By teaching media literacy and digital citizenship to our students, rather than avoiding, blocking, or filtering, I am strongly advocating an active role for schools. Mike Ribble’s suggests that teachers must teach students about the rules of the digital world as well, and how to handle technology correctly and responsibly, in the same way they teach students about society.
As I began to reflect, I focused on the three major questions my classmate Leigh raised in last week’s content catalyst.
What are the reasons for teaching digital citizenship?
What are the best times to teach it?
How do we teach it?
What is the point of teaching digital citizenship? My classmates mentioned, that students lack critical thinking and safety skills, as stated by “Digital Citizenship Education in Saskatchewan Schools.” To become good digital citizens, students need to move from being consumers to becoming communicators and collaborators (John K. Waters in the article Turning students into good digital citizens).
Digital citizenship: when should it be taught? I do not think we can teach digital citizenship at an early age to my own children and my students. Technology begins to be used by children at an early age, and parents assume that because they are good at “swiping,” their children are tech savvy, making adults overlook the fact that children are at risk.
Do parents need to teach their children about technology? My students and children deserve a chance to learn how to be responsible digital citizens and how to maintain a positive digital footprint. By teaching Mike Ribble’s nine elements of digital citizenship in the context of real-life scenarios and experiences, students will be better equipped to communicate and collaborate respectfully and meaningfully. Using the 3C and 1Q method, classrooms can share ideas and comments on each other’s work via Skype. That seems like a great idea to me. In an age where information overload is rife, it is crucial our children learn lateral reading so that they can develop critical thinking skills. Finding the article Digital Citizenship: Reflecting on the Role of Technology in the World Around Us online, I was immediately attracted to it for the unique opportunity offered to students to take something said online, or a topic they cared about, and discuss it in a podcast. Matt and Trevor’s article about Finland’s efforts to combat fake news in primary schools illustrates how valuable it is to teach people how to think critically and to evaluate information.
“Students need to be educated on how to be good citizens of their country and what their rights and responsibilities are as members of society. The same issues need to be addressed with regard to the emerging digital society, so that students can learn how to be responsible and productive members of that society” ― Mike Ribble, Digital citizenship in schools
In order to teach digital citizenship, teachers have access to a wide range of resources and information. Does it seem possible that we do not know where to look for these materials? Is it possible that you are unable to find these materials? Do you know what to look for? Apparently, there are some schools that are very serious about teaching digital citizenship. A fellow classmate of mine wrote an article in which she explained how understanding and efficiently using digital tools and resources all come down to prioritizing. She has an excellent idea, just like we do with math and literacy, to make digital citizenship a focus area. Additionally, the optional professional development sessions might need to be made mandatory. Educators can gain a greater understanding of digital citizenship and media literacy by collaborating with tech-savvy co-workers and peer tutors at professional development sessions. They can also use this information to help students develop a more complete picture of who they are as graduates.
Desmos is a blend of paper and technology, it is an amazing and powerful facilitation tool for teachers and students as it provides wide range of resources. It is a free graphing calculator, and teachers can use Desmos to help students connect mathematical concepts to concrete, real-world shapes and pictures. Recently, desmos completed its curriculum for math’s subjects from grade 6th to 8th, in this curriculum desmos includes various courses, units and chapters for teachers and students.
Desmos Math curriculum-
Desmos’s math curriculum is very flexible as it is the combination of innovative technology and creative ideas of students. Students can learn & develop new things by using their intuitions and own thinking. Desmos curriculum, and lessons are designed in such a way that, it encourages students to use their own ideas first before using formal mathematics chapter, which ultimately enhances student’s conceptual knowledge. Inside Desmos’s curriculum guide, we will find various facilitation tool i.e., courses, units, lessons, lesson guides and so on. https://learn.desmos.com/curriculum-guide
I have used the Desmos graphing calculator few times and I must say that it works pretty well for graphing most functions. It allows you to do polar, parametric and piece-wise definitions as well. This tool is very new for me, as I didn’t use this before but when I helped my cousin in her school math’s work, and I realized, it is the best tool for doing quadratic equations and all.
