Participate 4.1.3 Digital Health Quest

With a new year just around the corner, I could not think of a more perfect time to post on good digital health and technology habits.  While I have never been the type of girl to set resolutions, I am the type of girl who believes in establishing goals in order to become a better version of yourself.  So today I am excited to bring you 15 proactive tips to help you become a better and healthier digital citizen in 2015!

1. Set up an ergonomic workstation, and then...
2. Practice perfect computer posture.
3. Establish tech limits- ie: no technology until my daughter goes to bed, 4:00-8:00 pm.
4. Stretch while working on the computer or at a desk.
5. Make your workspace distraction-free; this includes your phone, iPod, & even distracting websites.
6. Protect your ears by listening to mp3 at 60% maximum volume.
7. No technology 30 minutes before bed.
8. Clean (and sanitize) your devices regularly- for their health and yours.
9. Clean up your social media by deleting negative users.
10. Take a break every 20 minutes that you work at the computer.
11. Use online websites & apps to help you stay focused- ie: focusbooster or DoNothingFor2Minutes.
12. Save your eyes by turning on the lights while working at the computer, especially at night time.
13. Make your bedroom a no-tech zone...at least at bedtime!
14. Make the dinner table a no-tech zone, too.
15. Schedule Technology Free Days each month and do something fun with family and/or friends!

On a final note, teachers and students alike can balance technology with good health by heeding to this golden rule: prioritize your time.  This rule applies to all types of work and to both our professional and personal lives.  Learning how to prioritize tasks and arranging time for those tasks is one of the most important life skills one can learn.  Therefore, to become more well-rounded and to get the most out of any task we must learn how to effectively set and manage our priorities.

P.S.- Because modeling is one of the best teaching strategies, I put my own tips into action this week.  Below is a screenshot of my personal calendar and a snapshot of my own attempts at prioritizing my time in order to become a more balanced wife-mom-teacher.  Here's to a healthy and happy new year!

Participate 4.1.2 Digital Safety and Security

In my last post I shared my thoughts on Acceptable Use Policies and their role in an effective digital learning community.  Today I am digging a little deeper into digital safety and security.  In particular, I will examine two options for online safety in schools.   Option A- blocking an obscene amount of websites as an attempt to shield students from internet dangers.  Option B- real resources for teaching students about the real world of digital safety and security.  So, let's dig in...

Option A:

It only takes a few horror stories of computer hackers, identity theft, and virtual stalkers to understand why digital safety and security is so important for our children.  As a teacher of teenagers and a mother myself, I am on the front lines of this quest to teach our youth about the necessity of being safe on the internet.  But I believe we are doing our students a disservice when we attempt to shield them from the dangers of the internet by frivolously blocking websites.  This is especially true for teenagers, whom I teach.  I cannot possibly prepare my students for the real world- college or work- if I am not teaching them how to discern for themselves digital security.

Let me put it this way.  My daughter is allergic to peanuts.  I mean the scary kind of allergic where she has epi pens that we carry with us all the time.  As a toddler, I have shielded her from peanuts pretty easily, blocking any opportunity for peanuts to sneak into her diet.  But now that she is in preschool and around a lunch table with kids who bring peanut butter sandwiches to school, I have to do more than just shield her.  I must educate her on the dangers of peanuts and why she can't have them!  I would not be a good mother if I shielded her all of her life, never teaching her about her allergy and then sent her on her way into the great big lunch room of possible peanut dangers.  There is no way she would navigate it safely!

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 Option B:

Just as I've been talking to my preschool daughter about her peanut allergy and the dangers therein, we must communicate digital safety and security to our students.  With all of the best intentions of Option A aside, shielding our students is not in their best interest.  The most important step we can take in ensuring digital safety is personal awareness and the number one strategy for making this happen is talking about it.

To help raise awareness of digital safety and security I have collected a variety of resources and presented them below as a symbaloo.  I hope you join me as we kick start this conversation and even take it to the comments section below.  I'd love to hear your resources and strategies for raising awareness on digital safety and security!



P.S.- Since this post was inspired by my daughter, I thought I'd share these classroom tips on making your classroom a peanut food allergy free zone.

P.S.S.- Symbaloo is one of my favorite bookmarking sites!  Start your own symbaloo today!

Participate 4.1.1 Digital Rights and Responsibilities

A few years ago, my school initiated a BYOT program.  With this "Bring Your Own Technology" initiative, students are encouraged to use their own devices at school for instructional purposes.  In order to uphold the Rights & Responsibilities of all users, our school also designed a personal laptop Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).  This student laptop contract outlines appropriate use of our school network, as well as the consequences when the contract is not adhered to.  Students and parents are both required to sign the contract and copies of the original version are made available in the student handbook, as well as on our school website.

While I believe this was a good step towards fostering an open access learning environment, I do not believe it has been maintained.  Yes, the AUP was communicated effectively the first year of implementation, but it has since become another piece of paper lost in the shuffle of First Day of School forms.  Also, students are not motivated to bring their personal devices to school because they are inconsistently used in classrooms.

