What did you learn that you did not know before?
When you buy a
child a new toy that they have never seen before do you just hand it to them
and expect that they will know how to use it? Most likely not. You take the
time to show them what the toy does, how to use it and remind them to take care
of it. This is the same approach we need to take with children and
technological tools. It’s imperative that we show them the correct ways to use
these tools they have available to them and never assume they already know.
My generation grew up with the
internet, computers and cell phones but I on the other hand did not. I grew up
in the country where I played outside every day from daylight to dusk. My
foster parents didn’t believe in allowing children to watch television never
mind having internet. When I entered middle school I had my first computer
class and we did a lot of word processing but not much on the internet. In high
school I started to explore the web but my parents were still against having a
computer in our home. The web to me is a luxury so why would I want to ruin it.
Children today don’t feel the same as I but I wish they could see what it is
like to go without the things they take for granted. Children need to be taught
good moral and ethical values which they can then adhere to in every aspect of
their lives including digitally. Today our lives are no longer just memories but
proof available to view digitally every day. Anybody can see who we are even if we don’t
know them. In person we can sway people’s feelings about us but in our digital
world people make assumptions based on the research they find on us, which
could be false or outdated. Nothing is forgotten on the internet so children
need to realize that what they put out there will impact their lives forever. The question left is who will teach them this?
Teaching ethical and moral guidelines is done by every person in someone’s life
(family, teachers and community) so that needs to be the same approach to
teaching digital citizenship.
What did you find interesting?
I loved the
following video:
It was simple and reminds all of us the questions we need to
ask ourselves before we post anything on the web or send anything digitally.
Was there something you read that you
disagreed with?
The article WhyTeachers Need Digital Citizenship by Suzie Nestico reminded me that we can’t
let our fears restrain ourselves from being good examples of digital
citizenship. Teachers need to be able to use the tools they are teaching about.
Teachers need to have Facebook pages but schools need to install better rules
and regulations about digital use to educate students but protect educators and
students. The article provided a good life example of what can happen when
someone fraudulently pretends to be you on the internet and then tries to ruin
your name. On Halloween children dress up and pretend to be anything or anyone
they want. They feel invincible behind their masks and sometimes act up because
they don’t feel like they will get caught. This is the same way on the web. The
only problem is that what some children feel like is just simple fun can
actually be something that can ruin someone’s reputation and go even further.
In the adult
world when you fraudulently impersonate someone else and attempt to ruin their reputation
there are harsher consequences. I did not agree with this statement, “If
nothing else, I try and remember we are working with kids, after all. I’m not
in this business to punish. I just want my students to learn what is right and
what is wrong in their online behaviors”. The student should have been found
and made to apologize to all the people he or she affected. That would teach
that student that no matter how hard you try you are not completely hidden
behind a computer and what you do online impacts others in reality.
We can’t expect
that a student will learn their lesson because we fixed the problem; they need
to learn their lesson by fixing the problem themselves.
Do you think it is important to teach
digital citizenship skills to students even if you are just working on the
computers in your class for a quick lesson?
YES!!! It’s
important to take the time to let your students know what you expect from them
that includes how they should use the computers that will be made available to
them. As a mother of a six year old I get to hear over and over again, “You
didn’t tell me I couldn’t do that”. How can you fight that logic? We can’t
assume that students will know what is expected from them or how to properly
use the tools being made available to them. We can argue, well its common
sense. I’m now learning the hard way that what is common sense to me is not
common sense to all and assuming that everybody should know what we know is
ignorance. So take some time to remind students how to use the computer, wrong
uses and consequences if they use it incorrectly.
Were you surprised at your own digitalfootprint?
Who's job is it to teach the skills and
when should they be taught?
I thought this was very well thought out and well written. I particularly like your point about the importance of teaching digital citizenship skills even if you're just giving a short lesson on the computer. You are so right that kids often need to be told exactly what they can and cannot do in very explicit terms. We understand this when our kids are very young, and we make sure to cover light sockets, hold their hands in parking lots etc. But we forget that their brains are still developing all the way through their teen years and that they need our help making judgment calls.
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