Digital Citizenship

you can follow this link to download this and other free posters for your classroom

Hello! 

As the visual above shows, digital citizenship is the combination of skills and norms for appropriate, responsible, and empowered use of technology. 

To read: Begin by familiarizing yourself with the 9 elements of Digital Citizenship, 
followed by the 

S3 framework: Safe Savvy, and Social:

http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/nine-elements.html.

 

Now you know that Safe, Savvy, and Social (S3) are the main guiding themes in digital citizenship. 

Many educators argue that 3S is not enough. Digital citizenship should be followed up or go hand in hand with 

digital leadership, 

which involves using technology to improve the lives, well-being, and circumstances of others. 

 

• Websites like volunteermatch.org provide a national digital infrastructure to serve volunteers and nonprofit organization in America 

• Nonprofit organizations Donors Choose connect donors directly to public school classroom projects. See if there is a need in your community.   

• Organizations like WorldSavvy  helps students develop 21st Century skills for Global Competency resources and opportunities for schools worldwide. Bookmark for future use! 

 Watch this funny PSA: Actually Do Something.

Savvy and Social:

To read and bookmark: tips for helping students (and adults!) engage in effective online communication.

Also there:Sentence frames help students with respectful online responses

To Read: Where does Artificial Intelligence (AI) fit in the context of S3? Read this short article on How to recognize and harness the potential of AI 

To Read:  Principle #V. of Model Code of Ethics - Responsible and Ethical Use of Technology by the National Association of State Directors and Teacher Education and Certification.

The links below provide the resources for you and your classroom organized around these four themes. 

To do: Netiquette: Browse and bookmark these resources for later use. Resources are related to online communication's common do's and don'ts. http://www.albion.com/netiquette/. Never assume that your students know how to behave in an online environment! 

To do: Play the Interland game from beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com, designed to help students gain digital citizenship skills- notice the "Be Internet Awesome" Curriculum available to download and also linked below.

Browse and bookmark for future use: http://www.aplatformforgood.org -  A vision for a  Platform for Good is to start a dialogue about what it means to participate responsibly in a digital world. While recognizing the potential risks, they celebrate technology as a vehicle for opportunity and social change.

Browse and bookmark for future use: "Everything you need to Teach Digital Citizenship"  free lessons and resources for K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum by Common Sense. 

To be a digital leader in a truly borderless world, one needs to possess certain global competencies. We discussed it a bit in previous RWLDs. This 1min video and this website explain the elements of Global Competency:

Browse and bookmark for late use the Be Internet Awesome curriculum, a program designed in collaboration between Google and the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe.org), that teaches kids the skills they need to be safe and smart online.

Follow our Digital Citizenship board on Pinterest.

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live

Extra Credit Opportunity!!! Complete Google Digital Citizenship and Safety training, take a screenshot of the page with the information about the completion (make sure your name is visible on a screen shot), and submit it to the Extra Credit assignment dropbox.

ISTE Standards Connection: 

ISTE Standards for Students connection: 

• Standard #1.2: Digital Citizen: Students recognize the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal, and ethical.
• 1.2.a Students cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation and are aware of the permanence of their actions in the digital world.
• 1.2.b Students engage in positive, safe, legal, and ethical behavior when using technology, including social interactions online or when using networked devices.
• 1.2.c Students demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property.
• 1.2.d Students manage their personal data to maintain digital privacy and security and are aware of data-collection technology used to track their navigation online.
  
  
• Standard #1.3: Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts, and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
  
  
• Standard #1.7: Global Collaborator: Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally. 
• 1.7.a Students use digital tools to connect with learners from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, engaging with them in ways that broaden mutual understanding and learning.
• 1.7.b Students use collaborative technologies to work with others, including peers, experts or community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple viewpoints.
• 1.7.c Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.
• 1.7.d Students explore local and global issues and use collaborative technologies to work with others to investigate solutions.

ISTE Standard for Educators Connection

• Standard #2.3 Citizen: Educator as Citizen inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world
• 2.3.a Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community.
• 2.3.b Establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.
• 2.3.c Mentor students in safe, legal and ethical practices with digital tools and the protection of intellectual rights and property.
• 2.3.d Model and promote management of personal data and digital identity and protect student data privacy.
  
