The Dangers of Sharing

This week in Educational Technology, I learned about digital citizenship. I had no idea what digital citizenship was until this week. To define digital citizenship, it is standards to hold yourself to including appropriate, responsible behavior. In other words, it is how you portray yourself and how others view you. You provide certain information on the internet in which others view you by. As Garth Holman explained in our featured video this week, our digital citizenship is our resume, online that is. 

As I have reiterated in previous blog posts, I am always careful in what I post on the internet, referring to social media. I am friends with some of my student's parents on Facebook. I think about what I post before I post things as inappropriate content can get me fired. I am not an avid Facebooker and I hardly use any other social media except for school purposes, so it is not difficult for me to sort through what is appropriate and what is not appropriate. Anything that you put on the internet, anyone can see. This video provides a good example of the consequences of what posting inappropriate can do to a person. Not only does it attract negative attention, but it can potentially put your life in danger. 

This picture is such a good depiction of the negative consequences of sharing too much information online. For anyone who is not familiar with location, the red pin points represent a location on a map. When people share their location on the internet, it is basically inviting intruders to their homes to rob them as everyone is aware that no one is home.

I have had my feelings hurt by someone sharing something online. Not to get too personal, but long story short, my mom and I do not get along and her family does not approve of the person I am engaged to. One of my family members posted something to my Facebook saying basically do what you want, we will see you in 3 months when he breaks your heart again. They began saying mean things to me, putting me down for not listening to them. I quickly deleted the post because it was attracting negative attention towards myself and I did not want anyone involved in my personal life like that. (I have been in a relationship with this man for 7 years and we are engaged to be married and my family now accepts him as an important person in my life). I like to think I have not hurt anybody's feelings, but I am sure that I have in the past when I was an immature teenager, but I have never posted anything online that would hurt anyone's feelings. I try and tend to be a genuinely nice person towards everyone. I do not post anything online that would potentially hurt someone. All I post on Facebook is pictures of my dogs and share posts that I believe are inspirational or ideas to use in the classroom.

Parents and teachers need to make their children aware of the dangers of online sharing. I love this picture and there are many more pictures found on Google under the dangers of sharing online from teachers exhibiting examples to show their students how quickly things are shared around the world. The online tools used in the classroom need to be completely evaluated before students are allowed to use them. Teachers will reiterate to parents that they are instructed fully on how to use the classroom tools and make the students aware of the dangers of the internet using primary examples like the pictures I provided. Also, teachers will make sure that the students are supervised the entire time they are on the internet using the required tools to enhance learning.

Cool Tool Review #2

The tool I choose to try was a word cloud. I am fairly new to discovering these, so it took a bit to figure out how to use it and make it my own. I used words from my blog and adjusted the color to my liking.

I received this took from WordItOut, this link. I can use word clouds to provide important words for students so they can learn and remember them better. The more important or more frequent words appear larger, like children, all, sharing, and teachers. This tool allows me to edit the words that I want to use also. I can add or delete words, make more important words larger and less important words smaller. Word clouds can be created to cover any subject or topic or just sum up what my blog consists of. Word clouds can be used to get to know students, The words in the cloud can be words that you use to describe yourself. My point is, there are infinite ways to use word clouds.

I would use this tool in the classroom because it is something that would catch the students' attention. It also promotes critical thinking to view and examine all of the words. The major purpose of word clouds are to improve students' vocabulary as they provide a large scale of words, many that have the same meaning. Students are exposed to similar words rather than the same word over and over again.
Students can use this app to introduce themselves and create a word cloud for the lesson on words they think are important, so they can remember them easier. It would be easy for students to use because they are the ones that get taught the lessons, so students would be more engaged if they had to configure words into a model rather than just read the text. It would be challenging at times because I know when I was a student, if I had to write down significant terms, I would choose the easiest ones rather than trying to find the terms with the most significance relevant to the text. Students try to find the easy way out, so providing a word cloud for them is the best option in this case so they can be aware of the words and find them in the text to match meaning with the words.

