To Tech or Not to Tech?

1. Pros

2. Cons

3. The Contradictions and Conflicts of a Multi-Tasking World

1. Research on Multitasking

2. Practice What We Preach

4. Multitasking Demands of Society and Education

1. Impossible to Model as Demands on Students and Teachers Rise

5. Possible Solutions

1. More Tech Not Less?

2. Effective Use

3. Tech Breaks

4. Paper or Plastic?

5. Game-Based learning

6. Blended Learning

1. Online Textbooks

6. Facilitation and Support

7. Online In Between

8. Alternatives to School vs. Homeschool

9. Cultural Considerations and Special Needs

10. To Teach is To...

1. Changing Roles and Methods

11. Conclusion

1. Restate and Summarize Points

2. Tie back to Three Categories

3. More Research is Needed

12. Predictions: Back to the Future School

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Project Proposal

Changing the Culture of Distracted Learning: Technology in the 21st Century Classroom

My goal is to address several problems educators face when implementing technology in classrooms. Specifically, this project will identify common distractions, challenges educators face, and how these issues are impeding progress in educational institutions.

I am fortunate to work in a public school that has embraced and implemented many of the technologies I will be addressing. It has come to fruition that educators face a dilemma concerning the challenges of managing digital distractions. If educators are unable to effectively utilize technology in classrooms, it will hinder growth, innovation, and quality of education rather than enhance it.

Current research clearly shows that digital distractions are a global issue at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. Students are distracted by instructional and non-instructional technologies alike. Both have a profound negative impact on student. Historically speaking, many technological advancements and new ideas come with unintended consequences. In the past, time has been more of an ally for ironing out these wrinkles in progress, but we are in the midst of a paradigm shift that will be less forgiving. We must identify the problems and solutions that relate to the 21st century learning with expediency before we see further drops in innovation and student achievement.

Digital distractions fall into three main categories:

The impact of digital distractions on students

The use and misuse of educational technology

The need to be connected

The misconceptions of multitasking

The factors that hinder educators’ abilities to implement quality instruction

Monitoring use and misuse

Policies that are effective and relevant

Addressing the needs of each student educationally and culturally

The effects that “digital culture” has had on our educational institutions.

These distractions, higher demands, and rapidly changing culture as it relates to the use of technology, suppress what could unlock boundless potential in education.

The traditional model of education is overdue for change. By adopting innovative practices, we can work to address the potential roadblocks to the progress necessary for that change. I will use a “TED TALK” style presentation to my school staff at a professional development session in the spring of this year.

Darren Newberg

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I have learned that I have a tendency to use information to a degree that can sometimes be ineffective. As educators, we tend to use the information itself as a means to “sell” the content we are teaching. My tendency has been to rely on the information itself and occasionally pay less attention to the delivery. This section reminds me how important the delivery is in terms of creating a convincing argument that is compelling and clear. It is the first few minutes of any lesson that will engage people in wanting to learn more. Information itself is necessary for the argument, but not the argument (or lesson) itself.

My takeaway from this process, which I also find applicable to my daily practices, is that:

1. Know the audience and the range of its members involvement and understanding

2. Differentiate the message based on the diversity of your audience

3. Keep the message easy to understand and clear to the masses that make up the audience

4. Be willing to continually adapt the message based on the needs (feedback) of the audience and any new information gathered from the experience

5. Identify the overall need as it applies to necessary change and make an emotional appeal. Use the information to back-up claims and not as claims themselves.

I have been working on a plan for disruptive innovation that addresses the pros and cons of technology in the classroom. I have discovered that technology has become more than a tool. As I set off on this project, my hypothesis was grounded in the idea that technology is simply a too. I am focused on eliminating the distractions caused by the ease of connectivity and use of technology in a way that can prove to be more distracting than advantageous. When we have students misusing technology, we take it away. The problem with that is technology is not just a tool, it is many tools, just as we have many devices to serve those needs. Technology therefore, has become ingrained in our culture as a way of life.