  
• Standard #2.4 Collaborator: Educators dedicate time to collaborate with both colleagues and students to improve practice, discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems. 
2.4.c Use collaborative tools to expand students' authentic, real-world learning experiences by engaging virtually with experts, teams and students, locally and globally.
2.4 d: Educator as Collaborator demonstrates cultural competency when communicating with students, parents, and colleagues and interact with them as co-collaborators in student learning.

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Additional resources (not required):

Stay Savvy: Test your knowledge and rid yourself of the most common global misconceptions: https://upgrader.gapminder.org/ 

Using the Internet for the greater good: The World's Largest Lesson provides free and creative resources for educators to teach lessons, run projects, and stimulate action in support of Sustainable Development Goals. SDGs are the blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all humans. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice.

Download activity for Violence Against Children and the Digital Environment that invites youth to share their ideas about addressing violence against children and the digital environment (Human and Child Rights)

To Read Five Myths About Young People and Social Media - Five Myths About Young People and Social Media  - article based on Danah Boyd's book, "It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens."

Access to the Be Internet Awesome curriculum, a program designed in collaboration between Google and the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe.org), teaches kids the skills they need to be safe and smart online.

Bookmark for future use the blog with great cyber safety tips and resources http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-do-i-help-my-child-learn-to-use.html

thetrevorproject.org -  The Trevor Project -  The leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

itgetsbetter.org - It Gets Better Project - a video website created to send the message and to inspire hope for young people facing harassment. It was created in response to several students taking their own lives after being bullied in school.

A Platform for Good - https://aplatformforgood.org/  - A Platform for Good is a website aimed at making the world a better place by providing resources and information for parents, teachers, and children.

Other useful links: 

http://cybersmartcurriculum.org
http://www.safekids.com/
http://www.cyberbullying.org/
http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/
http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org
http://www.cyberbullying.info/
http://www.bewebaware.ca
http://www.fosi.org

Information Literacy

Do you want to know...

Remember, all I'm offering is the truth... nothing more.

The Matrix could be an excellent allegory for finding truth in the chaos of disinformation. It could be about breaking an information bubble we may live in and choosing the right path. Unfortunately, we cannot load the skills like Neo could. Fortunately, our information and fake news Matrix is not as grim as the one in the movie...or is it?

“You take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

I hope you choose the knowledge, aka the red pill. So, here it goes: 

Information literacy is more than possessing information. Information literacy is the ability "to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information." (ACRL, 2000)

Developing information literacy skills requires a combination of tools, educational resources, and critical thinking practice.

What practical steps can you and your students take to critically evaluate information found on the Internet? How can we protect them and ourselves from fake news, scams, and phishing?

• Read about those Facebook 'Like' Scam Posts - by Better Business Bureau
  
  
• Watch the short video from Commonsensemedia.org about 5 ways to spot fake news. Look around the Common Sense website. Notice organizational tabs for Parents, Educators, and Advocates. Add useful links to your bookmarks or pins collection.
  


• Read Stephen Downe's post about Principles for Evaluating Website
  
  
• What is a Filter Bubble? How does it isolate you? - watch this short video (2.37min ) explaining just that!
  
  
• Browse and bookmark (pin?) for later - Fake news and misinformation advice hub from internetmatters.org where you can learn about fake news, how to spot it, and how to empower children to recognize what fake news is and how to stop the spread of it.
  
  
• How to check the credibility of controversial information?
• Browse and bookmark snopes.com - a reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation.  
  
  
• Browse AllSides.com: Balanced News from the Left, Center, and Right
  Look for resources about media bias, and check the incredibly well-developed resources for schools!

Learning (and teaching) today is much different than it used to be. So, it is logical to look for new learning theories!

Connectivism is a relatively new but mighty theoretical framework for understanding learning in a digital age.  

• It is a theory that argues that learning is not just about memorizing facts but about how you connect those facts together. It's like building a network of information in your mind, where each piece of knowledge is a node, and the connections between them are what help you understand and navigate the world. So, instead of just storing information, you're actively creating a web of understanding. It will be important to keep in mind when building your Personal Learning Network (PLN)
• Connectivism acknowledges that learning is a social process and individuals bring unique perspectives and experiences to the learning process. Interacting with diverse viewpoints enriches understanding and fosters creativity and innovation.

