There is no doubt that social media can be a transformative force: the question is, how do we use it in a way that is positive, and does not adversely affect someone?

The internet, and social media in general, may be used as a powerful political tool to enact social change. As Mossberger et al. state in "Measuring Digital Citizenship: Mobile Access and Broadband," "smartphones are not bridging the gap in disadvantaged communities." It is a sad reality that many citizens are unable to afford a computer, tablet, or smart phone--and, even if they can, smartphones are unable to compensate for economic inequality. But given the opportunity and the means, many are able to take a trip to the local library, or acquire the use of technology in public schools, log in to the internet. Here, they find an outlet to voice their opinions about social issues, or create websites as a springboard to enact social change. When educators teach students how to utilize these resources in an effective manner, the outcome can be a powerful one.

Following are (3) attributes I believe comprise an exemplary digital citizen:

#1: With Power Comes Responsibility

Common Sense Media's lesson plan regarding responsibility to self and others is perhaps the first lesson that should be taught and modeled by digital educators. Their "Ring of Responsibility" graphic demonstrates three levels of this responsibility: 1) Self--students must exercise their personal right to keep themselves safe, healthy, and must protect their reputations; 2) Responsibility to friends and family--in order to be respected, students must learn they must treat others with respect, especially toward those closest to them. Repeated examples of being a good listener, helping when someone is in need, and supporting them in their interests and goals will be returned in kind; 3) Community--students follow the rules of their schools, coaches, and communities, and give back to them as well. Submitting assignments on time, and cleaning up local streets and parks, are all ways a student may give back to her community. In a digital sense, when a community of online students work toward a common goal, and help each other achieve that goal, on an online blog critical analysis question, for example, they are fulfilling their responsibilities in the world of digital citizenry.

When these three core "Rings of Responsibility" are then transferred into every aspect of a student's life, including their digital, educational lives, they, in turn, will be recipients of the respect that is due them as well.

#2: Communicate Appropriately

The first week of the semester, educators must make clear their policies regarding online communication (Common Sense Media) . A lesson demonstrating the importance of tone is helpful in preventing misunderstandings and hurt feelings between students. When students are taught to "Stop, Think, Reflect, then Respond" at the beginning of the semester, an expectation for a forum of respect is created.

#3: Understand the Power of Digital Media

Educators should model the positive ways in which digital media can influence a person's life. It is too easy for students today to place too much of a focus on social media outlets such as Facebook and Instagram for the wrong reasons. Showing students the ways in which the internet has been used to make a lasting, positive impact in people's lives is one step toward an understanding of using one's power for the good of others. The image, below, is an example of what Damian Thorman (Knight Foundation article) cites as using social media not only as a fundraising tool, but as a platform for organizing citizens to actually enact social change: building the local playground, not just pay for it, is a life-changing event for all involved. Instead of just raising money for charity, social media outlets and the internet make it possible for foundation members to purchase the products, organize volunteers, and build the playground for underprivileged children. When educators teach their students the power of the internet, they in turn give students the power to promote and model digital citizenship--and even to enact social change:

Having used such social bookmarking sites in the past such as Pinterest, I was eager to find one that was user-friendly for teachers and students, alike.

Sites such as ScoopIt, Diigo, and Delicious, place heavy emphasis on graphics for audience appeal, which is vital in garnering the interest of our digital-age students.

For now, I have decided to go with Diigo: in an article this week on the top 50 social bookmarking companies, Search Engine Journal dubs it "social bookmarking on steroids." I liked the sound of that, for it has the ring of endless possibilities. Diigo incorporates the use of annotation tools, including highlighters, sticky notes, and screenshots, organizes information easily, allows users to build personal libraries with ease, and allows users, both introverts and extrovers, alike, to "be at ease," which is essential for those students who are not always eager to volunteer, but have important ideas to share.

Digital Learning Communities (DLCs):

Much time was spent researching my favorite top five sites as well, from those I have used in the past, to new ones that were found on recent searches. These will change over time as well, as the field grows, and new companies are formed, but for now, these, too, seemed the most engaging and useful to both teachers and students:

Khan Academy:

As a parent of two elementary-aged students, I have used this site several times, especially for math, and it has been an excellent virtual tutorial for them. The great thing about Khan is that it is free for students of all ages, sends weekly reports as to students' progress, and incorporates a step-by-step video process, which even anticipates students' questions. While they don't have a specific content area for literature, they do have art, science, etc., which will be useful in cross-curricular assignments. As a teacher, Khan is a step-by-step video tutorial that will assist and supplement students' learning.

edutopia:

As with Khan Academy, edutopia has a digital learning library for Grades K-12, along with "Best Resources" for educators. In addition to lesson plans, articles, samples, and videos regarding formative and summative assessments, curriculum planning, projects, and technology integration, there is a plethora of engaging and useful articles and video activities, in addition to discussions of the challenges educators face with all age groups, and ways to create an engaging curriculum for this audience.

iTunes University:

As the "world's largest digital collection of free education content," this free app offers free courses from more than 1,000 top universities and colleges around the world, along with K-12 courses as well. Their collection includes downloadable books, lectures, videos, and additional resources. I assigned my 10th Graders podcasts from this site as a supplement to some of the literature we read, and they had to take notes on the most important concepts gleaned from these podcasts. It was a useful tool in helping them retain important information for future formative and summative grades.