My research has led me to see that we can no longer avoid or eliminate technology from the classroom. Society has rapidly changed to such a degree that we see technology being used in so many different ways. The number one social forum for teenagers is more often through online video games and social media. A vast majority of students at my school 6-12 have smartphones, tablets, and or laptops. In addition our school has a 1:1 Chromebook initiative, allowing students personal use on their assigned school devices.  With this, many teachers struggle with how and when to implement the use of this technology. We can take away the devices, we have a “no cell phone” policy, but it all just seems to consume more of our time policing the use of the technology than not.

After conducting research and completing the projects, I have decided to create a 15-20 minute video that will include a number of interviews with staff, children, and parents of the pros and cons surrounding the use of technology. I am already in the process of creating this video and have several hours worth of footage. I plan on rolling this out to the staff in the fourth quarter, possibly during our work-study professional development in the summer.

My overall goal is to convince my faculty and staff that we need to embrace technology and be a part of the change through finding new and more efficient ways of utilizing technology to its fullest. I have found that I may be addressing the pros and cons as a whole as they relate to our 1:1 initiative and not just focus on distractions.

The following proposal, literature review, outline, and video offers specifics on my current plan and a jumpstart to call the staff at my school to action. Thank you!

Proposal

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jTp3N-c4KS945LfX0Cvxcm3D4f31RSepOAubOvGFeek/edit?usp=sharing

Implementation Outline

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d_yUqseA9X2FGApGLPPTUjfxfa3-iki0Ue0AdHNW5og/edit?usp=sharing

Literature Review

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DyJpAP9_qijYXWXM_6uXHapIOAYJn30Q8eJI38QnHc8/edit?usp=sharing

Video

https://www.wevideo.com/view/1315382737

Reading List

Articles and Websites

https://www.commonsense.org/education/teaching-strategies/dealing-with-digital-distraction-in-the-classroom

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1148591.pdf

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1148591.pdf

Books

Classroom Management in the Digital Age: Effective Practices for Technology-Rich Learning Spaces: Heather Dowd and Patrick Green

Teaching and Assessing 21st Century Skills

Dr. Robert Marzano and Tammy Heflebower

Classroom Habitudes: Teaching Habits and Attitudes for 21st Century Learning

Angela Maiers

Technology Integration in the 21st Century Classroom

Anthony Brewer

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Darren Newberg- 12/19/2018

After reading COVA chapters 10-13, I find myself instantly drawn to the connection between each component of COVA. For a student to take ownership, they must have the opportunity to use their own voice in the creation of the eportfolio. For COVA to work, students and teachers need to take risks. Dr. Harapnuik makes a pretty solid argument about risk taking as giving ownership is one of the hardest things to do. We live in a society of helicopter parents and concern over emotional and physical harm. Continuing to shield students seems to continually lead us back to a traditional model in which students don't have or can't handle choice and voice. Dr. Harapnuik makes a great point by referring to scaffolding lessons for students. When we scaffold lessons our goal should be to eventually take off the scaffolds.Like taking the training wheels of a child's bicycle, dropping the scaffolds increases the likelihood of risk taking, allowing one to take ownership and develop their own voice.

Dwayne Harapnuik, Tilisa Thibodeaux & Cynthia Cummings (2018). COVA. Choice, Ownership, and Voice through Authentic Learning. Retrieved from

http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=7291

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Darren Newberg- 12/15/18

In the first years of my career as an educator, the idea of "exemplars" bothered me both on an academic level as well as allowing students to think creatively. In my fixed mindset, I would jump to assertions like, "I never had examples of others work! It was up to me to figure it out (and figure out what the teacher expected)”. Now I find myself using and creating exemplars and rubrics as often as possible. I have learned that it makes a remarkable difference in effort and achievement. For me, this is an example and a reminder that expectations that drive student learning are not rooted in a single expected outcome, rather an expectation of a students ability to put in the effort necessary to achieve while using their own voice and curiosity to drive their learning. This concept continues to stick with me as I apply the same expectations to my own learning and develop my own voice for the future of 21st century learning.

Having examples to compare and critique has been incredibly helpful, as I have read and reviewed exemplars of others eportfolios, I have been able to adopt ideas for developing my own. I feel inspired by others ideas and approaches and realize I can pick and choose what best works for my overall goal.

In addition to the examples provided, I also reviewed and left feedback for my peer group. I was able to look at the work of others from a viewer's perspective and hopefully offer feedback that is beneficial. I look forward to any feedback I can get on my eportfolio. I know where I still have a lot of holes, but would still appreciate any feedback given.