Here I am sharing my first desmos activity, and in this graphic, I tried to show, how we use various functions to show our work, and teach our students about concepts like parabola in vertex, standard, and factored form, concept of straight (horizontal and vertical) lines and many more. Moreover, Students learn by doing and instantly see changes to their graphs as they manipulate values and these activities allow the students to play and help them figure out how functions are graphed. I am looking forward to learn new features of desmos.
ART OF PARABOLA & LINE
While using desmos, various concerns come in our mind, whether desmos is safe to use, is this tool intended for school? whether our data and digital identity of students and teachers are secure. For all the answers, I must say, yes!!, because of its security and privacy policy. https://privacy.commonsense.org/evaluation/desmos
It is the first time that I have had to identify my online identity and acknowledge it. My method of representing myself online is the same as my method in person, despite having not had to face this question before. Transparency is something I deeply believe in; what you see is what you get. When you are in college, you are supposed to be independent and independent in your thinking. However, when you share these thoughts with others through social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram it can prove to be challenging. The shared opinions and ideals often offend people. During college, a student has the opportunity to establish a solid foundation for a professional career through academic achievements; however, online identities can have negative consequences. Heinrichs writes about being authentic when speaking to an audience and expressing your truth. Having the freedom to interact however you want, even when it is online, is challenging for me as an undergraduate. Even though I try to maintain my identity online, it is challenging.
Because my family didn’t have a computer in the house when I was a child, the only time I saw one was in elementary school computer class. After learning more about the internet and its dangers as I grew older, I started hearing about children being online predators and personal information being stolen. Myspace and Facebook became popular when I was in high school, however, my mother forbade me from having an online profile until I was in my junior year. As I became a young adult, and began college, I began to build my online profile more. My college experience gave me complete access to a computer and a smart phone with apps, which allowed me to access social networking sites across a multitude of platforms. My first reason for signing up for a Facebook account was to stay connected with friends, family, and coworkers. After that, for this class, I created a Twitter account because it was a convenient and quick way to share thoughts with others and use hashtags to connect with others. To share and learn about other people’s ideas and inventions, I created a YouTube channel and a Pinterest page so that I could also share my love of music, fashion, cooking, hair, and make-up. Even later, looking back, the things I posted and shared don’t make any sense. Social media wasn’t being used as intended by me, and I found myself in a place where I wish I hadn’t connected with the internet in the first place. After receiving messages from people on social media, I began to interact with them. That’s not a bad thing, is it? No, it’s not. As a result of some of these conversations, I became close friends with some really incredible people.
My academic persona and online identity are more different than similar, I notice. My online sharing of ideas was a reflection of discussions I would have with my peers and even mentors. People can interpret things differently whether in person or online, which makes it hard at times to convey your message. We believe that everything should be perceived the same whether in person or online. Some differences arose because of things I heard or saw in the past that made me hesitant to share too much personal information. Sharing information about things I would rarely discuss with others was unusual for me. Throughout many of my social media sites, I was associated with people who shared private and sacred information for me to see. I came to believe this because people were sharing so much about me. Honestly, I believe you shouldn’t share everything you have to deal with everyone because not everyone cares to hear about your success or failures. I feared that if I shared too much information on my social media, they would not take me seriously as a scholar since I shared so much information with them.
Digital citizenship and the shared commons were discussed on the topic of digital identity, while acknowledging that citizenship poses a number of issues relating to borders, empire, and power. Essentially, digital identity and citizenship go hand-in-hand, because as we become identities together, we shape the space we all live in. However. As far as I am concerned – and I still think I was right about this – the other side of the argument did indeed blindside me. I hadn’t fully recognized how digital identity contradicts the notion of cooperation and collaboration, two aspects of digital citizenship I needed to understand before standing in front of the keynote audience.