Edweb:

This free DLC has myriad PLCs to join, including "Digital Classroom: Teaching with Tech," in which community members engage in monthly webinars and community discussions to supplement their online teaching courses.

Open Culture:

Open Learning Initiative:

In conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University, the focus of this site is on higher education. It provides courses, resources, and feedback for students and teachers, along with articles regarding the challenges and of teaching the the digital world.

Edmodo is also an excellent site, which I plan to use when I begin teaching high school again.

Which is my favorite DLC for now? 

Edutopia, but they each have different and unique qualities to offer, which made the choice a difficult one. I will most likely end up using all of them and more at some point, which is a wonderful quandary in which to be. Any site that enhances teacher-student communication is an invaluable resource.

The Impact of Shakespeare on Teachers and Students:

• User-friendly for students and teachers, such as Moptwo and Scoop.it!
• Annotation tools that help users read and participate more effectively (digital highlighters, sticky notes, screenshots)
• Text tools are easy-to-use, and include anything the user would need to create the perfect topic box
• An online, academic site offering free textbooks, lesson plans, curriculum guides, video instruction, podcasts, projects, and formative and summative assessments for teachers in all disciplines; also has a separate section for students and parents, such as College Board--see edutopia.org
• Graphic-centric layout on main page, with one-click links to related educational materials
• Easy to register and navigate
• Easy-to-use systems of calendars, reminders and alerts, such as on the iPhone
• Lends itself to superior research results

Features of a DLC that set it apart from and above others:

• Mobile app and MAC / PC-friendly
• Graphic-centered "topic box" with appealing, brilliant graphics to engage users
• Facilitates communication between teachers and students
• Is its own "social bookmarking site," so the extra step is eliminated (edutopia has just added this feature to its site--brilliant)
• Makes providing meaningful feedback to students much easier for teachers
• Subscribe to and follow user pages / what interests you with ease
• Store links to study / enjoy later
• Links easily shared directly with the click of an icon button to social media outlets, personal e-mail addresses, etc. (just as are available on internet shopping websites, we are shopping for knowledge)
• Statistics at the bottom of each "stacked topic box" to make user aware of how many people viewed, shared, and commented on your entry
• Browse by topic with ease
• Easy-to-use menu bar and page format
• Frequently updated
• Provides new ideas and content to explore
• Provides connections to current events and trends

Qualities that potential citizens of an enlightened online society need to possess in order to gain admittance:

• Open-mindedness
• Self-reliance
• Love of learning
• Respect for others and self
• Feels a sense of responsibility and duty to the community
• Credible sources are used and cited
• Every digital citizen has a voice

Sample collage of Ideal DLC would include (in a stacked box format such as "Moptwo" and "Scoop.it!":

• In its original form on Moptwo, the sample below was in a stacked topic box, and was easily transferable to social media sites and e-mails.
  
• As soon as Harper Lee's second novel is published, a topic box can introduce a new assignment, in which a persuasive essay is written, citing the similarities between the two novels.

Web-Based Walkabout:

I have to admit that this quest was a bit daunting at first--I have never used social bookmarking sites. But now that I have, I will never go back to my dusty ring binders. An enormous challenge for we as long-time educators is finding storage space for the plethora of useful information gleaned throughout the years, while attempting to live as clutter-free as possible. Attempting to be creative in the classroom also requires the use of ample storage space. Using Symbaloo.com has been an eye-opening experience: if only I had had this 10-15 years ago as a new teacher. Using this site as an organizational tool brought back memories of my stacks of 3" 3-ring binders, full of printouts of my favorite online teaching sites and resources for almost every class from Grades 9-12--which took up my entire closet at school. Oh, the paper and ink that were wasted, and the space that was wasted. Instead of paper tabs, Symbaloo uses "Webmix" tabs, which group together your favorite links by category, such as DLCs, web tools, teacher resources, and media literacy. The graphics are stunning, and the "tiles" are created using the link's company logo, provided for you in the editing box, plus the abbreviated tile title you choose to type.