In terms of platforms, I am willing to stick with Google for now, as I am most familiar with that platform. I did find out that the updated Sites does not support a blog section. After some research, I experimented with three sites and settled on using www.padlet.com. It allows me to add to and embed my entire blog stream. Padlet also provides a comment section to the blog template. Some of the feedback I received today was that my blog was not showing and required access authentication. I am going to take another look at this tomorrow and provide a fix.

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Darren Newberg

December 8th, 2018

When first faced with this question as a discussion point, I felt perhaps I was over thinking the nature of the question. I began thinking of intellectual property rights and the fact that the eportfolio is a product being assessed for my college coursework. After reading the articles and discussing the concept with my wife (fellow educator), I believe I came to a conclusion found in the entire nature of the COVA approach. The level of ownership that one has of their eportfolio depends on how meaningful and useful the eportfolio is.

Meaningfulness and use of the eportfolio boils down to the overall design and content, as well as a regular duologue through making connections on a professional level between colleagues, students, and other professionals with whom one connects. In other words, ownership comes at the price of using the eportfolio in a way to connect, grow, reflect, and share thoughts, ideas, and concepts central to learning and developing a positive mindset rooted in the value of education and intellectual development.

As I was moving from the fixed-mindset of literal ownership to the value of ownership as a meaningful approach to development, I thought of why we emphasize ownership of student learning. At my school we have all been a part of shifting the culture at our school to creating classrooms where students have agency over their learning. Through trial and tribulation, we have discovered that choice is a large part of this process, but that it is not choice alone. We have many standards and expectations of student outcomes in public education, many of which our own effectiveness is rated as educators. Beyond choice, ownership is mindset. Students must find meaning and relevancy in their learning. When they do this, the natural human trait of curiosity will lead them to questioning what and how they are learning, rather than the mindset of "feed me the information and show me the A". I related this concept to myself as a student of DLL and came to the conclusion that as long as I am continuing to develop my eprotfolio in a way that is meaningful and authentic to me. Dr. Harapnuik and Dr. Thibodeaux make a point in an episode of The Learners Mindset Discussion (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtxjRQPdJEA), that the eportfolio is not just a container of information, if it just sits and collects "edust", it really has little value as a meaningful and authentic tool. It is the choice and voice of the designer that allows one to have true ownership over their learning and growth. Thus far, I am gaining ownership of my eportfolio as I continue to develop, enhance, and use it as a meaningful tool.

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The Dizzying Effect of Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons

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The Dizzying Effect of Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons

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After learning more about Copyright law, Fair Use, and Creative Commons this week, my head is spinning as I try to wrap it around all of the legal procedures, rights and responsibilities, and applications. I’ve learned that I most certainly lacked the information I needed in order to truly understand and appreciate the laws as they apply to the use of and distribution of creative works. I have gained a new and more informed approach as an educator and see the value in how I can apply these lessons to teaching and modeling appropriate digital citizenship as it relates to intellectual property. I feared at first that I was going to find the material confusing and mundane. In fact, it is far from mundane and a little bit less confusing now that I have been able to develop a general sense of these rights and responsibilities. Arguably, each assignment this week lent itself to having to be limited, as it would be easy to surpass the required number of paragraphs for the assignments in 5316, including this reflection. I have decided to reflect on a couple epiphanies I had while reading the material and watching the videos. One, I felt some relief in knowing that it is “not just me” when it comes to not being clear on how copyright, education, and technology work together. Knowing that these relationships are actually under development and currently debated allowed me to be a bit more comfortable in my confusion, increasing my interest in learning more. Additionally, I find the argument for promoting a creative culture and need for updating how we move forward with using and citing information inspiring.

My generation and generations before me view copyright from a lens of the past, focusing primarily on the law as it governs rules for plagiarism, duplicating material, and using multimedia such as audio and video within the rule of the law. Fair Use and Creative Commons with revisions to copyright law have altered that view considerably as it is not only about the limitations and being careful to not steal someone else's work, it is also about protecting and promoting our own creative works; teachers and students. We are also addressing the issues surrounding what should be free and open for the advancement of knowledge while still protecting an author's right to their work.