My cool tool: Dropbox

After thinking about applications I have used over the years, one came to mind. The newest one I have been using is Dropbox. Although I use this app for work, it is still school related. As is it illegal to share picture of the children in my class or any part of the daycare, I can use Dropbox to upload pictures or videos for my director and parents to view.

Whenever we make crafts in the classroom or redecorate our door, I take pictures of these events to show parents that we do other things than just 'play'. Other than that, my director uploads work schedules, classroom materials, safety handbook, discipline guidelines, etc. All of this is important to have at my finger tips because it is so easy to forget about anything and being able to look up procedures in a matter of 5 seconds is crucial as I have children to take care of. If I did not have Dropbox, I would have to have another teacher take over my class while I went to the office to find the files I need or would have to take the children with me and then sift through all the procedures to find the one that I need. That is just too much work! Dropbox has been very helpful with everything.

I can use Dropbox in the classroom as I do everyday now, to upload pictures of students' masterpieces, guidelines for classroom rules, homework assignments (as many students lose their homework or if they are sick, they do not have to wait for the next day to receive it), grades, lesson plans, etc. Dropbox allows for parents to know what is occurring in the classroom and be up-to-date with their child's homework. I would use Dropbox because I am already familiar with the way it works, it can be accessed anywhere with internet, I get email updates when something is added to it and to what folder, and so much vital information is available at my fingertips. Dropbox is so simple because in a way, it is set up just like email. Here is an example of what my Dropbox looks like, just like gmail!

Students could use this app. It is simple to upload pictures and I would give them the opportunity to show their parents what they are doing in class. I guess the only challenging things about this app is how many different folders are on it. Everything has to be organized in the correct folder because how are parents supposed to find the information they need unless it is where it is supposed to be. Of course I always would supervise the children when using the app, but I would have to make sure they put the video or picture in the correct folder.

Use this link to access Dropbox or download the app.

The influence of TPACK

I enjoyed learning about TPACK this week. What is TPACK? It stands for Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, in other words, it describes the knowledge teachers need to be effective in a technology enhanced learning classroom.

Before implementing TPACK, teachers need to know how the process works. How are you supposed to use something you know nothing about. This is why I have attached this fun learning video on how to use TPACK. Another thing to consider before implementing TPACK is making sure that technology has a sole purpose in the lesson. Technology should not just be added because it is required for the class. The lesson needs to be built around technology so it is relevant for the learning community. Also, the technological level needs to be appropriate for the age level being taught. For middle school students, they can design an educational game on a computer with instructions, while a first grader will most likely be limited to only playing a game. In both scenarios, the students are still learning using technology.

Introducing tools in the classroom promotes change in the classroom. If students expect the same thing every day, they lose interest and are less motivated. Switching things up to have a more blended classroom (I love that term) keeps students guessing as there are millions of learning opportunities with technology while classrooms are limited within the walls. One thing I have always enjoyed about technology is when taking notes, I can go back and add or delete things rather than having to write the notes in the side margins to keep them with the topic. Introducing tools in the classroom can also cause more harm than good as students can get lost and confused with the material because they have never learned this way before. Also, if they are reading content on a screen rather than out of a book, it can be harder to understand. For example, if I took a online exam versus an paper exam, I would have a lower score. There is something about reading on a screen that gives me anxiety more than reading print. You cannot underline, circle, or cross anything out on a screen, but on paper you can. 

As a teacher in  daycare of students Kindergarten through fourth grade, there is no more technology use in these students' classrooms than when I was in fourth grade. They get regular worksheets. The only time they need to use technology is when completing a project or knowing when someone was born or died. As I am limited to 3 hours a day with these children, right now I use Pinterest to incorporate fun crafts and ideas for the classroom and I also download apps on my iPad and smartphone. I download puzzles for all ages, all sorts of brain games like What Am I??. The students love it and it gives me a chance to gain a different relationship with them. I will continue to use technology in the classroom for fun ideas and educational games, then in the future when I teach at a school, I will incorporate a blog for the students to explore and use videos for a different learning view.

