Moral and Legal Issues

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Moral issues surrounding technology use have much to do with how our students interact and engage with the technologies around them.  Take for instance, social networking sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc) that can bring about concerns from parents and teachers of ruined reputations, hurt feelings, lost friends, and time wasted online.  Inappropriate use of these sites can morally harm a person.  Use of these technologies may also lead to a very common phrase heard today, cyberbullying.   Cyberbullying is the intentional act of posting harmful images or words in order to hurt someone else.  A moral issue that many children, teens and adults deal with today.  This is why schools are working toward instilling “acceptable use policies” that review the terms for acceptable use on the internet and what proper moral behavior includes.  Some schools have even adopted a technology curriculum that focus on netiquette.  Netiquette is simply etiquette on the Internet.  Just as we once were taught how to properly converse and collaborate with one another face to face, we now must educate our youth on how to do the same online.  All of this connects with the bigger picture of how do we keep ourselves private in a world where everyone seems to be opening up about themselves to strangers. To be blunt, The Internet is not a place for people to be left alone and therefore we cannot expect complete privacy.  We can however, moderate and control what is said or posted about us if we are vigilant.

For myself, I limit my use of social networking sites and what I post on them or who I allow to see them. These simple steps can do much for one's privacy in the end. I also tend to use my Twitter account as more of a networking tool rather than for personal use. My students are too "young" to have social media accounts but of course many of them still do. When we have discussions in class pertaining to "stranger danger" as we must do every year, I also use this as a time to talk about "stranger danger" on the internet and ways to protect yourselves. We also look at ways in which comments can hurt others because text can be interrupted in many ways. Common Sense Media is a great resource to help fuel these discussions and offers valuable resources.

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Legal issues surrounding technology on the other hand have to deal with how we use the information we get from the Internet.  For instance, copyright laws protect original works by people from being stolen or what we refer to as “plagiarism”.  Plagiarism has all to often been occurring due to the ease of access students have to the information around them.  Many students unfortunately do not know what they are doing is in fact plagiarism and by teaching our students how to properly cite or give credit to their sources, we are helping them to become better digital age citizens.  Fair Use and Creative Commons are doctrines found under the Copyright Law that allow educators and students to use information if it is not for commercial use in ways that will not result in prosecution.  According to Stephanie Raccine of Off the Page Creations, here is what one cannot do under the Fair Use doctrine:

• Copy pictures to use on your brochure or website that you found on the internet (even if you put up the copyright line of who holds the copyright, this is considered infringement)
• Purchase a license to use a photo on your brochure, then continue to use it on your website, flyers, and postcards unless it is stated in the license
• Copy text out of a book or off from a website and use it verbatim
• Put music on your website without permission
• Post an article without permission, even if it's about you
• Use an image by linking to it rather than copying it (This is still copyright infringement)

Farnese, R. (2012 April 13). Legal, ethical and social issues in technology.  Slideshare.  Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/rachelfarnese/legal-ethical-and-social-issues-in-technology

Raccine, S. (n.d.). Legal issues and the internet.  Off the Page Creations, LLC.  Retrieved from http://www.offthepagecreations.com/legal_issues_internet.php

Bloom's and Technology

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Wow!  My eyes have been opened to a whole new world where technology and Bloom’s taxonomy have aligned due to the evolution of education.  As an educator, it is important to reach aspects of Bloom’s taxonomy in the classroom.  Also, as an educator, it is important to make sure your students are achieving this through the use of technology integration, particulary if we want to say they are “21st century learners”.   I can see many pros in using some of these apps to reach the higher levels of the taxonomy.  For instance, many students have fun when creating something on an app, most of the apps or web tools are free and accessible for teachers, and the ability to share information is easy.  Of course there are some cons as well.  Such as access to these apps.  Schools must have the available resources (iPads, chromebooks, laptops, etc.).  Also, even more important, teachers need TIME to play around with the tools and practice with them for themselves.  Overcoming these obstacles can be done though if there is a well-developed, well-thought out plan involved in the process of integrating technology in the classroom. This plan is not just for our students, but for our teachers as well.  Finally, after I took sometime to look up prices for my budgeting matrix, I learned very quickly how costly technology is.  However, it is my belief that Google Chromebooks are an example of how companies are trying to bring technology into the classroom at a low cost.  I know I spent double on my iPad than I did on my Chromebook and I use the latter one everyday.  

