Major Project Inspired by Dr. Mike Ribble
There is a responsibility of educators and parents to educate our students/children with the use of technology. After listening to Dr. Mike Ribble, I was prompted to get my hands on his latest book “The Digital Citizenship Handbook for School Leaders” co-authored with Marty Park. I request to borrow the book from the STF library and received it in two days! (Here’s my plug to think about utilizing the STF Library for other educational resources, from textbooks to children’s books!)
My Major Project is still in the infancy of production but my plan is to use “The Digital Citizenship Handbook for School Leaders” , Common Sense Media Scope and Sequence as well as Media Smarts to curate a document for K-2 teachers.
My goal is to reach Level 3 or 4 (from the above image) by creating a DigCit plan for students in the early years (K-2) to have skills to move from literacy to fluency as they get older. Another key point in the early years digital citizenship is to help parents navigate the digital world as their children grow up. Families of young children need the support from school leaders at home, to be involved in raising digital citizens to live and work in the rapidly changing society.
Though I have only begun to delve into this Major Project, I am looking forward to producing a practical guide for teachers to use with a component to share and educate parents as well.
If you are a parent or educator, what would you suggest to include in this document?
About The Author
Brenda Frederiksen
Greetings! My name is Brenda Frederiksen. I am a Teacher-Librarian/Literacy Specialist by day and a parent, wife, and grad student by night. I am passionate about reading and passing along that love of reading to students!
Great idea Brenda, I would suggest materials on educating parents and children on the benefits and drawbacks of screen time. I think it is important for people to understand that screen time whether learning, gaming or just watching is something that should be used in moderation and put in balance with physical activity, creative play, family time and chores! I look forward to seeing your resource.
Thank you for your feedback, Dylan. I absolutely agree with screen time in moderation! Educating parents of young children is a big part of Digital Citizenship and I will be looking for some resources to support this. Technology is an important tool in education and for young children, their parents are the ones providing it for them (at home) and may need some information to understand fully not only the applications their children are using but also the safety and security aspects of the use of technology.
Such an amazing idea Brenda… At present, we all (or most of us) are searching for sources to teach and learn digital literacy… and I am sure this practical guide will be very helpful. Looking forward to reading and learning from you!!
Thank you for your comment, Shristy. I am really hoping that my document will be useful for primary teachers to find many resources to teach DigCit to their students. As a former classroom teacher, it was always helpful to find ready to use plans to teach lessons. I will keep this in mind as I prepare a living document, so new and updated information is readily available!
Yes! I agree Dylan, balance is key for all things in life. I think hearing from an Optometrist would also be something that kiddos and parents/guardians would benefit from. Often we don’t realize the effects that screen time has not only on our physical activity levels but on our mental health and our overall physical health. Moderation is key, and using technology as a tool to enhance learning and just not for the sake of using technology is important. I am really excited to see your resource come together!
Hi Kelly,
I did not think about asking an optometrist – what a great idea! I will look into this for sure!