After learning about TPACK, I am going to have to explore it more to fully understand the process. No teacher is going to grasp the concept of this model right away. It takes practice and I will begin to practice the incorporation of technology according to what this model shows. TPACK should be on a teacher's priority and I am going to make it one.

Technology: Teaching and Learning

This week's videos and readings were really interesting. As I was thinking about how they all applied to me, it hit me and I thought, I use Pinterest all the time for ideas in the classroom. If it weren't for other people sharing their ideas all around the world, I would not be able to utilize the information. As this semester progresses, I am slowly figuring out all the ways I use and contribute to sharing, and it is very beneficial. My spirit of openness is captured when I and others share information through Pinterest. I love being creative in the classroom and I used this picture the other day to decorate my classroom door. I had the children help me complete it, and although it does not look exactly the same, it still turned out great!

Open access in the classroom does not look a certain way. As teachers always vary from classroom to classroom, Teachers can have a daily blog or twitter post from the students, research experiments, or look for creative ideas for the classroom like I do. As long as teachers are providing some online learning, that is considered a 'blended' classroom. I love that term. I have never heard it before until this week. A blended classroom gives students access to outside the walls of the classroom while still having the structure of the classroom environment. If classrooms are not open, then at the end of the school year, all students' contributions are deleted. It's like deleting all your pictures and friends and unsubscribing you form everything and starting over again. (Referencing David Wiley) Students' accomplishments need to carried over form year to year, so students have a sense of where they started and can see annual progress or just see all of the things they have created.

I do not necessarily like the idea of education happening anywhere. I know it is necessary as it is hard for some to access education, but children need the face-to-face interaction with a teacher. It would be harder to have a class online with other students because like in a classroom, some need further help to learn the content. How is a teacher supposed to explain effectively for the student to understand the content if there is no face-to-face interaction? Maybe it's just me, but I know I learn better if the teacher can come down to my level and be right beside me, walking me through each step, rather than being in front of me, only seeing my face and not really how I am struggling. Also, I struggle with reading print on a computer versus in a book. Teachers always told students after typing a paper to print it out because mistakes are more easily seen if they are on paper. How am i supposed to print out a 300 page book to effectively comprehend what I just read? Another thing about online coursework is turning in a digital copy for a paper. It is harder to get feedback on a digital paper rather than comments on a printed paper. Clearly I still prefer face-to-face classes rather than online, but I am adjusting.

Textbooks can get rather expensive, so it is a great thing that textbooks are being converted into digital form at a fraction of the cost. However, as I previously stated it is harder to grasp the content as it is harder to read digital versions rather than print. That is really the only downside that I can think of. Technology has given students access to books and information they have never been able to use before. Technology allows for students to get new versions of books for cheaper. A lot of schools do not buy new print textbooks often because they are so costly. Although schools would have to cover the cost of the technology to access books, the overall cost in the end is ridiculously less than the cost of print textbooks. I think over time, print textbooks will be used to a minimum. Over the past several years, I have seen digital textbook versions take over the textbook world.

Technology or social media

 

Technology or Social Media

Hello all, my name is Stephanie and I am studying to become an early childhood educator. I really want to teach 2nd grade. Right now, I work at a daycare and babysit for multiple families. The way I see it, I would rather help multiple families than just one because not everything is just about making money.

After reading a teenager's view on social media, I have to say, he is pretty much accurate. However, in my experience, I do not avidly participate in social media, but I am just referencing what I see with people my age. I only use Facebook when I am bored to scroll through my news feed or if I want to post some pictures occasionally. Other than that, I do not use any other social media besides Pinterest for teaching purposes. I do not see the importance of it as i have more important things to do, like study as social media takes up a lot of time.

The way I present myself on social media is in a professional manner. I do not post regularly, maybe once a week to once a month, and I make sure that my posts will not come back to haunt me in the future. I do not like how so many people are on social media constantly because everyday, I walk by people always in their phones, not engaging in face-to-face conversations or walking and taking selfies for snapchat. My thoughts are "really, is that picture that important, I'm sure it looks the same as the last hundred you sent." I just prefer to spend my quality time talking to someone face-to-face.