An argument for change can be linked to the idea that information has become more valuable as it is easier to create and share, but at the same time information loses its value as our ability to connect using high tech tools makes it easier than ever before to get and use this information (Muller, 2015). Current laws around copyright may be outdated and lead to confusion and misunderstanding of the law and the potential for creative works to flourish as a result.

Jason Ohler (2014) argues that there are two camps when it comes to digital ethics, one being that we leave the current laws and processes regarding copyright just as they are and follow them the way we always have including how we govern use digitally. The second argument being that we need to adjust our approach to digital ethics as many things have changed from real life to virtual. He equates it to a multicultural experience that requires new rules and suggests that these rules be developed by allowing kids to develop their own citation scheme. He uses theft to illustrate his point by comparing what theft means in real life as an act of taking someone else's property, to theft today that isn’t really clear as users copy and share pictures, music, videos, and information as a regular practice. It makes sense to me that a new scheme needs to be created in an effort to comply with and respect the works of creators while participating in a sharing culture.

The internet functions by the copying and distribution of information, challenging our notions of what copyright is about and how we make certain to protect authors intellectual property while promoting the sharing and dissemination of knowledge for the advancement of the arts and sciences (“Copyright in the Digital Age, 2011). Lettie Ransley makes a case in her TED talk that how to stop people from copying is no longer the approach we can take for protecting intellectual property. New rules and procedures must be explored, such as considering how and for what we are copying and using information. She proposes that we consider the fact that traditional publishers were initially threatened by the idea of self publishing and would see a loss, when in fact the opposite happened. Free information is not valueless, there are other steps to consider in the digital age, such as paying for premium information, the ease and cost of participation allows many more people to participate in the process lowering cost and making it affordable to participate. The availability of information and our closeness to the source (the ability to be directly connected) also builds value in the information. Her final point is on peers, that the most significant part of this is the ability for people to participate in communities and that is what the internet is.

When considering the above viewpoints, it is clear that steps be taken to develop new ways to govern intellectual property if we wish to continue to promote the advancement of knowledge and creativity. The internet is about community and with community comes the duty of being a good citizen. Digital citizenship is the means by which we can develop responsible and fair use of intellectual property while promoting the advancement of knowledge and creativity.

References

Muller, S. (2015, April 30). Copyright Basics: Crash Course Intellectual Property 2. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tamoj84j64I. Copyright Basics: Crash Course Intellectual Property 2.

Ohler, J. Two Camps When It Comes to Digital Ethics. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vCMqPOm9A0

TEDxGoodenoughCollege - Lettie Ransley - Copyright in the Digital Age. (2011). Retrieved from https://youtu.be/qmDeBYosaJU

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I can write anything I want and add it to your blog?

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Growth Mindset In Action

Growth mindset has been introduced to my school as a part of our professional development. I was immediately hooked on the ideas and concepts presented by Carol Dewek’s work. At the same time, I struggled with how to properly introduce the concept of growth mindset to my students. I have come to realize that this is not an explicitly taught way of thinking and it must be modeled and adopted as a philosophy for learning.  I have experimented with this philosophical approach to creating a significant learning environment, and for all the “fixed mindset” issues that are raised in our era of standardized testing and expectations in the classroom that contradict the ideology of growth mindset, a little experimentation has gone a long way in a very short period.

I began my innovation plan with the idea of reducing digital distractions as I saw this as a major obstacle for many students whom have been given the opportunity to have the world at their fingertips because of a 1:1 Google Chromebook initiative that our school adopted within the past three years. I have now come to realize that I do not have to scrap the idea of addressing digital distractions in the wake of creating a significant learning environment. It is that environment that will directly and indirectly address the solutions for reducing these distractions that I have addressed in my innovation plan.

I feel that there are two major struggles or obstacles that we as educators, need to overcome; the current educational system that is rooted in century old teaching philosophies that are bound and gagged by standardized testing, and the push-back we get from students who are conditioned to the current system. I also mentioned in discussion that we as educators also face the issue of students being reluctant to adopt this philosophy as we have trained them in a fixed mindset sense as it relates to failure and achievement. The pull from the institution to focus on standardized test grades and the push back from students who are reluctant to accept new ideas presents a huge challenge for all of us as we try to institute change that shifts the focus from teaching to learning. I am happy to report that I have been able to see the benefits of creating a significant learning environment and have been able to adopt and pass on to my students the philosophy of COVA in the classroom. I have been fortunate to utilize a current initiative that beckons for learners to express their thoughts and take on challenges that are much larger than a classroom project.

