ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) and Performance Indicators for Teachers
IV. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers:
A - advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
Reflection
A primary component of my science instruction focuses on the laboratory research and critical thinking skills for observing, analyzing, and evaluating. A component of this process involves the development of lab reports that require research of the topic, typically through the internet, to identify background information on the purpose. The entire lab development process is modeled from beginning to end during the first lab of the term. During this time, the skills to use the internet to complete successful research, validate the source of information, and cite sources of information are presented. The entire product is put together as a collective document using the overhead projector and SmartBoard. Then, students will submit reports throughout the term utilizing these methods. However, students continue to show a deficiency in their ability to properly cite material. In an effort to overcome this problem, I have gone to the administration and other staff members to develop a group that is going to be creating a writing guide for all staff and students to follow. This continuity will hopefully enable students to establish good habits related to safe, legal, and ethical use of material. (Lab Rubric - pdf)
Within each class, I use Remote Desktop to monitor the activity of students on the computers and assist them when they incur obstacles. The tool is often considered a mechanism for behavior modification, but can be an effective tool for teaching. Students are able to collaborate using the remote desktop to share resources and get feedback from me during their work. When problems that impact the entire class arise, I am able to move the screen to the front of the room and develop the challenge into a collaborative learning moment.
Finally, within our school I have worked to develop a safe and functional learning environment for our students. This involves everything from regulating the schools web filter to restrict unintentional access to inappropriate material to the production of appropriate use policies and guides for the school and classroom. The school filters are able to reduce the access to certain materials, but it is not effective if a student puts effort into subverting the obstacles. The best method in our system has proven to be a good monitoring program by the staff as well as instruction on best practices. (Computer Use Policies - pdf) Restrictions tend to produce a "grass is always greener" mentality that draws some students to yearn for the other side of the filter. However, within my classroom, students are given a fair amount of freedom because they have a better appreciation for what information is available on the internet and ways that security, validity, and ethics become an issue. Also, they are aware that I utilize Remote Desktop to monitor progress and the mere knowledge that the computers are secure helps to avoid temptation to go to unacceptable sites. One method that offers students flexibility to have open discussions in a secure environment is the class Moodle. (Moodle Portal) Students are enrolled in the course and outsiders are not allowed into the discussions without permission and notification of the group.
B - address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
Reflection
Within the context of my instruction, I often incorporate the use of technology to present information in class multimedia presentations, share resources using the internet, and to analyze and evaluate data to connect to larger concepts. (Class Resource Website) Since different students have differing abilities, there are alternatives for each student to learn and demonstrate understanding. I have worked with Dragon Naturally Speaking to assist some students with difficulties. Also, students are given additional time or resources to assist in the learning. One strategy that has worked in the classroom is to pair a stronger student in one area with a struggling student during labs and activities. Typically each student is able to contribute to the project to produce better results. When there seems to be inequitable division of effort or work, teaching strategies that help to divide the work and govern the roles of participants seem to assist.
The eMINTS program did a good job of providing training specific to these different strategies. Ron Smith our regional cohort leader would guide our eclectic band of educators through a series of exercises demonstrating these strategies. A few of the more useful strategies in my science classroom include:
some products of these strategies include concept maps, projects, and lab exercises that students produce collaboratively. (Video Jigsaw Activity - pdf)
C - promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
Reflection
A primary communication method between students and myself for additional help outside of the classroom is through email or the course Moodle account. (Classroom Moodle) In both environments, I expect and use appropriate etiquette. The students are addressed in a professional manner and I also receive appropriate communication. The students engage in peer reviews within the course in the Moodle environment. During this time, they receive feedback from me that displays constructive criticism to build upon their attempts to develop better products. They also share and collaborate with each other and are shown through my modeling and in class practice ways to express themselves without using inappropriate language or remarks.
As the technology coordinator, MLTI teacher leader, and eMINTS teacher for my school, I am responsible for educating my peers and students about new technologies and ways to incorporate these into classrooms safely and effectively. Through attendance at professional development opportunities such as the MLTI summer training institutes and technology seminars, I am able to learn about and experience new technologies. Through staff and student training at our school, I am able to educate others on how to use these tools wisely. I have created some posters to highlight acceptable use policies. (eMINTS yr 1 Computer Usage Guides - pdf ) I also developed a series of training sessions to show people how to use AIM accounts to communicate with peers or do other alternative networking activities. For one training, I developed a PowerPoint that highlighted the eMINTS philosophy and the role of Grappling's Technology Spectrum on technology integration. (eMINTS and Grappling's Training - ppt)
D - develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.
Reflection
Within my school, we have a large Native American population. The cultural diversity issue is evident within this simple dynamic, but technology has offered ways to communicate outside of the area and bring global issues to our students. The use of discussion boards is one mechanism that students can connect with people from different backgrounds and understand how they interact with the world around them.(Classroom Moodle) The interconnected nature of our global resources brings students together in communication channels. Many of our students utilize Facebook and MySpace accounts which are blocked within the school because of administrative fears about internet security. These tools are therefore being targeted by the school filter system. However, students still use these tools outside of the school to communicate with there peers and develop social networks with people from all over. Some of my students who traveled to Bermuda are still in contact with their distant friends they made during the study through MySpace and Facebook. It is my personal opinion that we should encourage and even require students to use these tools in the classroom so that they can be guided in best practices to ensure safety and to gain the benefits of large social networking. If a child learns about the internet on their own through trial and error, they are more likely to fall into unwanted areas than if they are given guidance with an ability to experiment within some context of acceptable behavior. At a minimum, the students will have an adult presence see their pages and be able to monitor for unsafe behavior.
The systems are growing in complexity from SecondLife where a virtual me can interact in a professional development opportunity with a lecturer in another part of the country. This is exactly how my first endeavor into SecondLife happened during a MLTI training session that highlighted the power of these new communication tools. The practical applications in high school settings needs to be refined so that at least the clothes of the avatars arrive at the same time as the avatar themselves, but the concept offers potential to connect learners globally. The ability to create virtual environments that can act as meeting grounds for individuals to share ideas and resources is building in these virtual domains. (SecondLife Community Image) - (Second Life Game of Chess Image)