Google Apps for the Classroom

The use of Google Apps in a school setting can be used between students and teachers to collaborate, communicate, synthesize, analyze, create projects and so much more!   Anyone can sign-up for a Google account and once that is done the possibilities endless .  Google has a website, Google for Education, that allows educators, students and parents to explore all the benefits of incorporating Google Apps into their school setting.  The great aspect about Google Apps is that they can be used between teacher and student, student to student, or teacher to all students.  Not only will the students be engaged because they are collaboratively working together but they are also doing something they enjoy: Communicating with one another on their device’s.  There is no worry about printing or saving documents because everything is easily stored in a user’s Google Drive, which is pretty much like a USB that you can access from any device.  Perhaps the best feature of Google Apps for education is the fact that they are all free!

In my own school, all students starting in fourth grade are set up with a Gmail account through the school’s technology teacher.  This way they are prepared to start sharing and collaborating on documents once they get to middle school.  The teachers have also been using Google Apps for sometime now.  Often the Principal will share a document or notice that she may need editing on what us to review.  This is a fast and efficient way to get the message out without copying and wasting paper.  I personally love Google Apps and have been using it for about two years now.  I just love the ease of access to all my files and the user-friendliness the applications.  

Survey Results (Using Google Forms)

Week 4: Vision of Technology Integration

Welcome to the 21st century classroom! Where collaboration and communication are reached through tools that enforce communications and information literacy.  Where students take control of their education and form a sense of digital citizenship. Where students are developing a sense of personal and social responsibility on the internet and efficient ways to monitor it.  Where is the teaching of the content needed to pass state and national standards you may ask? Well, it is all intertwined within each daily lesson.  Within each assignment or self-reflection. This is my vision on technology integration in the classroom.

My vision begins with four main criteria:

1. Student to Teacher Collaboration/Communication

2. Student to Student Collaboration/Communication

3. Student-World Collaboration/Communication

4. Student Reflection and Development

As a current educator, do we want the above image to ring true?

Student to teacher collaboration and communication opens the door of the classroom and allows for learning or assistance virtually anywhere.  A student may ask questions “on the go” or in a time of need.  This also provides a second chance for students who may have missed the opportunity to ask for clarification or assistance at the time of the lesson. Also, many children may find it easier to communicate their questions or problems this way.  In my classroom,  I have used Google Docs to create K-W-L charts prior to select lessons.  This not only allows me to assess where the students are, but they like to see that I take time to comment on each of their statements.  This sense of collaboration and communication builds a healthy student-teacher relationship where the student sees the teacher as more of a guide in their education rather than an enforcer. Of course, this criteria must be used responsibly and in an efficient way. That is why it is up to each individual teacher to take the time in setting up guidelines, expectations and rules that all involved are able to easily understand and abide by.

Are we preparing students for a future based on these skills?

Student to student collaboration and communication may be the most important criteria in my technology integrated classroom.  Let’s be honest, most children above the age of 10 have some sort of smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.  They are probably masters, if not experts, at using this device and the tools it has to offer.  When not in school, they are texting and communicating with their friends using this device.  So why do we shut them off from one another when it comes to their education? It can be exciting for students to see aspects of their peers they may have never seen until they were pressed with the challenge of creating an online website with them.  They build relations with someone they may have thought they didn’t have anything in common with.   Most important, the students are building upon the 21st century skills that many colleges, universities, and future employers will require them to have.  These learners will have a broad way of thinking by having the opportunity to problem-solve and critical think with their peers.  They will have a better knowledge in efficient and proper ways to communicate and collaborate within their global network.  All in all these learners will have a better grasp on the tools needed to succeed in a digital age.  

Student to global connection allows for the individual learner to connect with others on a global scale.  This could be used by educators in the classroom or by students who wish to deepen their understanding of a new culture or way of thinking.  The time to begin this revolutionary way of thinking and educating is now.  As educators we have an array of tools that allow for this criteria to be met within our classroom.  Using blogging websites such as Blogger (www.blogger.com), Twitter (www.twitter.com), Skype (www.skype.com) or even Facebook (www.facebook.com) students have access to discuss, problem-solve, and collaborate with individuals they never thought possible.  Skype even allows for educators to connect with other educators who envision this multicultural approach in their pedagogy on their educator website: education.skype.com.   Not only are educators encouraged to connect with other educators to promote student-global awareness, but educators may seek out specialists in a given topic or concept.  For instance, the video below was created when two classrooms connected with Páll Davíðsson via Skype.  He was able to take the classrooms on a virtual tour of a disappearing glacier in Iceland.

Student reflection and development is the final of the four criteria in my vision of a technologically integrated classroom.  The best way to meet this aspect may be through student blogging.  This is where the learner takes responsibility for their personal and social actions.  Were they using the tools they had efficiently?  Are they happy with their outcome?  How would they perform better in the future?  This is an essential stage in order for growth and development to occur in learners young and old.