Blog 2-2 Reflection

Your digital footprint or dossier is every online interaction that you have ever had accounts, posts, emails, and much more. Some of this information is protected by security programs, but not all and the security is limited based on who is trying to access your digital footprint. With my personal digital footprint I try to limit what I place online and make sure that what I do is appropriate. There have been so many scandals with teachers and what they have posted online; this made me not want to be extra careful. It’s important to “remember that what you share with your friends may also be viewed by people you don’t know. And once it’s online, it could be there forever, so think before you post,” (Commonwealth of Australia, 2015).  Students also need to be aware of their personal digital footprint and what is in the online world with their name attached to it.

Digital citizenship is “the norms of appropriate, responsible technology use,” (Ribble, 2015). For me this was really not talked about until I went to college, and I took a criminal justice course that informed me on the amount of crime that is given evidence through online posts. When I was going through middle and high school technology started to be used more frequently in school, but not in the way that it is used today. Social media websites have drastically increased in usage in the past decade (Pew Research Center, 2015). Also, from my experience, when Facebook first came out many people were unaware of accessibility to the posts or pictures they were putting online. This resulted in career and legal problems for many young people who were naive of the appropriate digital citizenship. Having appropriate use of technology is important for all who use it, not just students

Throughout the years, the importance for digital citizenship has been essential to teach in schools. Often times many schools offer an introductory lesson at the beginning of each school year about expectations, rules and regulations that go along with technology in and out of school. “With the growth of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and 1:1 initiatives in schools there is much more of a need to talk about responsible use of technology,” (Ribble, 2015). By doing this it will prepare out students to be more informed on how to act and what the consequences could be if they have poor digital citizenship. I think that the appropriate age to teach about digital citizenship is when someone uses technology independently, and this age is becoming younger and younger each year. If a student is going to have the ability to work alone on an assignment involving technology they need to be made aware of expected appropriate behaviors.  As they become more independent the student will continue to learn more digital citizenship as it applies to social and personal uses.

Technology has made a positive impact in education, but there is risk in the use of it. Therefore it is necessary that teachers prepare their students for the effective use of the equipment especially in their classroom and at home as well. Making sure that our students are learning skills to appropriately use technology will help them now and in their future. Some of these skills will include digital security (self-protection), law, responsibilities, etiquette, literacy, communication, and rights (Ribble, 2015). Technology provides new ways to learn and exciting opportunities for all, making smart choices allows for success.

Resources:

Commonwealth of Australia. (2015). Digital Footprint. Retrieved from http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Kids/Get%20the%20facts/Digital%20footprint.aspx

Davis, V. & Lindsay, J. (2010) Navigate. Retrieved from http://www.flatclassroomproject.org/file/view/DigitalCitizenship_Mar2010.pdf

Pew Research Center. (2015). Social Networking Fact Sheet.  Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fact-sheet/

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital Citizenship. Retrieved from http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/

Blog 1-4 Reflection

Technology integration specialists are an essential position in today’s educational world. There are so many responsibilities and understandings that they need to know and inform other educators on. Through my previous coursework at SNHU I have learned a lot about the expectations of what goes into the position of a technology integration specialist. Some of those expectations include, writing policy, professional development on technology resources, creating ideas for teachers using technology in the classroom, maintenance, troubleshooting, the distribution of equipment, budgeting, and so much more. This role is ever changing with the constant update of technology and the new creations occurring every day. “With all of the new technology available to educators and its implementation into schools, it is even more important for schools to utilize a technology integration specialist,” (SNHU, 2015).

Technology is being used constantly in the world today, especially for students outside of school. Many of my students don’t know what to do when they don’t have their phones or internet. “Technology is students’ connection to the world,” (SNHU, 2015). People are frequently posting on social media websites, texting, taking photos so much that most conversations occur in an online written format rather than using their voices. It is so easy to quickly look something up on Google and answer a question or disagreement you may be having on a topic; when 10 years ago you just continued to argue over the answer, not being able to show proof until later. Technology has altered the way students think and learn, they are able to take control of the learning and take action in “relearning the content and becoming the creator and the producer of their work,” (MacArthur Foundation, 2010). Students expectations in life and school are changing drastically from previous decades.

Education today is incorporating technology much more into the classroom setting, not just in word processing but through lessons that allow students to complete assignments through their own creation, giving them choice and freedom to express the knowledge learned. This allows teachers to instruct on expectations and then stand back and facilitate. It’s not that educators are “abandoning formal learning, but getting the two to work in a much more coordinated way,” (MacArthur Foundation, 2010). Standards are being put in place to ready students for future expectations in the work place, such as Common Core State Standards, ISTE NETS Standards, and adjustments to state standardized testing. By these expectations occurring at the state level each district is bringing in new initiatives to teachers on how to incorporate this into the everyday classroom to better prepare the students. Many districts are integrating one-to-one laptops, so that students are using technology on a daily basis.

Technology is a positive learning tool for students today, it gives them choice in the learning process. Although too much of anything is not good, and at times I fear that the expectations may be excessive. Giving our students the skills and knowledge to use technology is important, but that is not all that is out there in the world. Having a balance of technology time and technology free time is important in all of our lives, don’t forget to take breaks.

Resources:

Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2015). About. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/

International Society for Technology Education. (2009). ISTE Standards Administrators. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-A_PDF.pdf

International Society for Technology Education. (2008). ISTE Standards Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf

MacArthur Foundation. (2010). Rethinking Learning. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=c0xa98cy-Rw

Southern New Hampshire University. (2015). Module One: Reviewing the Role of the Technology Integration Specialist. Retrieved from https://bb.snhu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5505202-dt-content-rid-11313205_1/courses/EDU-642-15TW3-MASTER/EDU-642-14TW2-MASTER_ImportedContent_20131105031557/EDU-642-13TW1-MASTER_ImportedContent_20130725042753/EDU-642-13TW4-MASTER_ImportedContent_20130514031222/Learning%20Modules/Module%20One%20Module%20Lecture/EDU642_Module1_Lecture.pdf