Digital citizenship for teachers is very close to digital citizenship for students except that it tends to be less personal. Teachers generally use the Internet for academic, informational, or professional tasks. They retrieve information for use int he classroom or they post information from the classroom, but rarely do teachers, while in the role of teaching, use the Internet for anything personal. Because of this difference in usage, the teachers' adherence to copyright and fair use laws is much more important. Students do not have to worry about them as much because they are dealing with the ideas of others less than teachers.
As a Christian, because we are called to live above reproach, to have moral integrity in every situation, and to do nothing to cause another person to stumble, my standard is not necessarily higher, but certainly less flexible. Whereas another teacher might be able to fudge a little bit on following copyright/fair use laws or might not check a source as closely for inappropriate material without it affecting their conscious, the Holy Spirit would convict me if I did so. The standard to which I am held does not move regardless of the expectations of culture, so I must be responsibily in my digital citizenship as a teacher.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Digital Citizenship
Digital citizenship for students involves the amount, medium, and type of digital communication by people generally under the age of 18-22. Their interaction with the internet varies in that they are primarily placing personal information on the internet whenever they do put anything on and primarily drawing out academic information when they are searching for something. Because of the intensely personal nature of most of students’ interactions with the internet, they must be aware of the shortcomings and dangers of the internet so they can be sure to protect themselves and leave a positive digital fingerprint.
Ways to protect themselves involve such things as censuring the pictures and information given out on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. The information they place on the internet is no longer within their control and anyone, even in a private account, can access that information and potentially use it for evil. Also, because anyone can access whatever is posted online, it is imperative that students choose to leave a positive virtual mark that will build people up rather than tear them down, such as cyber-bullying.
http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/
Ways to protect themselves involve such things as censuring the pictures and information given out on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. The information they place on the internet is no longer within their control and anyone, even in a private account, can access that information and potentially use it for evil. Also, because anyone can access whatever is posted online, it is imperative that students choose to leave a positive virtual mark that will build people up rather than tear them down, such as cyber-bullying.
http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/
Validity of Internet Source
It is important to check the validity of internet sources because of the nature of the internet. As evidenced by this blog, anyone can post anything they like on any topic anywhere on the internet and no one can stop them. Others might contradict what they said, but if a student is not aware enough or does not look hard enough, then they could stumble on some bizarre sites and take the information found there as gospel. No one can insist that internet authors have good research to back up their statements like an editor or publisher of a book would do, which makes the internet in general much more unreliable in some ways.
A good example, at least in the past, of a semi-valid, but mostly not, source of information has been Wikipedia. Anyone can post anything in Wikipedia and because it is not peer edited, no one may see blaringly obvious errors in the site’s information. However, students could imagine that because it looks official and is an easy source of information, then they can use it without worrying about the validity.
A good example, at least in the past, of a semi-valid, but mostly not, source of information has been Wikipedia. Anyone can post anything in Wikipedia and because it is not peer edited, no one may see blaringly obvious errors in the site’s information. However, students could imagine that because it looks official and is an easy source of information, then they can use it without worrying about the validity.
Fair Use and Copyright
The rules of fair use and copyright essentially say that not everyone can use another person’s work at any time for any reason, particularly without permission. There are perimeters within which borrowing or using another person’s work is permissible, namely in education or in a private setting. However, the perimeters rarely extend even close to as far as most people assume. The intellectual property of people is closely protected in the United States for up to a century or more, and according to the rules of fair use and copyright, citing one’s source is not enough. One must also ask for permission from the owners.
These rules ought to have a greater impact on me because I am a Christian! Whether or not they actually do greatly depends on the extent of my knowledge of them and as of this moment, I know very little. That does not negate the fact that I ought to be more of an example to the rest of society when it comes to following the rules, but it does make obedience to the laws of the land more difficult.
These rules ought to have a greater impact on me because I am a Christian! Whether or not they actually do greatly depends on the extent of my knowledge of them and as of this moment, I know very little. That does not negate the fact that I ought to be more of an example to the rest of society when it comes to following the rules, but it does make obedience to the laws of the land more difficult.
Christian Worldview
The Christian worldview of education encompasses more than simply making the students smarter or able to pass a test. Education for Christians is almost geared in such a way that teachers are attempting to either restore some of the Edonic goodness, purity, and wholeness, or looking forward and trying to achieve the heavenly goodness, purity, and wholeness. If any part of education does not fit either of those two goals, then it does not have a part in education or life in general.
Christians have a different culture from which to work. They are not of this world and thus must operate from a completely different standpoint. If whatever activity is occurring is not helping its viewers, planners, or participators to become more Christ-like, then the activity should not continue. Education has more to do with becoming truly human and who we were created to be mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually than it does getting students to pass a test.
Christians have a different culture from which to work. They are not of this world and thus must operate from a completely different standpoint. If whatever activity is occurring is not helping its viewers, planners, or participators to become more Christ-like, then the activity should not continue. Education has more to do with becoming truly human and who we were created to be mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually than it does getting students to pass a test.
Technology in Ed
Technology in education is important because technology is such a massive part of today's world. The "3 R's" are vital for a foundation from which to draw on as people interact, but if the student has no concept of how to work or interact with technology then they will be unable to access most information and communicate with people in the most commonly used mediums. Technology will not go away, barring some catastrophic event, of course. It is here to stay and to refuse to hand students as many tools as possible with which to go forward into the future is to sign a warrant for their slow societal death- in many ways.
On the other hand, technology changes very quickly and catastrophic events are not unforeseen. Thus, to only teach students how to communicate through the newest technologies or how to find information through the newest search engine is to under-prepare students for reality. Reality is that communication occurs more through face-to-face discussions, and reading and writing hardcopy materials than through many of the forms of virtual communication. Students must learn how to interact on a personal level as well as a virtual or they will be crippled socially.
On the other hand, technology changes very quickly and catastrophic events are not unforeseen. Thus, to only teach students how to communicate through the newest technologies or how to find information through the newest search engine is to under-prepare students for reality. Reality is that communication occurs more through face-to-face discussions, and reading and writing hardcopy materials than through many of the forms of virtual communication. Students must learn how to interact on a personal level as well as a virtual or they will be crippled socially.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)