Module 8
Digital Citizenship
While reading information on Digital Citizenship, I tried to find just where I fell as a technology user. I researched the spectrum of Digital Immigrants and DIgital Natives. While researching this topic I learned that I am a Digital Native because of when I was born. I was born and grew up in a time where technology was on the rise, and technological language was part of the culture in which I grew up. I have studied throughout school with the idea that technology is important and constantly changing and growing. However, with that being said, I feel like I fall in the middle of two categories of the Digital Native- the Minimalists and the Enthusiastic participants.
I feel like I fall in the Minimalists category because I often use technology in my daily life, however, I am not always diverse in the technology resources I use. I use my SmartBoard in my classroom, but I often use the same resources I have for years. I often get frustrated quickly when new technology resources do not work for me. I feel I use minimal technology resources in my classroom because I often use the excuse that I do not have time to find new resources. I use the internet for minimal reasons such as email, googling, and social media. I feel when I go out of my comfort zone, I get nervous to use new trends and tools. Technology is not an area that comes easy to me even though I am a Digital Native, and I definitely need to research about new technology tools and trends, and I often need to be taught how to use them.
With all of the issues that I have with technology, I do feel like I am growing as a technology user. Therefore I feel like I am getting closer to the Enthusiastic participants part of the Digital Native spectrum. I have the want to use new engaging resources in my classroom, and I am actively using the things I am learning in my W506 course in my classroom. Although, I have my frustrations, I am getting more excited to use these new technology resources in my classroom. I also find applications for my IPADs in my classroom that are relevant to learning goals of my students, and I let them use those daily as well.
In my daily life I use many resources that would put me in the Enthusiastic participant realm as well. I text very often to communicate with my friends. I am a daily user of social networking. I depend on my GPS to get me places. I am also very familiar because of past mistakes to update my applications and technology resources.
I feel like I fall in the Minimalists category because I often use technology in my daily life, however, I am not always diverse in the technology resources I use. I use my SmartBoard in my classroom, but I often use the same resources I have for years. I often get frustrated quickly when new technology resources do not work for me. I feel I use minimal technology resources in my classroom because I often use the excuse that I do not have time to find new resources. I use the internet for minimal reasons such as email, googling, and social media. I feel when I go out of my comfort zone, I get nervous to use new trends and tools. Technology is not an area that comes easy to me even though I am a Digital Native, and I definitely need to research about new technology tools and trends, and I often need to be taught how to use them.
With all of the issues that I have with technology, I do feel like I am growing as a technology user. Therefore I feel like I am getting closer to the Enthusiastic participants part of the Digital Native spectrum. I have the want to use new engaging resources in my classroom, and I am actively using the things I am learning in my W506 course in my classroom. Although, I have my frustrations, I am getting more excited to use these new technology resources in my classroom. I also find applications for my IPADs in my classroom that are relevant to learning goals of my students, and I let them use those daily as well.
In my daily life I use many resources that would put me in the Enthusiastic participant realm as well. I text very often to communicate with my friends. I am a daily user of social networking. I depend on my GPS to get me places. I am also very familiar because of past mistakes to update my applications and technology resources.
Digital Citizenship Thinglink
There are many ways to teach with Thinglink in the classroom.
In my classroom I do teach some elements of Digital CItizenship. We discuss being friendly to one another on the interactive games.We discuss the importance of using the resources, apps, and sites that are in our class folder or cloud. This keeps my students off of websites or seeing videos that I cannot monitor.
While learning about Digital Citizenship and thinking about how I use it with my first graders, I discovered that I do not really have students access the digial world besides playing approved learning games. However, I do think it is very important that students learn about being an appropriate Digital CItizen and what that includes.
- I would use it as a way to teach content in my room. I think using Thinglink as an introductory tool to many standards would be very helpful for students to see and understand concepts of those standards.
- I would also use Thinglink in my classroom by letting the students complete a research project through this program, rather than typing a paper. Using Thinglink gives students a way to share resources they found, as well as show their personality through images they use.
In my classroom I do teach some elements of Digital CItizenship. We discuss being friendly to one another on the interactive games.We discuss the importance of using the resources, apps, and sites that are in our class folder or cloud. This keeps my students off of websites or seeing videos that I cannot monitor.
While learning about Digital Citizenship and thinking about how I use it with my first graders, I discovered that I do not really have students access the digial world besides playing approved learning games. However, I do think it is very important that students learn about being an appropriate Digital CItizen and what that includes.