This week we researched different types of social networks and how they can be used to enhance education. We then explored digital citizenship and the importance of teaching it to our students.
This was an eye opener for me. I was amazed to see so many teachers already using blogs and even twitter in the classrooms. One teacher said they had been tweeting and blogging in her Kindergarten room for three years now! Was twitter even around three years ago? Apparently! Where have I been? I watched a video of a Kindergartener telling why they love
blogging! It inspired me to think, yeah, why not! What I liked most is that it gave me TONS of great ideas of how I can blog in my own classroom! In Core I teach the seven continents and the goal is for the children to understand that different crops, animals and structures come from different countries and that each one has a unique culture. I discovered a Kindergarten Wiki called “Kindergarten Classrooms Around the World.” Kindergarten kids from around the world took pictures of their school life and created a Voicethread explaining different aspects of their day.
The children then saw how school was run in different countries. They asked questions and communicated with the children from around the world. They might have even Skyped at some point! What a neat hands-on experience! Here is a blog about it: http://www.coetail.com/bsheridan/2012/04/11/kindergarten-classrooms-around-the-world-use-voicethread-to-connect/
I learned something new about Digital Citizenship. I assumed it meant acting responsibly on the Internet. Not giving out personal information. Keeping the golden rule in mind and treat others the way you would want to be treated. But it’s more than just that! It also refers to HOW we use technology. For example, if you are talking face-to-face with someone and your phone rings, should you answer it? I know I have! Is this good etiquette? When students see adults using technology inappropriately, they might assume it is the norm. This can lead to inappropriate use of technology.
The problem I see is that there doesn’t seem to be a social norm for using cell phones in public. Every store I walk into there usually is someone glued to their phone. I have another funny example of bad phone etiquette that is a little more personal. My sister sent a text of a picture that her three year old daughter, Ella, made the other day. She drew a picture of herself talking on the phone with her finger pointing out at someone. Ella showed it to my sister and said, “don’t talk to me I’m talking on the phone!” WOW, that says it all right there! Our parents didn’t teach us public phone etiquette because when I was growing up cell phones were not around. We did have a rule in our house not to answer the phone (land line) when we were eating dinner. My husband and I have the same rule with our cell phones. So our parents taught us well on that regard. Perhaps we need to do a better job at teaching the newer cell phone generation proper etiquette about phones in public.
Think: Have you ever answered your phone when talking to someone?
This was an eye opener for me. I was amazed to see so many teachers already using blogs and even twitter in the classrooms. One teacher said they had been tweeting and blogging in her Kindergarten room for three years now! Was twitter even around three years ago? Apparently! Where have I been? I watched a video of a Kindergartener telling why they love
blogging! It inspired me to think, yeah, why not! What I liked most is that it gave me TONS of great ideas of how I can blog in my own classroom! In Core I teach the seven continents and the goal is for the children to understand that different crops, animals and structures come from different countries and that each one has a unique culture. I discovered a Kindergarten Wiki called “Kindergarten Classrooms Around the World.” Kindergarten kids from around the world took pictures of their school life and created a Voicethread explaining different aspects of their day.
The children then saw how school was run in different countries. They asked questions and communicated with the children from around the world. They might have even Skyped at some point! What a neat hands-on experience! Here is a blog about it: http://www.coetail.com/bsheridan/2012/04/11/kindergarten-classrooms-around-the-world-use-voicethread-to-connect/
I learned something new about Digital Citizenship. I assumed it meant acting responsibly on the Internet. Not giving out personal information. Keeping the golden rule in mind and treat others the way you would want to be treated. But it’s more than just that! It also refers to HOW we use technology. For example, if you are talking face-to-face with someone and your phone rings, should you answer it? I know I have! Is this good etiquette? When students see adults using technology inappropriately, they might assume it is the norm. This can lead to inappropriate use of technology.
The problem I see is that there doesn’t seem to be a social norm for using cell phones in public. Every store I walk into there usually is someone glued to their phone. I have another funny example of bad phone etiquette that is a little more personal. My sister sent a text of a picture that her three year old daughter, Ella, made the other day. She drew a picture of herself talking on the phone with her finger pointing out at someone. Ella showed it to my sister and said, “don’t talk to me I’m talking on the phone!” WOW, that says it all right there! Our parents didn’t teach us public phone etiquette because when I was growing up cell phones were not around. We did have a rule in our house not to answer the phone (land line) when we were eating dinner. My husband and I have the same rule with our cell phones. So our parents taught us well on that regard. Perhaps we need to do a better job at teaching the newer cell phone generation proper etiquette about phones in public.
Think: Have you ever answered your phone when talking to someone?