Journal #3

Ribble, Bailey, and Ross, "Digital Citizenship: Addressing Appropriate Technology Behavior"

This article discusses the misuse of technology by students and teachers, and it suggests ways of addressing such problems by promoting the idea of digital citizenship. It argues that teachers need to provide instruction to students in nine areas: etiquette, communication, education, access, commerce, responsibility, rights, safety, and security. Just as we need to teach our kids how to be good citizens in the real world, we also need to teach them how to be good citizens in the technological realm, because it is simply another way in which we all interact together.

With the addition of technology, I feel that the learning environment has changed in both good and bad ways. One good thing is that students have more access to information and alternative ways of learning. On the downside, students can also use technology disruptfully or dishonestly. It is now a regular occurrence for cell phones to go off in class, and students often play with their phones in class instead of paying attention to the lesson. Many of them have started to use internet lingo in their essays and other assignments, which is a big one I have definitely noticed. Students also misuse the internet by plagiarizing and by bullying other students. Luckily, there are ways of trying to counteract these negative trends in the learning environment. The article suggests that teachers talk to students about the school's rules about cell phones and other technology and why they are important. Teachers should themselves model the proper use of technology. This is a big one for me, because I think that many students pick up irresponsible technology use from their parents and other adults-- how many times have you seen a parent completely ignore the cashier while talking on their cell phone in line at the grocery store? It's important to try to counteract those bad examples by modeling the correct use and drawing students' attention to it. The article also suggests using cell phones for learning purposes (anybody have any ideas on that?), teaching about the costs and consequences about breaking copyright and fair use laws, and talking to students about why they are in place and how they would feel if somebody downloaded their own material without permission.

Q1.) How will I prevent the misuse of cell phones and other technology during my class?

I will establish clear rules with my students from the very first day of class. I will talk to them about the school's policies and why they are in place. I will hold a class discussion on social etiquette and the irresponsible use of cell phones in their day to day lives. Cell phones are to be kept in backpacks at all times during my class, and if I see one out or hear it ringing, I will confiscate it for the entire day and the student will be responsible for picking it up after school. If this becomes a recurring problem for a certain student, I will call home. During tests, I will walk around the room to catch any students who attempt to cheat using technology or otherwise. I will keep my own cell phone off and out of sight during class. I will also warn my students on the first day of class and again before major writing assignments of the consequences and likelihood of getting caught for plagiarizing.

Q2.) How will I address the misuse of communication tools by my students, for example through virtual bullying or using inappropriate slang or shorthand in class assignments?

Again, I think it is important to have discussions about these problems on the first day of class and frequently throughout the year. I will let my students know that shorthand will be unacceptable in any assignments that will be turned in for grading, and I will encourage them to check their writing for slip-ups. I will have my students peer-edit using checklists, and one of the things I will have them look out for is the use of internet lingo. I will talk to them about why we use internet lingo with our friends, and why it is not such a good idea to use it when writing to an unknown audience or to convey knowledge. With virtual bullying, I will have discussions and writing prompts about how students would feel if they were the victim of virtual bullying. I will remind them that the internet is public and that anything they write will be viewed by other unintended audiences.

Journal #2

Susan McLester, "Technology Literacy and the MySpace Generation"

This article discusses the new generation of digital natives and their unlimited access to all kinds of information. It talks about the evolution of NET Standards and the problem of how they can be applied to a constantly evolving technological realm. Open Source technologies are constantly being developed to allow for more participation on the Web, and employers are looking to hire people who can adapt to this constantly changing landscape and interact globally. The author argues that we have no choice but to immerse students in technology.

After reading this article, my attitude towards allowing students to use technology tools hasn't changed much. I have always held the belief that students should be exposed to technology whenever it is available and should be taught how to use it properly and ethically. The article did make me think more about the future implications for those students who aren't exposed to technology for whatever reasons. There seems to be a potential for a "technology gap" between those students who have had access to technology and those who haven't. For example, a student who has unlimited access to their own computer not only gains technology skills but is also able to socially network with a vast array of people, which might give him or her a huge advantage over a low-income student who has little or no access to technology and isn't taught its value. Because of this, I think it's really important that we as teachers try to ensure equitable access to technology for all students, particularly in low socioeconomic areas. If we fail to do this, then standardizing technology will only serve to perpetuate and even exacerbate social inequality.

Q1.) As McLester asks, “How can I empower and protect my students in an environment that increasingly eludes me?”

I think this is an excellent question. I can empower my students by teaching them how to use technology creatively and efficiently. I can empower them by giving them more input and listening to them, maybe even letting them teach me a thing or two about technology! I guess I can never fully protect them from the harmful stuff, but I can make sure that I teach them how to use technology responsibly and ethically and why it’s so important to do so. I think it’s really important to make them aware that the Web is a public domain, even though it’s easy to forget that. I will also work with my school’s technology experts to make sure that harmful websites are blocked.

Q2.) How can I ensure that my own students are given equal access to technology?

I will try to secure as many computers for my classroom as possible by applying for grants. Maybe I could also organize some sort of class or even school-wide fundraiser to raise money for classroom computers. I will incorporate technology into my lesson plans as often as possible so that students who don’t have computers at home can gain experience in a wide variety of technological applications. I will teach about the value of technology and encourage students to take advantage of the school computer lab.

Journal #1

Pamela Livingston, "Chatting it Up Online"

This article describes how Ms. Livingston organized an online chat for her students with one of their favorite authors. She found out about the chat from a listserv and worked with other staff members at the school to register and set up the chat. They sent in the questions their students wanted to ask, and the author responded in real time. Even though the nature of the chat room meant that the answers could not always directly follow the questions, the boys were able to follow a lot of the conversation because the author began the answer to each question with the name of the student who asked it. They were also provided with notes and a transcript after the chat was over. The author left the students with some inspiring closing comments, encouraging them to write their own books.

This kind of thing is a wonderful idea for bringing technology into the classroom. I never would have thought about using a chat session for an educational purpose. There is probably a lot of technology that we take for granted without thinking about how it could be used to enhance learning. This article shows that even things like chat rooms, which can be used for questionable means, can be a great tool when used correctly.

Q1.) Is this something that I could use in my own classroom, and what would be its potential benefits?

This is such a cool lesson because it seems relatively easy to set up and can have a huge impact on readers. Yes, I could definitely use this in my middle school classroom. It would even work well for high school. It has many potential benefits. It can provide a lot of inspiration to students and make them realize that the authors of their favorite books are real people. It can make writing books seem more attainable to them. It also exposes them to the educational uses of technology. Perhaps they could learn how to register for chats with other people who inspire them, like celebrities, leaders, and scholars. It encourages them to think critically about the kinds of questions they will ask. I will definitely remember this idea for when I enter the classroom.

Q2.) What kind of steps would I need to take to prepare for a lesson like this?

One thing about this article that really opened my eyes was how much preparation it takes to set up a chat like this for your students. There are many considerations I would have to take into account. First, I would have to register for the chat. As the article recommends, I would have to wait to tell the class about the chat until I received confirmation that we would be able to participate so that they wouldn't be disappointed if it fell through. I would have to reserve computers in the school's computer lab and notify the school's technical assistants to be on call. I would have to make sure that the technology was working correctly and that security settings and firewalls were properly taken care of. I would have to lead the students in preparing their questions and making sure that they weren't questions that could be easily found by another source. I would have to review online netiquette with my students. These are all fairly straightforward steps to take. The difficult part would be simply remembering them all so that the lesson flows smoothly without any complications!