Watch this short video explaining the theory of Connectivism (3 min). This will be further discussed in the lecture. 

What strategies could students adopt to make decisions or solve an information problem?  

• Analyze the Big6 and Super3  process models of how people should solve information strategies. S per 3 is a simplified model for the youngest students. 
• Connect it to the ISTE Student Standard #5: Computational Thinker: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems that leverage technological methods' power to develop and test solutions.
• 5b Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.
• 5 c Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving. 

Consider pinning or bookmarking the resources for future use (build that PLN!

• Browse classroom resources for media literacy at newseumed.org (you can access resources with a free sign-up)
  
  
• Browse K-12  teaching and learning resources about Digital Citizenship from Commonsense.org  
  
  
• Browse and bookmark Kathy Schrock's Guide to Critical Evaluation of Information - TONES of resources for your classroom.
  
  
• Not sure about the safety of a website? Check Safe Browsing Site Status with Google

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Additional resources (not required; to use, bookmark, or pin for later):

Chat GPT for media literacy -an interesting article about why using AI could be a great media literacy instruction tool.

Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning (pdf) provides a conceptual framework and broad guidelines for describing the information-literate student.

Ground.news: See every side of every news story. Similar to AllSides.com

Siemens and Downes theory of Connectivism

Battling Fake News in a classroom

How to spot a fake online store 

 How to Spot a Fake or Scam Website

Poynter.org - The International Fact-Checking Network is a unit of the Poynter Institute dedicated to bringing together fact-checkers worldwide.

opensecrets.org - Follows the money. D ta on campaign finance, Super PACs, Industries ect.

factcheck.org - nonpartisan, nonprofit "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. A dress public policy issues at the local, state and federal levels.

truthorfiction.com - Get the truth about rumors, inspirational stories, virus warnings, hoaxes, scams, humorous tales, pleas for help, urban legends, prayer requests, calls to action, and other forwarded emails.

hoax-slayer.com - dedicated to" debunking email hoaxes, thwarting Internet scammers, combating spam, and educating web users about email and Internet security issues"

sourcewatch.org - a collaborative resource for  documented information about the corporations, industries, and people trying to influence public policy and public opinion

domaintools.com - a collection of domain name ownership records in the world (also look easywhois.com)

Breaking News Generator 
Fake News templates

News Paper clipping generator

ISTE Standards for Students connection:

Standard # 3: Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.

• 3a. S udents plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
• 3b. S udents evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility, and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.

Standard #2 Digital Citizen: Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical

Standards #5: Computational Thinker: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.

• 5b Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.
• 5 c Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving. 

ISTE Standards for Educators connection:

Standard #2: Leader: Educators seek out opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and success and to improve teaching and learning

• 2c. Educator model for colleagues the identification, exploration, evaluation, curation, and adoption of new digital resources and tools for learning.

Standard #3: Citizen: Educators inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world.

• 3b. E ucators establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.
• 3 c mentor students in safe, legal and ethical practices with digital tools and the protection of intellectual rights and property.

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Activities during the lab (we will work on them together)

Using Stephen Downe's Principles for Evaluating Websites, lecture, and resources above, analyze the resources below.

• Can you find an argument to support or discredit the legitimacy of your resource? It is not enough to use "gut feeling" or common knowledge.
• How can you prove it? 
• Can you see the purpose of the resource? 
• Could you use it in your classroom?

Exhibit A: (elementary):
http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

Exhibit B:
https://mousetrapnews.com/breaking-marvel-theme-park-coming-to-disney-world/

Exhibit C:
https://insttech.uni.edu/240-031/images/infliteracy-vaccinate.jpg

Exhibit D:
https://insttech.uni.edu/240-031/documents/mail_SlowDance.pdf

Copyright & Creative Commons

Image source: Wikimedia Commons (this image is in the public domain)

These RWLDs introduce you to fundamental principles of U.S. copyright law, fair use, public domain, and creative commons. Understanding these concepts is key to making legal/ethical decisions about incorporating media into your educational projects (and guiding your students to do so in the future).

