Digital Citizenship

Following the guidelines presented in basic Digital Citizenship I created a video of my own. 

I was very careful about the words I chose, the pictures posted within, and the phrasing of certain terms that could be misconstrued. I reviewed my material, and practiced before-hand (Pre-Production) I think in using a screencast, I also discovered the many uses for it!

It can be used to bring a powerpoint to life by putting a voice to the slideshow:

Usually, professors/teachers will send off power points to their students or ask in return that they create one with a creative twist to it. This is just the thing that captivates an audience viewing the (otherwise boring) powerpoint show. It engages those by asking rhetorical questions, and really using the tonality of voice to ensure that the slides are not misread or taken for monotonous lecture.

It can be used to integrate videos and images into an otherwise boring presentation: Without screen casting, many professors would be left to imbed links into their presentations that they can almost ensure half the class is not going to click on, or might have trouble opening in a separate window. With screencast, you can simply record the video on your desktop, click away from it at the end, and go back to the lecture at hand.

To lecture online courses: Online courses often times have notes, power points, spreadsheets, etc. that cannot be explained in a classroom and have to (Somehow) be delivered efficiently to the class. Screencasting makes this possible by capturing notes, slides, pictures, charts, etc. and allowing for the professor to elaborate on the material.

To record capture screenshots: Sometimes, professors also would like to simply add visuals of what something should look like, could look like, or an ideal image for a project or website. Without screen casting, it can be difficult for them to select and capture pieces of the screen to deliver online.

Or to give step by step tutorials about things found on your desktop: Lastly, it can be a bit difficult to input instructions by word when typos can be found, directions can be vague/unclear, and students can be misled. With Screencasting, professors can easily record what they are doing on the monitor, and show students how to access, edit, or create material in the same manner that they are/ or would like.

I quickly discovered the uses were endless when I began to play around with the application, and I’m quite sure that there are more, but one thing is for sure- I WILL BE USING THIS OFTEN.

Digital Citizenship Policy Guide

In reflecting on the following topics, it was crucial for me to reflect on my own experiences with the following matters as well:

• Why is an awareness of one’s digital presence important?
• What is your digital presence?  What is it saying about you?
• As a future teacher, what role will your digital presence play in your professional life?

WHY IS AN AWARENESS IMPORTANT?

It is crucial for our youth to understand more than how to use a laptop, the internet, an iPhone, the App Store, but to understand the difference between using and abusing this privileged age of technology. There are several factors that play into it that several students, parents, and even faculty fail to recognize initially. Health is huge when it comes to understanding a limited use of technology. The amount of stimulus found on an iPhone can have the average persons’ attention for hours, and that can be found in only one app. I figure, the typical person has anywhere from 20-30 apps on their phone.

Teenagers spend 27 hours a week online: how internet use has ballooned in the last decade

“People are spending twice as much time online compared to 10 years ago, fueled by increasing use of tablets and smartphones.”

The Telegraph, By Elizabeth Anderson

Technology in Hours/Day

DIGITAL PRESENCE

Another huge thing that our youth (and even adults) fail to realize– once its on the internet, it never goes away. SOCIAL MEDIA IS BIG. The presence you establish online, is one that will follow you to the future. Pictures posted, words blogged, accounts made– all play into your digital profile. Many jobs ask initially the social media accounts you are registered under for this specific purpose– to gain a sense of what you choose to portray in a very public matter.

The ‘follow’ Controversy

7 Social Media Mistakes

AS A FUTURE EDUCATOR

I AM VERY cautious of the things I post, the blogs I write, and the presence I establish on all accounts. This is not only a professional, but also a personal matter. People need to begin to understand the gravity of protecting their security, personal information, and ultimately: their reputations.

ISTE TEACHING STANDARD

1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity

I have learned that the arts can go a looooooooong way in this section! Most schools are beginning to take out art integration. They do this for lack of funding, or time in school schedule. Most often– there is a need to allocate funds elsewhere/implement different programs into classes. The arts however can do so much for students! Integration of the arts can incorporate memorization skills, public speaking, and creative development–thus making learning more fun, and easier for your students. I plan on integrating the arts into as many lesson plans as I can to try and make my classroom environment both appealing and stimulating.

The power of Art Integration

2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments

I have found so many ways to assess the learning and comprehension of your classroom in multiple engaging ways that force technology to be a factor in lessons. Students need to both learn the importance of technology and the way it can help shape their learning styles. I plan on using multiple programs to ensure their learning curve is an exponential growth as is their interest.

3. Model digital age work and learning

In integrating these comprehension methods, I also plan to teach my students within the programs. I will not throw my students blindly into something they are not comfortable with navigating around.

4. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility

It is extremely crucial to ensure that students are aware of the terrors of the internet. I plan to enforce a strict no-tolerance policy for students that are irresponsible with their use of chrome books/computer lab time. While a majority of districts do enforce some form of security/ parental block on websites, I also plan to ensure that my students are on task the entire time they are privileged with using these things.

5. Engage in professional growth and leadership

I believe that attitude reflects leadership. Students will not learn from a teacher that does not exemplify the characteristics of a model leader.  I plan on learning with my students, I believe that a great leader does not run in front of the pack, but with the last man. I would like to grow with each of them as well, stopping to ensure that all members have reached a point of comprehension and understanding. I would like to encourage their individual growth as well as in unison. My class will be a class, not a room of numbers and faces. I would like to ensure that each student knows their purpose, and if not–can find it.

Child Driven Education

“Any teacher that can be replaced by a computer, deserves to be.” -Thornburg

I think that this quote highlights the way that Thornburg felt teachers should be as far as how engaging they are. I once watched a TED Talks called “Every kid needs a champion.” It highlighted the idea that kids won’t learn from a teacher they don’t like. Excuses are plentiful in a classroom that remains non-engaging, “can I go to the bathroom?” / “I wasn’t sleeping..” / “I just wanted to know– what time is lunch?” I have never found a statement more true. I believe the key to teaching students the way that they can be taught by a piece of technology is to remain just as engaging. That is exactly why I feel that common core is now being incorporated into the curriculum of schools everywhere. It is important to develop the additional comprehension checks, and extras that keep students from becoming distracted by other things in the classroom. Should any teacher fail in this area- I do believe that they should be replaced. There is a saying (football related) that I feel holds true to the classroom in a huge way: A good receiver can catch a bad quarterbacks pass. In other words– A good teacher can teach the disinterested, a great teacher can interest the un-motivated. (That is not to say the teacher can teach the un-willing, I also strongly believe that a student under poor influence that is not willing to give school a shot will seldom change their mind.) Too often do I hear teachers complain that students do not want to learn, but are not teaching the material in a way that overpowers the age of entertainment we are raising our kids in. USE the computers in your classrooms! FIND educational games for your students to play in class. TEACH using videos, and slideshows, and online materials. BE hands on!

ENGAGE your students in the material, and help them understand WHY it is important, in doing this- you will seldom have to worry that they are more interested in little else:

Why Kids Hate School

NOW– What message should a future educator take from Mitra’s Hole in the Wall experiments?

Hole in the Wall Experiment

Students will learn what they want to learn with the material you provide. Self direction is huge in our youth, especially with all the advancements and updates coming out on a daily basis. Nobody teaches kids how to use an xbox, or a pc, or the new apple software, they teach you how to buy it. Kids take the material and learn it forwards and backwards because it has material within that intrigues them.

“If children have interest, then education happens.”

Children look for things that spike their interest in the material that is provided and in the manner in which it is delivered. If teachers can find ways to spike the interest of students growing in an age that makes money off of entertaining them, we can teach students to love what is being taught.

What role does technology play in my vision of myself as an educator who makes an impact?

I would like to be the teacher that keeps with the times. I find myself- that I can memorize the keyboard on my touch screen and how to send a text message on a new phone faster than I can memorize a flashcard front and back with important test material. We are growing as a technological industry, and that is something to not only be proud of but to teach our students to utilize.

Just the other day my boyfriend was over for a study date, after about twenty minutes of me reading my book, and him sitting on his phone I finally asked in exasperation, “Are you even going to study?” To my surprise, he turned his phone around to reveal a study app on his iPhone. The app was designed to make studying material fun. He inputted questions, and the answers into designated spaces, and the app would in return turn it into different games for him to play that ultimately led to his memorizing the material (matching games, virtual note cards, trivia, etc.) Knowing how easily he can be distracted, I was surprised to see how quickly he devoted his attention to his studies because he found a way to make it fun.

Daily, I am discovering new apps, educational sites (blendspace, education, glogster) and material on the internet that is specifically designed to make learning, homework, and teaching fun! I cannot for the life of me understand why we are not helping students grow with the age of technology as well as holding ourselves back from it? I strongly suggest we begin to teach students to learn with technology, so that they are more likely to want to.

Introducing Me

My name is Alexcess Zamora, and I am a third year Liberal Studies major with aspirations of pursuing a masters as soon as I graduate in Administration. I chose the University because it was a tight knight community in which I felt I would be more than a number. I am huge on spontaneity and wanderlust! I love Love LOVE to travel and try new foods. The most important people in my life have supported me through this time, and have shown me the importance of perseverance! My boyfriend, parents, sorority sisters, and siblings have shown me unconditional love and support in the hardest time of my life, and for that I will be forever grateful.

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