To address the latter issue of implementation, there are two major obstacles to our maintaining and promoting our DLC.  In my own experience, students are more likely to bring their personal devices when they are given the task of creating.  However, making time for collaborative and creative projects is sometimes a difficult task within the demands of current educational policies.  Thus, students experience inconsistent use of technology from classroom to classroom and are less likely to BYOT.

Another reason for the inconsistency of implementation is the frivolous blocking of websites.  I can attest to this frustration personally.  I recall numerous missed opportunities where I went to a conference or found an awesome website at home only to go to school to find it blocked.  This sentiment and frustration has been expressed by teachers and students alike.  Rather than trusting its digital citizens with an authentic AUP, our school system has unknowingly deterred teachers and students from using technology at school.

So, where do we go from here?  How do we ensure that our digital citizens have access to and respect the rights & responsibilities of a DLC?  I believe the answer lies in three steps:

1. Teach exemplary digital citizenship to our teachers, students, and parents alike.
2. Encourage creativity in our classrooms with an emphasis on Creative Commons.
3. Entrust our DLC members with more unobstructed access to online resources and tools.

Although these three steps are easier said than done, they do provide a more appropriate vision than our current system's BYOT initiative.  Students want the opportunity to use their digital rights & responsibilities.  However, our students cannot prove themselves as responsible digital citizens when the AUP is too restrictive.  I believe it is time to unlock the door.

PS- Don't miss my follow up post on Digital Safety & Security.

Participate 3.1.2 Digital Resources and Netiquette

Those born and raised in the south, like myself, understand the importance of a few things: sweet tea, college football, and manners.  Yet, etiquette and hospitality are not just for the South any longer.  In our ever growing virtual society, it is even more necessary to instill in our students- and all digital citizens- the proper role of netiquette.

In order to help raise awareness, I've put together a netiquette resource.  It is my hope to instill online manners, one email at a time.

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For more resources and information on netiquette, I highly recommend The Rules of Netiquette.  And don't forget to follow them on twitter- @netiquetterules.

Participate 3.1.1 Access to the Digital Community

In looking deeper into access to the digital community, I gained great insight to the irregular nature of broadband.  To highlight what I discovered I compared two counties- where I live and where I teach.  Although ranked much higher in terms of broadband access, the download speed at my work is extremely inconsistent.  While at home I experience great access capabilities and good download speed, yet my community is ranked much lower overall.

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I cannot begin to explain the purpose for this ranking or that I truly understand all the technical reasons for it.  However, I can attest that I have taken for granted accessibility in both my personal and professional communities.  I was also surprised to find that broadband access is extremely inconsistent, even within the same community.  Although we've come a long way from the dial up modem of the past, there is no doubt that geographic location can be one of the greatest obstacles for virtual students.

As much as teachers try to eliminate barriers for their students, broadband access based on geographic location is not a barrier that will disappear with strategies and tips.  While it is a requirement for virtual students to have access to the internet, I've discovered in this quest that such access can be sporadic to say the least.  Although teachers cannot eliminate this particular obstacle, we can compensate for the irregular access by providing resources that can be downloaded and utilized both online and offline.

For a different perspective on barriers to acces based on disabilities and tips on how teachers can eliminate them, visit Web Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM) .

Participate 2.1.1 Collecting Reputable Digital Resources

Hi y'all!  I am eager to invite you to take a walk with me around the internet as we explore relevant Ed Tech tools.  In my quest to integrate more technology into my classroom, I have curated a collection of ED Tech resources and am looking forward to this opportunity to share a few of them with you!  So put on your walking shoes and pedometer... On your mark, get set... go!

In the presentation below, I have outlined my top 3 technology resources for helping the virtual teacher become more engaging, efficient, and effective.  I've also included links at the end of the presentation of two compilations of Ed Tech resources that I created for previous speaking engagements.  It is my hope that you find something useful in your own classroom!

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A side-note on safety:
As I've been scouring the internet for Ed Tech Resources, I've run across a few websites that were questionable.  It raises the point that students also experience this issue as they use the Web 2.0 for both school and personal use.  I believe that one of the best ways to teach students digital safety is to raise awareness of how to discern a site's reputability.

As tech savvy as our 21st century students are, they are naive to the dangers of the internet and novice at applying strategies for academic research.  As a teacher, whether in a virtual or brick-and-mortal classroom, one of our newest tasks is teaching students how to responsibly and safely navigate the Web 2.0.  Below is a graphic that I created to help raise awareness of the top, must-know internet domains.  Please feel free to use it in your own classrooms!

 

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Participate 1.1.3 the Ideal Digital Learning Community

As part of yesterday's post I shared five digital learning communities that I consider to be especially notable and impressive. Today I am excited to dig a little deeper into the characteristics that make for the ideal DLC: accessible. aesthetic. absorbing.

