Module 4: Supporting the Digital Learner

Why is it important to foster a global approach to digital citizenship?

Information is readily available to students from other global participants around the world through numerous tools and social media applications. This is also the case with students who are passionate enough about an issue, topic or recreational activity that they seek other like minded people online including people from other countries to discuss, share and create.

Therefore it’s important students are aware of global issues, sensitivities, safe practices, legal issues when communicating to people from different countries and cultures.

What are the most important considerations when developing a professional personal brand?

Or supporting students to develop their personal brand? What is your school doing in this area?

How do you want to be perceived online? Get in first and post positive things about yourself not negative or incriminating information. Regularly check and search your name and act on information that is misrepresenting you, keep account secure and ask mates, family and colleagues not to represent you in a negative way with image or comments posted online

What do you see as typical challenges within a school when balancing ‘educational networking’ with ‘social networking’?

Correct use of Web 2.0 tools by students and friends outside of an educational setting

Module 3 reflection

Many question proposed in this subject asks,how do you, what are your beliefs with regard to implementing Digital Literacies, Digital Citizenship concepts, DLE and PLN. Reflecting on this, I believe that the tools I currently use with students and how i Instruct students on how to use is limiting their creativity. I inform them what websites to use, the program to use to present this information and an inflexible criteria for the presentation of this knowledge. I assume many of the students know what is a credible and reliable source of information and most social media tools are blocked. Referencing sources of information is the only activity I participate in and I’m sure there’s room for improvement instructing students on how to successfully do that.

I have just looked at Skoovile and it looks like an amazing resource for a teacher like myself as it provides a great introduction to safe digital practices and allows for students to collaborate and create work through social media tools, play educational games and be actively monitored to help reduce bullying issues and help mold positive attitudes towards responsible digital use. This resources and its key objectives combined with subject area programs I believe will help develop my PLN and understanding of digital use in the classroom , furthermore, help mold positive digital responsibilities among students.

ETL523 Module 3 DLE

• What is your DLE?
• What are your essential workflow digital tools?
• What are tools you use for productivity fun in learning?
• How do you connect, communicate, collaborate and create within this?
• You might like to think of a fun way (another tool eg Glogster? Symbaloo?) to share the tools that you use every week with others

My DLE is one that values the importance of digital technology in personal and educational setting. Prior to this subject my DLE was a simple one, consisting of activities and tools that enable me to consume/view information. As mentioned in a previous post developing this blog is my first attempt at creating and curating ideas, reflections and resources. Just recently I have added Google Apps to my limited repertoire of digital tools that I access through my DEC Portal. I currently use these apps to record information, websites and ideas. I’m yet to develop the confidence to implement into the classroom, however i do wish to remedy this and be part of a team that helps to introduce and implement effective use of tools such as these to an education setting. My current connections to colleagues, family, friends and and others is done through emails, texting or phone calls, my current phone does not have the capabilities to receive MMS and for some reason I think I’m important enough for people to spy/stalk me on Facebook so I therefore am yet to create an account or let photos of my son be place on Facebook by family or friends.

Module 2 Curation

• Consider the impact of the need to curate in an educational setting

Curation provides many opportunities for TL to identify credible and reliable resources teachers and students can use amongst all the information provided in its various formats and modalities. This repository of links to electronic resources could be provided through the school catalogue, reducing search time for students and teachers providing a central and reliable search option. I believe curation of resources is an effective and sensible task as emailing links, forwarding resources or dialogue about resources for teachers and students for them to then compile these resources seems ineffective as they could misplace, forget or not as effectively store/curate resources as what is possible within the library.

• What strategies can be taken in a school DLE to support curation for all learners?

Awareness of the importance of curation and its educational benefits throughout life. Skill developed of effective analysis and identification of reliable information sources could be a starting strategy to support curation for all learners (parents/students/teachers etc) and a shortlist of curation tools. The ability for NSW DEC teachers to access Google Apps is a step in the right direction, providing tools for curation, creation and preservation to teachers and students such as Google Docs, Blogger, Bookmarks and more.

Digital Learning Environment

•What is your definition of a ‘Digital Learning Environment’?

 

A DLE is a progressive, flexible and supportive learning space that evolves as an individual’s needs change. DLE allows for learning to occur outside school hours in the comfort of home or Café allowing a certain control over the pace of an indviduals learning. Skill development and awareness of tools available to an individual could be classified as early development stages, proficiency at this stage can lead to conscious efforts regarding ethics, values, privacy and safety followed by copyright issues and critical evaluation of ideas or information presented to individuals.

•What are some of the changes created by our digital lifestyle that you need to be aware of as an educator?

 

As an educator it’s important to be aware of the abundance of information available to learners and how to identify reliable and current information. Furthermore, awareness of personal information posted on social media sites that can be viewed by cohorts and students.

•What has been the impact of social networking on teaching and learning?

 

Social networking used positively can provide another effective medium teachers and students can use to meet educational outcomes. Events that occur locally, nationally or internationally can be viewed instantly by students using personal devices allowing the teacher to provide a platform for discussion about key issues and events that students can read, collaborated, analysis and form opinions about.