Topics for today:
1. EDUC 504
2. Reaction to Sheskey Article
3. Digital citizenship
Technology is a means to an end. It gives access to information, opens lines
of communication, and provides new ways at looking at old (and new)
things. Using technology for every
lesson is not the end goal, but using technology to enhance learning in
meaningful ways is a great means to opening new possibilities for my future
students.
It was reassuring in class on Friday when one teacher said
that technology is not always the best option; sometimes notecards with a
specific purpose fits the lesson the best. I was expecting this class to be
even more “plugged in” than our other classes, but I was pleasantly surprised
when we had a great old-fashioned conversation, face to face.
The conversation, one of my favorite means of learning, was
about an article by Bill Sheskey. The
players included my classmates/cohorts and professors for whom I have great respect. We talked about why the students in the
article enjoyed seeing their projects & photos on a big screen. This boiled
down to ownership and accountability. In
the same way that the students wanted to put forth their best effort, I want to
take ownership of this Blog. However
when trying to decide on a URL name I came across many blogs that only had one
post, or had been abandoned even before starting. This is the problematic use
of technology. Anyone can start a blog,
post to a social media network, or upload a photo, and then it stays
there. This is wonderful if the “thing”
you are posting/starting/uploading is your best work, but when its not, it
still stays. For the young man in the
article that wanted to redo his project, that idea was enough. He wanted the permanence to reflect his best
work, not a mediocre job. For others it
is scary to put forth something so permanent and they choose to not put their
work “out there” even if that means starting a blog and never posting or in an
academic setting not completing the assignment.
There was some mention, in class, about being shy and how displaying
work can be counteractive to learning because some students might shut down. So
then how do you use technology in a way that motivates some students (ownership)
and protects some students from feeling vulnerable to the point of shutting
down? Will anonymity give the introverted students the courage to display their
best work, but still motivate the extrovert students enough? What is the
balance between privacy and publicity?
We also talked about Digital Citizenship and how there isn’t
a well-defined etiquette for the World Wide Web. I agree with this to an extent, but I don’t
know what the long-term effects are. I
heard a few personal anecdotes about how kids were using Facebook for “drama”
(bullying, gossip, and embarrassment).
This would lead us to believe that there should be etiquette online, but
all three of those things under the umbrella of “drama” were around way before
technology gave it a new forum. Kids
were bullying each other long before it was made public. I don’t know if the etiquette we need to
teach is online etiquette or simply human interaction etiquette. Technology may
make it easier to bully someone from another school or across the country, but
it didn’t invent the idea of bullying.
Does technology make bullying last longer because you can look at the
history of the abuse and therefore never escape it? Does it make it easier to
fight against because if adults are monitoring then the evidence is out in the
open to see and stop?
The digital age is now which means that it is hard to gain
perspective. I agree that there should
be some etiquette online, but I also agree that real life could use some
etiquette as well. Technology is a means
to change but it is how we use it that enacts the change. As a teacher I’m hoping to create a safe
place for learning, this includes digital space as well, so I am excited for
this class to explore the ways I can make sure my students are motivated by
ownership, but not worried about the vulnerability that comes from publicity.
I really connected to what you said in here; it reminded me of my own struggles with where the line is for technology, what evils and benefits it can bring and how to balance them. I, too, was surprised by how earthly our class was; like you, I thought it was going to be very tech-focused. Know that you have an ally for this year, figuring out how to keep your feet on the ground while making friends with technology!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we are allies! It is always good to meet like-minded people.
Delete"what evils and benefits it can bring and how to balance them"
I like that you said balance is important, rather than minimize one or abandon technology all together.
I look forward to trying to figure it out!
I find your comment about cyber-bullies to be really interesting. The way I see it, there are some distinctly larger implications to cyber-bullying vs. face-to-face bullying. The internet adds a new dimension in terms of how many people can view and by-proxy, join in on the act. The victim feels a greater sense of humiliation because of this larger audience. The internet also is not "out in the open", monitoring child on-line activity is not as simple as it sounds. Children have so much unsupervised access to communication technology (cell phones, ipods, ipads, hand-held games), it's almost impossible to monitor each and every post, text, tweet, or voxer.
ReplyDeleteAs we continue to make technological advances, it seems logical that we should make ethical and moral advances as well. At least some effort should be made to teach children what is proper behavior in a digital environment or we run a great risk of creating a sub-culture where the rules of kindness, courtesy, self-respect don't have to apply.
I agree that there are larger implications with cyber-bullying, and I think your point about the bystanders or viewers is really good. I think the role of viewers complicit in the bullying is an interesting dynamic online.
DeleteBy the internet being "out in the open" I meant that it is documented and IF monitored then it could be easier to prove, but you a right when you listed a fraction of the modes of communication, how can we expect vigilant monitoring across so many platforms? I don't know.