PS- If you missed my earlier post on the qualities of an exemplary digital citizen, then check it out here!

Participate 1.1.2 Joining a Digital Learning Community

Khan Academy || edX || shmoop || Open Yale Courses || TED: Ideas with spreading 

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Digital Learning Communities: the good, the better, and the best...
I have been using digital learning communities in my classroom for a few years  now with good feedback from my students.  Two DLC's of honorable mention are shmoop and Khan academy.  Both of these sites are geared to meet the needs of high school students, serving in the capacity of homework help, classroom supplement, and test prep (SAT, ACT, & AP).  I also think that both sites do a good job of presenting their interface in a cool, younger generational way while offering visually appealing content and videos that our 21st century students connect with. #studentapproved #good

As an AP History teacher I am always searching for new resources, both digital and print alike, that will push my students into a deeper understanding of my content.  While I was already familiar with Open Yale Courses, I was super excited to find edX!  While Open Yale Courses is a great site that I have personally perused numerous times, I am especially drawn to edX because it offers a consortium of free, online courses from the top universities from around the world!  It is free access to a variety of higher ed courses from universities that I've always dreamed of attending... It doesn't get any better than that!  #teacherapproved #better

In all, the digital learning communities that I bookmarked are impressive and notable because they are easy and effective to navigate, as well as visually appealing and organized.  Finally, and most importantly, their resources are *free. #best

*shmoop offers many of its resources for free, but full access to the site requires paid membership

TED: Ideas worth spreading...
Do you know TED?  If not, then please know that I am so excited to introduce TED to you!  If yes, then I am even more excited to share in the awesomeness of TED with you!  Although a little unconventional (I am not even sure if it would qualify as a traditional DLC), I believe it is definitely the most intriguing digital learning community around.

There are three main reasons why I decided to join TED as my DLC.  First, it is easily accessible with all of their notable TEDtalks running anywhere between 3 to 20 minutes.  For most students and teachers alike, there is not much time in the day to leisurely peruse DLC's or to enroll in online courses.  TED makes it super quick and easy to watch their "talks" while eating lunch or riding the bus home.

Second, while TED's mission is to spread ideas to everyone, they also have a K12 extension called TEDed.  This site is the designed with teachers and students in mind and encourages not only the use of lessons, videos, and modules available but also the creation of resources to be added to the digital learning community.

Finally, I chose to join the TED community because they not only spread ideas but also passion.  Watching a TED talk of one person who is so passionate about their topic or idea or technology is nothing short of contagious.  I walk away feeling academically fed and intrinsically motivated to pursue my own passions.

When DLC meets K12...
I believe that digital learning communities are doing a good job of appealing to young people overall.  However, I feel that the biggest obstacle that DLC's have in attracting K12 students to their resources is awareness.  Most students I have spoken with are unaware of the numerous DLC's on the web.  As 21st century teachers, our biggest role in advocating for DLC's is to introduce them to our students.

So which DLC's will you introduce to your students?  For a starting point, check out my top 5 DLC links at the top of this post or check out my Google Bookmarks!

Participate 1.1.1 Character Traits Quest

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From a digital footprint to a digital tattoo, there has never been a more necessary time to teach young people the importance of exemplary digital citizenship.  Of the numerous traits that are essential for such citizenship, one must especially be proactive and forward thinking, while also being deeply engaged in community.

#proactive
When I consider the importance of being a proactive digital citizen, I think about the digital footprint we establish for ourselves.  The trail of data that we leave behind after every website visited or online service utilized.  Students must be made aware of the impact of their digital footprint and must be proactive in protecting their personal interests.

To be proactive is to initiate rather than to react.  In the case of digital citizenship, this means teaching students how to consciously develop a responsible online presence.  From monitoring their safety and maintaining their privacy, to building their online reputation- an exemplary digital citizen is actively aware and informed of the Web 2.0.

#forwardthinking
As a high school teacher I am constantly reminded how teenagers live in the spontaneity of right now, rarely looking beyond the next class period, day, or week.  Their serendipitous outlook on life, although commendable, is often times too naive.  They broadcast numerous teenage shenanigans on social media without even considering the true weight of their digital tattoos on their future.

With so much transparency and access to technology, it is no surprise that many colleges and jobs are looking to candidates' personal social media as part of the selection process.  That in-the-moment post could be the deciding factor of their future.  It is for this reason that one of the most important traits of an exemplary digital citizen is to be forward thinking.  We must teach our 21st century students to constantly consider how this moment, this post will reflect who they want to be in five years.

#engaged
The final, and possibly most important, trait of an exemplary digital citizen is deep engagement in an online community.  Not the superficial engagement that is so often indicative of social media, but participation in an authentic community.  A community that invites us to open dialogue in order to develop meaningful relationships with others.

This is true of any community- whether school or neighborhood, digital or brick-and-mortar.  When students feel accepted in a community, they become more involved, informed, and engaged citizens.  When they become more engaged citizens, they become more proactive in using their online to transform their future.