I cannot give my opinion on too many of social media apps because I am not familiar with them when it comes to using them, I am just bunching up social media into one as I see people using it.

I think technology should be encouraged to be use in the classroom, but when it comes to social media, NO! Honestly, when I saw 2nd graders posting to twitter about what they did in the classroom, I was appalled. They should not know how to use social media because it is a safety precaution. If a child to  knows how to use social media and/or has access to the internet (which most do through phones, ipads, etc.) they can get themselves into trouble by posting things, strangers getting to know them. Children do not necessarily know who is bad or the signs to look for and incorporating social media in the classroom puts them at greater risks for something happening to them. I know when i was a kid, when i learned something knew, I was persistently trying to show my parents what I learned or trying to recreate things at home. Children are experimenters.

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https://plus.google.com/116062840799740812287/posts/7XabmuFT2Yy

 

Professional Learning Network: Reasons to share

I am not one to share too much information on the internet, so the article about why you should share information helped me get a different view on how to start sharing and what is appropriate to share. Teachers should share their work in a professional manner, protecting the identities of their students, show parents that what is completed in the classroom is worthwhile, and helps engage students more.

I decide what to share and what not to share by thinking about if parents and my boss will see these posts. That is how I currently post on social media. I hardly ever post to social media unless it comes to achievements or milestones I have met. I am always careful what I post, constantly thinking is this appropriate? Sharing stuff in the classroom, I will have to make sure that each child's identity is protected, so more work will have to go in to editing the posts before they are published, but it is all worth it when the children are all engaging.

Students need to be taught by parents and teachers that failing does not determine they are failures. Everyone fails over and over again, and the only way to succeed is to fail. To succeed, you have to learn what not to do. Students need to be taught that failure means to try and try and try again. By trying again, progress will be made and maybe alternative routes have been taken, but that is the point, to learn how to get to where they need to go. I liked the comment that Jennie Snyder used, "It is not seeking knowledge for my own benefit, but creating and sharing with others to work toward a larger purpose that matters." The larger purpose is not success, the larger purpose is failure because failure is a motivation to go on and try harder.
The way society is, it seems as if all sharing is now online. But all sharing does not have to be online, it is just found easier to be online to avoid face-to-face sharing. Sharing can be face-to-face by sharing recipes with a family member and the bond of cooking a meal together is incredible. Sharing the recipe online takes away that bond. The good thing about internet is we can edit the things we share so that failures are not shown, the only things shown are the masterpieces. But face-to-face sharing allows views from others in which teamwork helps build the masterpiece so failures are less likely to occur. Personally, I still prefer face-to-face sharing and I believe it is just as effective, but it depletes the involvement of the parents.

There is no value in sharing everything. If every single moment was captured and available for parents to see, there would be little to no excitement. If projects were the only things posted, then parents will have more excitement because they can look forward to what their child built rather than just viewing everything from the classroom. Sharing everything takes the value out of little things that make the difference.

Sharing the accomplishment of the students helps with community involvement. If a student is quiet in class, the teacher may think the student is not engaged or listening. But if parents comment on the posts the teacher/students make, the teacher can gain a clearer picture of students. Students do not give feedback as well as parents and parents are more than willing add their feedback.

I read posts on social media all the time in which grammar is clearly lacking. Although it bugs me, I can still clearly discriminate what each person is trying to say. I read student's homework on a daily basis (as I am a teacher already) and there are misspellings all the time, but I always know what the students are trying to spell. Failure is followed by success in anything, including spelling. Not everything has to be completely error-free, unless it is a college paper. If blogs were formal, I feel they would be too boring and would lack personal experience. It would be hard for viewers to connect with the blogger and would not be as enjoying to read.

Our culture is already too transparent. Many people put too much information out there. From a business standpoint, I can see how vital it is to put so much information out there to promote their business. From a personal standpoint, people need to be careful how transparent they are because what they share can potentially put them in danger. I saw this story on the news the other day where a child was given a headline in the newspaper for gymnastics and somehow that invited a stranger into their house to torture the child. It is concerning and shows that we need to be more private on a personal standpoint to protect the lives of the people around us.

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