List of Terms and Concepts You Should Know:

1. Copyright (What is it, and when is it obtained by a creator?)
2. Fair Use (when it can be used?)
3. Public Domain (explained in a YouTube video)
4. Creative Commons (How do you obtain a CC license?)
5. Jammie Thomas-Rasset's case, who illegally downloaded 24 songs. Read the follow-up to the story of Capitol v. Thomas on Wikipedia.

RESOURCES   

If you are a reader,
familiarize yourself with pages 1—6 of Copyright Basics (PDF) from the US Copyright Office (copyright.gov). This introduction to copyright law describes what works are protected and defines ownership as well as the typical duration of copyright law protection.

If you would rather watch videos to learn, 
review the 3 videos below:

Using Copyrighted Works in Our Own Creations: Fair Use, Creative Commons, and Permissions

 

Copyright History 

 

 Creative Commons

This 5-minute video explains why Creative Commons was created:


Creative Commons licenses make it easy for people to share their works, which are otherwise protected by copyright law. This provides terrific opportunities for teachers and students! It's what you might say is a happy middle ground between All Rights Reserved and the public domain.

Food for thought:  

You probably heard about ChatGPT and the concerns it raises among schools.  We are witnessing the rapid development of chatbots and artificial intelligence that can imitate human conversation and generate essays, poems, and even art.  

I asked ChatGPT two questions:

Q1: What do you think about students using ChatGPT to complete their assigned essays?

Here are the chat-generated answers: 

Q2: Is ChatGPT in violation of copyright laws?

Answer: 

What are your thoughts on using chatbots to complete your homework?  

Other Resources (As FYI, not required)

- To listen: NPR interview with an artist, Kelly McKernan, who filed the lawsuit after discovering that her artwork was used via an AI art generator to produce more work in her style.

- To read: Grappling With AI Writing Technologies in the Classroom - article but a high school social studies teacher https://www.edutopia.org/article/chatgpt-ai-writing-platforms-classroom 

- Bookmark and explore these UNI sites related to copyright: UNI Copyright Policies and Rod Library Guide to Copyright.

-Take a look at the Key Moments in Social Media Law from 1984 to today.

- To bookmark for later: How to cite ChatGPT 

- Copyrights and AI https://www.copyright.gov/ai/ 

Connecting with the World: Giving Our Students a Voice.

Your first lecture is a recorded session from our guest speaker, Shannon Miller. She is a UNI graduate teacher-librarian and technology integration specialist at Van Meter Community School District. She is now an international speaker who encourages young people and educators to have a voice while learning, creating, collaborating, and connecting with others globally. She speaks and consults around the country on education, librarianship, technology, social media, and making a difference in education and the lives of others. She is a Future Ready Librarians and Project Connect Spokesperson at Follett Corporation.; Buncee's Teacher Librarian Advisor and Cantata Learning's Teacher Librarian Advocate. 

She is also the author of the award-winning The Library Voice blog. Browse and bookmark it for a future classroom resource.

You may follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/shannonmmiller

Before watching the lecture:

Open and analyze the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards for teachers and students. ISTE standards provide a framework for learning, teaching, and leading that is amplified by technology.

• ISTE Standards for Students emphasize the skills and qualities we want for students, enabling them to engage and thrive in a connected, digital world. 
• ISTE Standards for Educators define the new skills and pedagogical insights educators need to teach, work, and learn in the digital age. 

Bookmark these standards. We will be coming back to them throughout the course.

Download and scrutinize the "I am a Digital Age Learner" poster. It breaks down the ISTE standards for students in an easy-to-follow concept map. 

Ask yourself: "Am I a digital-age learner?"  Am I ready to become a digital-age teacher? 

If possible, print the poster and place it in your workspace. It should guide your future decisions when creating projects for your students.

While watching the lecture (see Lecture folder in an eLearning) :

• Try to make a list of the skills and tools mentioned by Shannon. 

Think:

• Do you know many skills and tools to give you and your future students a voice? 
• What did your high, middle, and elementary school teachers do to give you a voice and connect you to the world outside of your classroom? 
• What can you do to make your future students' learning more meaningful and engaging? 
• Do you see an echo of ISTE standards in Shannon's teaching? 

Shannon Miller guest speaker