I have applied many aspects of growth mindset, the concept of “not yet” and the benefits of learning from failure, I have introduced a unit of study that I would not have considered within the wall of fear that so many of us erect around us in order to feel that we are meeting the expectations of the demands placed on us by the standardized testing-crazed system. I decided to inquire on a project that has been created by the cinematographer and director Susan Kucera and producer/narrator Jeff Bridges.

“Living in the Futures Past” has become a pivot point in my approach to creating a significant learning environment as I have been able to build a unit of study that is based on choice, student ownership, and authenticity. In the process, I have been able to make some great connections with the makers of the film in terms of curriculum development, support, and a platform for my students to go beyond the classroom walls, which has recently become somewhat a theme if not a mantra of mine in the classroom.

Last November I was up late grading assignments while watching an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live. During this segment, Jimmy had the distinguished guest Jeff Bridges discuss a recent documentary called “Living in the Futures Past”, based on the metaphor of present-day realities as related to environmental change and the course of the changing planet. The essential question placed on the audience is “what kind of future do you want to see?”. Mr. Bridges continued to say that they were developing a study guide for teachers and soon plan an educational component to follow up on the concepts communicated in the film and beyond. I felt this was a perfect opportunity to offer an authentic learning experience, so I immediately contacted Mr. Bridges agent to inquire. Not thinking that anything would come of it, I was surprised when the film’s maker contacted me directly just a few weeks later. In February of this year, I began developing a unit plan for implementing this lesson in the classroom, as seen in my three column plan and UbD.

Though still in the initial development as a first run, (revision is constant), I have begun this audacious goal with my students by introducing them to the documentary and chunking lessons into a scaffold that includes research skills and collaboration between social studies, language arts, and science. We are currently in the middle of this experiment, but I am excited to report that by utilizing a growth mindset on my part and allowing students the freedom to explore the concepts from the film with just a few guidelines and parameters, I am blown away by the results. This is reflected in their work as many students continue to exceed my expectations as well as catching the eye of the films producers whom are equally as excited with my students’ projects. I have been asked to share my students work as a part of the films website and educational phase that is currently in development.

Because I was able to apply growth mindset to my decision to go beyond any obstacles and contact the filmmakers, I have opened many opportunities for my students. We will be gaining support from the documentary’s creators through a platform for my students to work toward a much greater goal than a grade, resources at our fingertips that are available from their program, and most importantly an opportunity for my students to gain a sense of accomplishment by having a purpose that is realistic and applicable to our lives beyond a school project. Many of my students will be speaking at an annual earth day assembly and some of the work will soon be featured on the film’s website.

This is where I can see the value of mindset as a philosophy to be modeled and introduced through the development of authentic activities and a learning environment that is focused on choice and opportunity. I can’t express in words the excitement I have for my students, and the epiphany that has afforded me to become a delusional optimist! I feel way over my head as I consider the relationship I am developing with the filmmakers, but I remain less intimidated as I realize the benefits that await my students. As Dr. Harapnuik said, the research shows that beyond some form of physical or emotional abuse, anything we can do, any morsel of constructivist thinking, will not harm our children and in fact, will do some good. I am adopting this concept as a way for me to take risks, and so far, it is paying off in a way I could never have imagined.

My plan for moving forward embraces the fundamentals of my original growth mindset plan, however I feel that continuing to adopt the principals into my own philosophy and using explicit instruction as a tool for myself and fellow educators will prove to be far more valuable than trying to explicitly teach growth mindset to students, particularly after learning that the research shows you actually cannot "teach" mindset anymore than you can teach intrinsic motivation.

References

Bridges, Jeff, (Producer) & Kucera, Susan (Director) (November 6th, 2018). Living in the Futures Past [Motion Picture]. United States: Vision Films. Documentary film and corresponding lesson guide.

