Monday, June 10, 2013

Digital Citizenship

Three common technology issues in education include: technology misuses/overuse; risks of online social networking; safety issues. There is an extensive list of concerns we are faced with such as cyber bullying, sexting, social networking mistakes, identity theft, online predators, cyberporn and more. Many adults are aware of the potential risks and know how to act accordingly, but our young people need guidance on dealing with the issues. As mentioned in our textbook, schools use Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) forms that parents sign outlining "appropriate use of school technologies for students and educators and put[s] procedures in place to safeguard access to students’ personal information” (Roybler & Doering, 2013, p. 19). This along with anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, and firewalls are a good start. However, it is not enough. Supervision along with education on the appropriate use of technology by parents and teachers is crucial. Social networking mistakes are common among young people (even adults as we have all witnessed!) Overuse is definitely a problem too. Students are multitasking more than ever (i.e. completing homework and studying while texting or online; eating dinner with the family while checking Facebook) losing valuable family and learning time. Sleeping, exercise, and hobbies of interest may also be impacted due to overuse of Facebook, emails, and text messaging. According to our textbook, studies have found that "very high use of computers correlates with health issues such as body mass and lowered physical fitness"(Roybler & Doering, 2013, p. 16). Another misuse is sexting, which is "sending explicit photos or text on cell phones or through the internet"(Roybler & Doering, 2013, p. 16). Young people do not realize the damage this can do to their reputation and that they could possibly be breaking the law if they send, forward, or even save this kind of message. Young people may also not realize how powerful their words are and what constitutes cyber bullying, or online harassment (Roybler & Doering, 2013, p. 16). The National Crime Prevention Council, http://www.ncpc.org has dedicated a great amount of time and energy on this subject. There are other valuable resources providing great tips for appropriate technology use as well as activities, lesson plans, posters, videos and more. Technology is highly beneficial (and fun!) when utilized appropriately. It's up to us to model how to be responsible digital citizens!
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3 comments:

  1. UnknownJune 12, 2013 at 1:20 PM

    I really enjoyed your presentation. I actually have a hard time with staying away from my phone. I am constantly checking it. I can't imagine how hard it is for a teenager to not be on their phone all the time. I also discussed cyberbullying in my presentation. I am very concerned about my own children dealing with cyberbullying when they get a little older. I hope that because we have an open line of communication that they feel that they can always talk to me if a problem arises.

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  2. Mrs. AmersonJune 12, 2013 at 2:38 PM

    Denise, great presentation! Children have become so afraid of becoming a "snitch" that it is hard to imagine them reporting cyberbullying. However, I think if we were to take presentations such as these back to our school and classrooms that we may actually be able to encourage reporting it. I an become more frighten for my children since reading for this class.

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  3. cbryant713June 12, 2013 at 7:55 PM

    Denise, great job! Overuse is a real problem in today's society. I myself have to stop myself from checking Facebook a million time a day to see what everyone is saying. I realized I looked at my phone too much when my son started handing me my phone when I put it down. I think he thought I needed it to breathe. It made me sad. I actually got rid of my Facebook for a while. It sounds silly, but it can become a problem. Cyberbullying is a very scary thing that children face. I think that children began becoming involved in social networking too young. I think that these things should be monitored closely by parents.

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