As I did not use much digital resources in my teaching and learning but now, I know, not much but few digital sites that really helpful for learning math’s. Out of these resources I really like the desmos as it provides equal opportunities to every student. I have used the Desmos graphing calculator few times, and I must say that it works pretty well for graphing most functions. Well, it is true that for learning & understanding Math’s, we really don’t need a graphing tool but sometimes it really helpful for the students and teachers to understand it very well. It has a lot of applications such as graphing calculator, scientific calculator, four function calculator, and, matrix calculator that really helps the students and teachers to do mathematics.
In the starting I planned that I will only use two to three elements of Ribble but after reading, Nine Elements (digitalcitizenship.net) about all the elements I realised that, Ribble’s nine elements such as (a) Digital access (b) Digital commerce (c) Digital communication and collaboration (d) Digital etiquette (e) Digital fluency (f) Digital health and welfare (g) Digital Law (h) Digital rights and responsibility (i) Digital security and privacy, all are completely fit into using Desmos curriculum while learning mathematics, as it provides equal distribution to teachers & students. Teachers can use this as a teaching resource and students can enhance their mathematical knowledge by bringing digital media into their education. Because of its interactive and creative activities, it provides equal opportunities to each and every student. That means it is equally digital accessible to everyone. According to the second element, definitely, it is best way for digital communication and collaboration and use of desmos is very flexible and creative as it is a blend of paper and technology. Moreover, it provides an open platform to teachers & students to enhance their problem-based thinking, and encourage collaboration. With the help of “Desmos’s MATH curriculum and design”, it become a best facilitation tool for everyone.
There is no doubt that it is a time-consuming process to create good interactive resources but I use this instead of using a PowerPoint specially when teaching Live, i.e., in online classes. During covid- time, I used it for first time while teaching my cousins and the experience was awesome!! It has a lot of benefits such as: it is easy to pick, scope of improvement in every concept. Moreover, it provides more chances of interactions between students and teachers. Overall, I believe that, it is a fantastic tool to learn math’s. Now, I am looking forward to learn about more digital tools such as Flipgrid, Scribjab, and story book Canada from this class and class fellows, so that I can try new things in my classroom.
We live in a time of high-stakes assessment and worldwide comparability, which has necessitated a thorough examination of the world’s educational institutions. The educational underpinnings that used to be something to be proud of are now being called into questioning as to whether or not this is a worthwhile education. Most educational systems are dreadfully underprepared to scale up for this liberal view and widespread reality; the shift away from prescriptive skillsets perfect for an industrial concept, and toward creativity, advancement, entrepreneurship, and non-cognitive abilities are indicated to be more appropriate and beneficial for 21st Century career prospects. To stay up with the speed of innovation and the combination of mitigating variables that have shifted the future’s course, today’s youngsters must accelerate. According to the information provided in https://www.educationworld.com/teachers/does-today%E2%80%99s-education-prepare-students-rapidly-changing-and-complex-world:
1.Getting children ready for a global labour market
In a fast-changing and complicated world, it is recognised, as I found in the book titled The World is Flat, that today’s essential educational principles and demands are becoming more outdated. Electronic, smartphone, individual, and social flatteners are extremely powerful in regards to opening up connections and shutters of possibility that are not only transformational but also disruptive. This is supported by information from another book I read, 21 Lessons for the Twenty-First Century. Primary schooling, as we recognize it today, would not satisfy the demands of kids in a fast-changing global context, it is stated. An industrialized age’s primary training is not similar to primary training in 2020, 2030, or even beyond. The paradigm has evolved, necessitating the development of new abilities for a new era.
People from all around the world can now interact, cooperate, and work together in unprecedented ways thanks to these worldwide platforms. To stay up with technology and maintain speed, the workforce should become more flexible; as a result, youngsters entering the labour market for the initial time would be more employable. It is inconceivable to ignore these unavoidable realities.
