2/5/2013
Post 2 of 3
Identifying the Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship helps us to recognize how Digital Citizenship fits into our lives and the lives of your students. It shows us how critical these skills are to being successful citizens in a world that is quickly advancing. Our students are being consumed by social media and technology, teachers and parents alike model good digital technology skills. The first place to start is looking within your own home, classroom and school.
Please take the Digital Citizenship Audit located on page 44-45 of your textbook. If you can get others in your school (home or workplace) to complete it with you...Fabulous! After scoring yourself, please explain your findings on the blog.
I have a score of 17. Since last year the use of electronic device during school time has drastically gone down. The school administration had started some policies and is usually consistent in implementing. If the students are seen with cell phones or using during class time it is confiscated. The first time the student can get at the end of the day. If for the second time it is confiscated the parents are suppose to pick them up.The students are sometimes seen on their Facebook account but not quiet often. Sometimes going on some inappropriate sights during school time their technology privileges are taken away for sometime until their parent sign a new form for that facility. In my opinion nobody should post any private information on the internet. Any body should have access to technology to complete their projects and research. It is extremely important. Most of the schools are aware of digital citizenship responsibilities but their are some limitations on their part.
ReplyDeleteIra
I scored a 20. For the most part our students are good about leaving their phones in their lockers until the end of the day. If a student is caught with his/her cell phone they are asked to put it in their locker or it is taken away by the teacher until the end of the day. Students are encouraged to BYOD for their media block where they are learning different uses of technology. Parents must read and sign a waiver stating that the student is responsible for any misuse of the device. Very few students do not have access to the internet at home but many times teachers will give students time to complete research projects and type english papers in class to avoid too much parent/sibling assistance at home. Students have been lectured on the importance of internet safety, however I would say most students have their own iPod and/or cell phones with active twitters, facebooks, and instagrams. Recently we have move our school database to google drive and each student has been assigned a username and password. This allows students and teachers to collaborate via internet.
ReplyDeleteI currently don't work in a classroom but I had my daughter take the Digital Citizenship Audit and she got a total score of 19. Her school is pretty good about proving technology for all students and allowing them to bring their own devices and as such students don't feel that they need to sneak in and use technology in sneaky manners. She did say that one of the only problems she sees is when students get into arguments and end up posting personal information on Facebook and Twitter.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I took it and imagined the scenarios at my work place (a law office) and scored a 23. I had to replace the scenarios provided in the audit so they will apply at the office. The areas that I scored the highest number was not completing work due to lack of proper technology. Last week we had one of the most unproductive weeks ever. Our server was down and Monday and Tuesday we got absolutely no work done (we are a paperless office and reply on our Network/server). They had to replace our server and as of today we were still not getting much work done. Also, making on line purchases while at work as well as using our cell phones during work hours. Wow! my cell phone is always at my desk and I use it all day long while at work.
I completed this audit considering my former experience as a classroom teacher. Based on the early grade level that I taught some of these concerns were minimized just due to the students' age and therefore lack of personal digital devices on hand. However, there were school and district wide policies to prevent misuse of cell phones in school. Using e-mail & websites to intimidate others, again, this seems linked to age, so in a primary school, it was a lower score. But, I would imagine in the upper grades this could become a greater issue. I interpretted the lack of access to technology piece as being within the school and our school had a computer lab that was easily and regularly accessable to both whole class and small groups/ 1:1 work, as well as a portable cart of laptops for students so any classroom could become a computer lab, as well as 4-7 computers in each classroom (this includes the teacher's laptop and desktop computer provided by the school). However, a concern is lack of access to technology outside of the school for parents and for students. I thihnk that using a computer in an awkward position needs to be considered from a variety of vantage points. Ex.: are there optional seating/ positions for computers to allow for students with special needs?- are computer desks wheelchair accessable? Are helpful devices available to make computer keyboards and mouse use more accessable for those with fine motor challenges etc. My score was low at 13 but I think it was low based on the fact that I based this audit on primary grades.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, I have found it interesting as a parent observing the way a school navigates the creation or shift of technological culture. We have received many letters home reminding parents at our school to refrain from use of cell phones as they walk children in and out of the school. This is a saftey precaution in the parking lot but I also think it is refreshing to see parents being present with their children at those transiton times.
-Alicia