What were the (3) most useful tools or resources resulting from the web walkabout?

1) Symbaloo: As a social bookmarking site, it's beautiful images and user-friendly features have sold me. I look forward to sharing it with my students, and have already imagined the possibilities of my children's future school projects.

2) Tiki-Toki Timelines: Students and teachers create beautiful virtual timelines to submit and share. Students' notes of the American Literary Period will never be the same, certainly not as dry.

3) Glogster: Online, interactive poster / collage-maker. Students may add text, music, pictures, and video to create an online collage to share with peers. Virtual alternative to classroom tri-board / poster, it lasts forever, and may be used as an excellent, visual study tool.

How can students be taught to safely collect tools and resources that can help them maximize their learning?

All internet experiences are not created equal.

For my online Netiquette project, I chose to use Smore.com: it has great visuals, and generates a tailor-made virtual poster that is easy for students to understand.

Here's a link to my Netiquette poster using Smore.com:

https://www.smore.com/vd8sx-gavs-netiquette-and-you

Following are two quizzes teachers can post online for students to complete the first day of school before they participate on their online learning community:
Carnegie Mellon University's Online Netiquette Quiz:
http://www.carnegiecyberacademy.com/funStuff/netiquette/netiquette.html

Learn the Net:
http://www.learnthenet.com/test-yourself/netiquette/

With the recent plagiarism accusations in the music world of Sam Smith's song "Stay with Me," and it's dangerously similar melody to Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down," and Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams' song "Blurred Lines," and its proximity to Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up" decided in court just this week--not to mention the large sums paid to each plaintiff--students will have a contemporary context in which to comprehend the importance of digital rights and responsibilities.

What is the most proactive means of ensuring the most balanced blend of technology and well-being?

Computer ergonomics:

Ergonomics is the "study of people's efficiency in their working environments." I usually begin sitting at the computer with the best of posture-inclined intentions, but many times, after ten minutes or so of sitting up straight, I lean-in, slouch, all cross my legs, all of which contribute to eventual back and leg pain. It is a good idea, in any setting in which a person must be seated for extended periods of time, to get up every 20-30 minutes and walk around, have a drink of water, or do something else that is productive and/or good for your health. These breaks every 20-30 minutes help your spine, your posture, your health, and your attention span.

The Pitfalls of Excessive Internet Use:

Spending too much time on the internet can let to myriad problems, including poor health due to lack of good diet and exercise habits, decreased social life with family and friends, and eventual depression. It simply is not a good idea to spend too much time not talking to people, or not getting fresh air.

Diet:

The food we consume also plays a major role in productivity. Intake of carbs only provides a person with a quick spike in energy; eventually, we reach a carb plateau, and crash, contributing to a loss in work productivity. Students must be made aware of these dangers as well. They lead busy lives, too, and need to eat well in order to keep their minds clear, and be ready to learn as members of a DLC.

Exercise:

Although on certain days it seems as if there are not enough hours in the day, it is vital to take 30 minutes each day to complete some form of exercise, be it walking, running, jogging, swimming, yoga, or some other form of aerobics. Not only is it good for your body, it's good for your brain, and stimulates the thought process. There is not doubt that a person's mind is sharper when he or she takes the time to fulfill some form of exercise. It's a promise to ourselves that we should keep.

Social Life:

In addition to the above, keeping contact and making time for friends and family is vital to one's mental health--there is only so much time you can spend staring at a computer. It is disheartening to see parents and their children on the cell phone will at a restaurant--or even in a line in Walt Disney World. This is precious time that we can't get back: kids grow up too quickly, and we need to cherish those brief moments before they're gone. Students also need to not spend all of their time via the digital community. The occasional FaceTime or Skype call is fine, but when this comprises the majority of students' social time, instead of face-to-face interaction, I wonder how they will be able to eventually conduct themselves with others in the business world after completing their education?

What Can Students and Teachers Do? Using Digital Technology for Self-Improvement--Everything in Moderation:

Teachers:

While there are negative aspects to all forms of digital technology, there are many positives as well. Cell phones can be used as reminders to take that walk, sit up straight, do prep work for a healthy meal, and finish that lengthy lesson plan. Socially, they can be used to as reminders of a friend's birthday, and plans with friends and family.

Students:

Students should use digital calendars as reminders to exercise, eat well, keep important dates with friends and family, study for HW, quizzes, and tests, and upcoming projects. While FaceTime, Facebook, and Skype are fine when used in moderation, excessive use of these and other social media outlets can lead to poor study habits, poor health, and, ironically, damaged relationships with friends and family.

The old adage still rings true: everything in moderation.

Following is a link to my improved digital health calendar: