New Ways
The topics covered in Course 2 sure have my head spinning around in circles. Not because they are of such a technical nature but because of the implications they have for me as an individual, educator and a parent.
Digital Profile, Digital Footprints, Copyrights, Privacy, Safety – seemingly simple concepts and yet their implications are huge. The first three are not discussed often enough while the last two are what drive a lot of decisions that are made about technology in education.
The articles and videos discussed in the readings are very thought-provoking but I am left with a feeling that I still need to go deeper. Is this because I do not know enough about technology yet? Is it because I am still trying to develop a clearer vision of what technology in education looks like? Is it because of the multiple hats that I am wearing while trying to formulate a personal position towards these issues? Or is it because in using technology with students and our children we are raising the stakes and opening ourselves and them to the unknown?
4 comments
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Aroma Pannu
April 28, 2012 at 10:53 AM (UTC 7) Link to this comment
Thank you for your insights Michelle. I agree with you the issues have grown -it used to be about just handling the computers, then became about safety and privacy but now its about cyber-bullying, copyrights and intellectual properties etc. Guess that is why we have to keep on working on those AUPs
Will be sure to stop by your blog. Best of luck to you as well.
Michelle Lawgun
April 27, 2012 at 12:01 PM (UTC 7) Link to this comment
Hi Aroma, I have just finished reading your post and wholeheartedly share your sentiments. I think as educators and parents, we do tend to focus on the safety and privacy elements of the web because these are ideas we understand and can confidently teach these to our children, both in the classroom and at home. I have been doing the Course readings and watching the videos too, and although I am getting a little more knowledgeable and little more comfortable with the lessons and terminology, it can still be overwhelming. I have spent some time trawling the Technology sections on the online papers I read and notice that more and more of the articles are reporting on the ideas that we are reading about, such as intellectual property ownership and copyright laws, cyberbullying, social media, and more. Maybe we are more relevant than we think we are!! Good luck with the rest of the course. Michelle
Cindy Hopkins
April 27, 2012 at 8:40 AM (UTC 7) Link to this comment
Aroma – I have to say – I am wearing similar hats and my head is in full spin too! What I love about all this course is it forces me to think about these issues in a much deeper fashion than I have in the past. The hard part is that I do have the various hats to wear, primarily parent and educator. I have many of the same questions as you.
I think for me, as an educator, one of the driving forces is that our kids will be using this technology in their career and lives. We need to educate them about the technology and all its innovations, pitfalls and dangers. When we started out teaching technology we focused on the programs and programing, but today, it is so much bigger. We can not possibly teach them everything about technology as it evolves exponentially. What we can teach them are those transferable life skills that are relevant in the present and future. The more I read and process about the topics we are discussing in Course 2, the more I begin to understand that knowing you have a digital footprint and that you must manage it, is one of those key skills we must first learn for ourselves and then teach.
As a parent – this same lesson applies – exponentially!
Thanks for letting me know I am not the only one – spinning!
Last – your site is very nicely done. I really like the widgets you have used and the look.
Aroma Pannu
April 27, 2012 at 9:53 PM (UTC 7) Link to this comment
Hi Cindy
Thank you for connecting and your comments. Glad to know that I am not the only one. The clock seems to be ticking away though and soon it will be the end of the course. Learning never stops though -just the class sessions. Best of luck to you. Will check out your website as well to read your insights.
Thank you also for your feedback on the ‘look’ of the blog. I was starting to feel lonely! I am new to all of this and figuring it as I go so its nice to hear what you felt as a reader