I also agree that as we advance in technology, we should (try to) teach our young people to respectfully use it.
I really like your blog posting. It resonates a lot with my own thoughts about new technology being an extension of human communication that does not change the paradigm fundamentally, but makes things like permanence and etiquette more of a pointed question. I agree with you that on-line etiquette, essentially, should proceed from the etiquette we model and practice in the more private sphere of non on-line communication. I am actually a bit surprised, though, how well-defined on-line etiquette in fact is. I have noticed a certain type of discourse that is appropriate on Facebook, and deviations from that really stick out. There really is an art to the self-descriptions of one's status, and especially the type of humor, including a certain style of self-mockery. I really have not gotten the hang of it at all, probably from lack of practice, but am involved via family members and friends to the extent that I observe a lot. Some people have really mastered the art of Facebook and negotiate the etiquette really skillfully, and their posts can be awesome: sometimes hysterically funny, sometimes very thought-provoking.
ReplyDeletePermanence, as you very well point out, was a key factor in the article. It has always been there, but the technology really pushes it to the limit. When I did accounting work, it was similar: when you batch your work by pushing the final button--it had better have been done correctly, because you cannot revise it! Essentially, it is the same, though, as typesetting in the 16th century...
I think I agree to an extent that Facebook has a certain type of discourse. I might venture to say that there has been an evolution towards the self-mockery and types of humor, but I think parts of the normal discourse are quite problematic. I often witness self mockery that goes beyond the norm or humor that isn't very funny (in my opinion) in real life. It is because there are so many different views about online etiquette (enough, too much, non-existent) is what makes it difficult to develop a universal standard.
DeleteI liked the way you said that it was important to use technology in a way that enhanced learning--this is something I feel really strongly about. Similarly, I like the way you discussed apprehension over subjecting students to the public eye without ensuring that they won't be bullied or embarrassed. This is something I've though about this week as well.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of your discussion of internet/technology etiquette--is it that we don't have etiquette, or that adolescents don't care to use it? I know when I was a teen going online I knew what things I should talk about/shouldn't but I didn't feel like it. The internet makes anonymity easier (to an extent) and that's what opens up the world of cyber bullying and gossip. Do you think that there is a way for us to combat that and be sure that we can make the online world a safe place for students? If we did set up some sort of intervention for adolescents pertaining to technology/online etiquette, how would that kind of program be run? Do you think it would really change things? I have definitely struggled with this idea. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on it.
You make a great point about adolescents possibly not caring to use etiquette. I think you bring up a lot of good questions that I don't have answers for, but maybe we will get some from class. I think a way for us as teachers to do our part would be to make sure that any online assignments/forums etc. were treated the same way we would treat our classrooms. We would take it upon ourselves to monitor in order to maintain a safe space. Beyond that, I'm not sure I even know where to begin.
DeleteTasha, I think that the best sign of the richness of your post lies in the conversation it elicited...from that perspective, your first post is an unqualified success. You colleagues have build on several of the issues and questions that you raise, so I'll simply add that your concern about the potential vulnerability of students is a really important question to raise. As we discussed in class, if one believes that the classroom should be a group learning space, and not a set of 30 private learning spaces that just happen to be physically located together, then it incumbent upon us to directly address the matter of how we relate to one another, and to our ideas and our work, whether face-to-face or online. This kind of direct address of the topic can help us take the best out of what the various learning technologies have to offer our student learners, and can also add a necessary element to our classroom discussions. It's often the case that having a role in the setting of norms can help students feel more invested in creating and upholding a space in accordance with those norms.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I am looking forward to exploring these types of issues throughout the year.
DeleteTechnology is an issue we will have to deal with more and more as it becomes more prevalent in our lives. You can no longer “hide” in this world. Today you use a credit card and instantaneously it is verified as accepted or declined, a criminal history background check “sees” any issues in your life within minutes and yes, what you put out there is there forever.
DeleteI remind my children all the time to be careful. In today’s world someone is always watching, always listening and what you post is always there.
I really love your question, "What is the balance between privacy and publicity?" I feel that this, unlike the issues of online bullying and gossiping, is a question that is unique to technology. As teachers, we now have the option to display our students' work in realms beyond the classroom and the school building but, as was discussed in our class, this could motivate some students to strive for their best while for other, more reserved students, it could discourage participation for fear of judgement. I'm interested to see how our answers to this question will evolve through class discussions. I'm wary of proposing a balance just yet, as I know there is much to be learned from this course and the information and research with which we'll be provided. However, I'm comforted that these questions are arising so early and that so many other individuals have the same concerns and are willing to think inquisitively about the implications of using technology in the classroom.
ReplyDelete