Teaching students to be responsible and safe digital citizens is an important role for modern day educators because students are using technology in and out of school. Because technology is such a large part of our modern world, it is important for students to learn how to effectively navigate the Internet. The infographic above, created by Common Sense, would be great for my classroom because it simply states the characteristics of a digital citizen. In my 3rd-5th grade mild/moderate SDC, I want digital citizenship to be a topic that we frequently revisit, and this infographic would be a great visual to assist students with remembering their duties as digital citizens. Because I will be working with struggling readers, this poster would be appropriate because it is simplified and easy to read. I also like that the characteristics are linked to parts of the body. For example, showing respect is connected to the heart and "standing up to cyber bullying" is connected to the feet. This makes teaching the topic a kinesthetic activity, and students can relate these behaviors to their own person. I will definitely be finding space on the wall for this to be displayed in my classroom year-round!
Teaching students to be responsible and safe digital citizens is an important role for modern day educators because students are using technology in and out of school. Because technology is such a large part of our modern world, it is important for students to learn how to effectively navigate the Internet. The infographic above, created by Common Sense, would be great for my classroom because it simply states the characteristics of a digital citizen. In my 3rd-5th grade mild/moderate SDC, I want digital citizenship to be a topic that we frequently revisit, and this infographic would be a great visual to assist students with remembering their duties as digital citizens. Because I will be working with struggling readers, this poster would be appropriate because it is simplified and easy to read. I also like that the characteristics are linked to parts of the body. For example, showing respect is connected to the heart and "standing up to cyber bullying" is connected to the feet. This makes teaching the topic a kinesthetic activity, and students can relate these behaviors to their own person. I will definitely be finding space on the wall for this to be displayed in my classroom year-round!
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The Lessen Plan
Is This Digital Citizenship Lesson Plan Effective?
When first reading the standards and objectives for this lesson, I came to the conclusion that they sounded reasonable and valuable to discuss in a classroom with 1:1 access to iPads. The standards advocate safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology, having positive attitudes towards using technology for collaboration, learning, and productivity, exhibiting leadership for digital citizenship, and so on. These elements seem like solid areas of discussion and exploration, as being a safe and responsible digital citizen in and out of school is essential to be successful in this modern world. The standards for the lesson also sought to create responsible digital citizens by teaching students to connect the Responsible and Acceptable Use Policy (RAUP) to broader community norms, again asking students to be responsible "users" in and out of the classroom.
While reading these standards, I began to wonder if this 30-60 minute lesson would effectively deliver these results. I observed this through the lens of a special education teacher, as I will be teaching in a 3rd-5th grade mild/moderate SDC this coming school year. The lesson does provide modifications and accommodations, asking students in special education to complete graphic organizers (G.O.'s) and write less details than in a general education classroom.
In my opinion, the lesson would need to be modified further for students with special needs. First, the lesson asks students to read the abridged RAUP. The jargon may be a bit advanced for my prospective students, so this element would need to be modified. Second, there are not any visuals included, suggesting this lesson could use some more differentiation to accommodate to the various learning types present in the special education classroom. Third, students are asked to perform various scenarios that describe digital citizen DOs and DON'Ts. Depending on the disability, students with special needs may feel overwhelmed from the pressure to perform in front of their peers. The lesson provides an option to accomplish this in small groups, which helps take off the pressure, but I would also suggest taking volunteers to perform. This is so students with speech impediments or other impairments are not pressured when they are feeling overwhelmed, because learning does not occur if students are uncomfortable. An element of the lesson that I like is the inclusion of G.O.'s, which are great for assisting students with comprehending information. Overall, I think that the scenarios provide opportunities to explore various outcomes of using technology, if students feel comfortable. These outcomes address the standards and learning objectives, as they ask students to contemplate scenarios that could occur both in and out of the classroom. However, more time than 30-60 minutes would need to be spent exploring the topic. How to Prepare Students for 1:1 iPads
What is it?
November references Dr. Eric Mazur of Harvard University, who has been researching this type of learning since the 90s. Dr. Mazur describes the steps to an effective flipped classroom, which are briefly explained below:
Is it Worth the Hype?
One issue with this method is accessibility, as many students do not have access to internet from home. The models is only effective if students have access to the online resources. Another argument is that students will be required to spend more time in front of a screen, when they are already overly involved in their devices. Although these are valid concerns, if used correctly, the flipped classroom model may do more good than harm.
Why I Like the Model
Again, the idea of being able to provide information to students at home as a form of homework is intriguing, given they have access to the internet. Then, the teacher has the information needed, based on the the responses to the online activity, to create truly individualized lessons. Also, this method allows for more "do" time in class, during which students explore what was newly learned. I might try this in my own classroom one or two days a week, and while facilitating STEM projects.
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AuthorI am a first year elementary school teacher specializing in educating students with mild to moderate learning impairments. My philosophy is that all children have the ability to learn, but need the motivation and the right type of instruction to fit their learning needs. This is what drives me to be both fun and flexible in the classroom. Archives |