Dweck, Carol S.. (2008) Mindset :the new psychology of success New York : Ballantine Books,

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Reflective Discussion

I have learned that I have a tendency to use information to a degree that can sometimes be ineffective. As educators, we tend to use the information itself as a means to “sell” the content we are teaching. My tendency has been to rely on the information itself and occasionally pay less attention to the delivery. This section reminds me how important the delivery is in terms of creating a convincing argument that is compelling and clear. It is the first few minutes of any lesson that will engage people in wanting to learn more. Information itself is necessary for the argument, but not the argument (or lesson) itself.

My takeaway from this process, which I also find applicable to my daily practices, is that:

1. Know the audience and the range of its members involvement and understanding

2. Differentiate the message based on the diversity of your audience

3. Keep the message easy to understand and clear to the masses that make up the audience

4. Be willing to continually adapt the message based on the needs (feedback) of the audience and any new information gathered from the experience

5. Identify the overall need as it applies to necessary change and make an emotional appeal. Use the information to back-up claims and not as claims themselves.

I have been working on a plan for disruptive innovation that addresses the pros and cons of technology in the classroom. I have discovered that technology has become more than a tool. As I set off on this project, my hypothesis was grounded in the idea that technology is simply a too. I am focused on eliminating the distractions caused by the ease of connectivity and use of technology in a way that can prove to be more distracting than advantageous. When we have students misusing technology, we take it away. The problem with that is technology is not just a tool, it is many tools, just as we have many devices to serve those needs. Technology therefore, has become ingrained in our culture as a way of life.

My research has led me to see that we can no longer avoid or eliminate technology from the classroom. Society has rapidly changed to such a degree that we see technology being used in so many different ways. The number one social forum for teenagers is more often through online video games and social media. A vast majority of students at my school 6-12 have smartphones, tablets, and or laptops. In addition our school has a 1:1 Chromebook initiative, allowing students personal use on their assigned school devices.  With this, many teachers struggle with how and when to implement the use of this technology. We can take away the devices, we have a “no cell phone” policy, but it all just seems to consume more of our time policing the use of the technology than not.

After conducting research and completing the projects, I have decided to create a 15-20 minute video that will include a number of interviews with staff, children, and parents of the pros and cons surrounding the use of technology. I am already in the process of creating this video and have several hours worth of footage. I plan on rolling this out to the staff in the fourth quarter, possibly during our work-study professional development in the summer.

My overall goal is to convince my faculty and staff that we need to embrace technology and be a part of the change through finding new and more efficient ways of utilizing technology to its fullest. I have found that I may be addressing the pros and cons as a whole as they relate to our 1:1 initiative and not just focus on distractions.

The following proposal, literature review, outline, and video offers specifics on my current plan and a jumpstart to call the staff at my school to action. Thank you!

Proposal

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jTp3N-c4KS945LfX0Cvxcm3D4f31RSepOAubOvGFeek/edit?usp=sharing

Implementation Outline

https://sites.google.com/view/darren-newberg/documents

Literature Review

https://sites.google.com/view/darren-newberg/documents

Video

https://sites.google.com/view/darren-newberg/home?authuser=0

Reading List

Articles and Websites

https://www.commonsense.org/education/teaching-strategies/dealing-with-digital-distraction-in-the-classroom

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1148591.pdf

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1148591.pdf

Books

Classroom Management in the Digital Age: Effective Practices for Technology-Rich Learning Spaces: Heather Dowd and Patrick Green

Teaching and Assessing 21st Century Skills

Dr. Robert Marzano and Tammy Heflebower

Classroom Habitudes: Teaching Habits and Attitudes for 21st Century Learning

Angela Maiers

Technology Integration in the 21st Century Classroom

Anthony Brewer

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Darren Newberg
November 30th, 2018

When I began this coursework, I was mostly concerned with building skills that I can apply to my career in education, information that can help me grow as an educational professional, and to learn about areas of study surrounding the future of education as it applies to educational technology. The concept of an eportfolio was something that took me a bit to wrap my head around. I felt that it would be a good exercise in development, but I asked myself how is this any different than my website? My Google Classroom? My resume? Will this just be another thing to maintain? After learning more and having time to reflect on the concept, I realized there are a number of ways I can find an eportfolio useful and applicable now and in the future.