2. On a worldwide scale, there is a sense of community harmony
Because of the profound shifts in our knowledge of how the brain works and the nature of education, schools must not just improve but also reinvent themselves. Rather than focusing on specific tasks, schools should stress process mastery and the capacity to know what to do when you’re stuck. To put it another way, today’s and tomorrow’s children must be nimble in a variety of settings, like mathematics and reading, rather than just master specialised information in each discipline. They must also learn to work with others who are distinct from themselves.
By teaching students to think of themselves as global citizens instead of citizens of a specific geographic society, state, or country, the world may become more sensitive to distinctions and people may be able to collaborate on more pressing global issues, such as preserving our earth for upcoming generations.
3. Educational Reform and Innovation
To expand the breadth of competence in today’s schools, the learning method must fundamentally shift, which will necessitate advancement. Collaborating and generating knowledge together should become the norm, not the exception, as professional teacher expertise shifts from implicit to explicit. It was discovered in a meta-analysis of what succeeds in universities that instructors collaborating mattered. Learning communities can become an example of learner behaviour that revolutionises student perspectives of problem-solving and conflict resolution.
The magnitude of change required to prepare a future workforce capable of competing on a global basis cannot be understated. The type and quality of education provided in schools would make a huge difference. People with the necessary attitude, expertise, and competence, who are enthusiastic about educational reforms and advancement, and who are eager to learn from a wider perspective, must lead progressive learning settings. Change must begin now, or we risk depriving a whole generation of youngsters of the enormous possibilities that await them.
How to prepare students for the future?
I think that school education is many kids’ major preparation for universities, professions, and life beyond school. Although elements of our existing school curriculum assist kids in moving toward their goals, it is up to educators to close the gaps in the areas where they still exist. These few teaching practises as discussed in https://funfreshideas.com/3-easy-ways-to-prepare-your-students/ can help your kids prepare for their future lives.
How to prepare future for students?
1. Group Work Must Be Reimagined
Group work is seen as a great technique to teach children the ideas of teamwork for understandable reasons. Getting along with people is essential for success in education, career, and other aspects of life.
Collaboration must be prioritised in group initiatives. Putting too much emphasis on the final result frequently leads to a negative learning environment. In other words, one or two learners may wind up taking up the entire assignment while the rest of the class is absent.
In these typical circumstances, everyone in the group stands to gain more knowledge if their marks are based on communication and involvement. High performers have the chance to encourage and lead others. These are the kinds of opportunities that can have a long-term influence on pupils.
By pushing pupils to avoid cooperation through group work, the existing curriculum deepens the gap between the school and the entire world. Teachers should do everything they can to change the narrative.
2. Critical and creative thinking should be combined
The school curriculum promotes the idea that some classes are opposed to one another. Physics and Art, for instance, are often regarded as being on opposing extremes of the learning scale.
I believe that students will benefit from an atmosphere that opposes this idea, regardless of what subject you’re teaching. Art and science both have a place in the world.
One of the finest methods that can help your children in the real world is to encourage them to be imaginative while addressing challenges. Children should depend on their problem-solving abilities once school is ended and they are no longer members of a program that drives them toward a bachelor degree. I think that to navigate the difficult worlds of job hunting, money management, and maturity in general, creative, critical thinking is required.
As a consequence, even when children fail, they must be praised for their inventiveness. This creates an atmosphere where learners could play to their talents more effectively. At the absolute least, it would show kids that the only time they lose is when they don’t attempt at all.
Given the fact that our present school curriculum is obsolete, instructors may equip kids with the skills they need to succeed in life. The most vital abilities kids may develop before heading out into the workplace are teamwork, imagination, and a good awareness of the internet.
What are the skills that students will require in their careers?
As I have discussed above how to prepare students for their future, now we need to discuss the skills that they will need in their future.