After reading articles and discussing the concept with my peers, I realized that I can develop and use this in a way that is interactive and purposeful. When I think of the word portfolio, I think of a private collection of works that one can use as selling points for themselves, primarily for the purposes of gaining career advancement. Once I escaped that fixed mindset, I began thinking about it from a different angle. My brain flooded with ideas about collaboration, community awareness, student involvement, big ideas! In addition, when Dr. Still reiterated during our last video conference that the eportfolio is a customizable work, I looked at what I began creating in 5302 and realized I have some work to do. For my eportfolio to truly serve my needs, to be functional and maintainable, I need to develop my eportfolio as a body of work that is engaging and useful to everyone who is involved in the educational process such as students, parents, teachers, and administrators. See my blog post for more details.

As an employment tool, an eportfolio will allow one to display a product to an employer, allowing for an employer to gain more insight into a prospective employee than that of a traditional interview. As Dr. Harapnuik stated in his blog, Making Meaningful Connections in An Eportfolio, “Other than a degree or certificate these people all too often have nothing tangible to show for their many years in education.” An eportfolio then, allows one to not only display their accomplishments, but to also to display their ability to think critically and apply it to something tangible. Handing a potential employer an interactive tool that displays what one has accomplished, how they did it, what others have to say about it, and ideas and reflections, cannot be done in the traditional sense. As an employment tool, I now realize the vast potential an eportfolio could serve one in practically any industry.

Beyond my preconceived notions of a tool just for employment purposes, I believe my greatest gain from creating an eportfolio is how I can apply it as an interactive tool within my classroom, school, and community. Though I am far from the follow through of my ideas, my mind has been flooded with how I can use this tool in a way that is truly beneficial and worth the time to create and maintain it.

At the classroom level, it would allow my students to have deeper insight into what I do beyond the classroom in order to serve them better. It can serve as a model for metacognitive processes and potentially inspire them to think differently. It can allow me to put resources at their fingertips, not related to specific class assignments, but to bigger ideas about mindset and learning. With this, it can build value in their minds of their education. I have always felt that if students could truly experience what their teachers are doing, they may then understand the value we place on them and their education. An eportfolio is a great way for each student to simultaneously have access to that information and potentially gain insight from being able to see their learning from a different perspective.

Another way I plan on implementing my eportfolio is amongst  colleagues and the community. I teach multiple subjects, which involve the community at some level beyond the school walls. An eportfolio would serve as a great way of informing the community of our stock market competitions (in real time!), Links to local history and events that connect to our social studies program, collaboration with volunteers, and providing information that can educate the community beyond the classroom. I have already discussed the idea of creating our own district PLN. We are currently focusing heavily on cross-curricular lesson planning and engagement. One of the challenges we experience is the time to effectively implement this concept without it creeping into more of our personal time. We are a fairly collaborative group of people at my school, but with so many preps and so little time, taking the time to collaborate comes in at the end of our priorities as we focus on meeting the needs of students while implementing many of the tools we gain from professional development. I feel that an eportfolio and PLN will help solve the issue of time while allowing teachers to collaborate anytime, anywhere. We may be discussing this as a major part of next years professional development. Theoretically, this should enhance and enrich the results of collaborative efforts, translating to a more valuable learning experience for students.

Eportfolios can also offer a window for the community to peer into what is happening in the classroom, professional development, and our goals for students. Allowing parents and the community an opportunity to see what we are doing, will build value in the school. We have a very supportive community as many parents, local businesses. and law enforcement donate, volunteer time, and serve as coaches. But, when you look at the local social media, it seems that the community still leans in another direction. Instead of engaging in non-productive social media debates about how easy teachers have it, the community can be educated when we say here, check out what we are doing to educate your children. I believe the use of an eportfolio could potentially build value at the community level and encourage parents to support what is being done everyday, every hour, in every classroom.

I believe the long term benefits of using and developing an eportfolio will have a tremendous effect on my ability to display my work, connect and colaborate within the school and community, and provide a tool for reflection and improvement. One of the greatest advantages I feel most valuable is the ability to build value in what we do and contribute to a culture of appreciation and confidence in our schools. Eportfolios build value in education, resulting in what we all want as educators; a community of learning, growing, and inspiring our youth to be successful.