We might not even anticipate what is waiting for our children in the years ahead, but we do know what expertise they would require once they arrive. As per the information provided in https://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/skills-students-need/ discussed below are a few survival qualities, as well as how they might be used in the school.
1. Entrepreneurship and initiative
Prep work: Children must be ready to take initiative and make a positive contribution to society. These abilities must be encouraged in our schools and society. I think that children must be asked for more than a checklist of school rules and punishments since they may be tremendously creative and engaged in creating their perspective in the school.
Make them aware that you are approachable and eager to hear any suggestions they may have for enhancing the lecture hall or institution. Even if an idea fails, assist them in organising and implementing their ideas. It could be a useful lesson in analysing what went incorrect and considering how to enhance the concept. Since they are terrified of defeat, children must never be hesitant to attempt.
2. Obtaining and analysing data
Prep work: Today’s children have unprecedented access to data. The Internet is a fantastic survey method that could be either their closest buddy or their worst adversary. It is simple to obtain information, but it is more difficult to obtain excellent information. Students must learn how to filter through the multiple online pages accessible on a given topic to get what they require and believe what they discover. They must distinguish between real facts and factually sounding viewpoints.
Several students nowadays may go to answer websites to acquire data, not giving much thought to how the content was written by someone who may or may not is true or experienced in a particular area. We could think aloud about Web researching tactics in a similar manner that a teacher may think aloud about reading strategies. Learn about a subject with your learners by projecting your screen onto the wall. Demonstrate to them how to explore and how to avoid getting deceived by such answer sources!
3. Innovation and Curiosity
Prep work: Our students come to us with a natural curiosity about their surroundings and a desire to learn more about them. Their imaginations are wild and free, allowing them to create a limitless number of functional and impractical items. Our job as educators is less about teaching children how to be curious and inventive and more about preventing them from losing that ability. We must support and motivate them to acquire these abilities and educate them on how to use them creatively and effectively. Consider a young kid who enjoys the military and machines but despises princesses.
Because we don’t all enjoy and respect similar things, educators should be very cautious in how they foster and enhance their learners’ creative thinking and innovativeness. We could educate kids on what to do in specific scenarios without making them feel as though their views are incorrect or harmful.
When I started my master classes, I am not much aware of the digital sites which are very helpful for education field, but my master degree classes helped me a lot to learn more about digital sites which are really useful for teachers and students who are socially isolated. And, it has a lot of benefits such as it can keep us connected, helps increase social connectivity, improves communication speeds, and it provide more and more learning opportunities.
There is no doubt I am using Facebook, Instagram, and many other social media sites for a long period of time but to be very honest, I am not a social media- friendly person. In my previous classes, I learnt about multimedia sites such as jam-board, sketchpad, mentimetre, scribjab and many more which are very easy to use.
Inspite of the innovation of so many digital sites, I believe, the present traditional system demands too much from a teacher because a teacher is the only person who can makes the best use of all available resources. Therefore, to make teaching learning more effective, teacher should adopt different strategies and perform various activities to facilitate learners to acquire certain skills and qualities.
As I came from the rural area of India which is not completely develop in the field of digital media, and during my school time, school did not have the enough digital resources to teach their students, so this is the main reason I am choosing the topic “Personal journey into media” as my major project. So, that I can share my journey via these blogs.
–It’s time to step up to the plate and get passionate about your work commit to making eLearning courses that don’t bore people to tears, but instead inspire and motivate them to learn a new skill, change a certain behavior, or improve their performance. – Cammy Bean
I am hoping to learn new digital sites which are very helpful in the field of education. Looking forward to learning more new digital tools and new skills from you all!!
I am Lovepreet Kaur, a full-time student of University of Regina, studying Master of Education( curriculum & instruction). I have done my bachelor’s of Education in India. Basically, I am from India, currently living in Regina, Saskatchewan. I used to teach primary classes in India. So, being a math teacher, I would love to explore digital sites, and digital tools, that helps the students to do their projects and worksheets.
