Author: Dayna Coffey (Page 2 of 3)

Before entering the EDTC 300 class, I had never heard the phrase digital citizenship.  I was in high school in the late 1990s and early 2000s, so digital citizenship wasn’t a term.   As the years go by, children are no longer just being introduced to computers and the internet but are immediately immersed in the world of the internet through Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube. It’s imperative that the education system steps in and helps children understand the dangers that go along with the benefits of having all information at our fingertips.

After reading Character Education for the Digital Age (Jason Ohler), I realized that many schools follow the two-lives theory. Many children are being left to their own devices to navigate the world of technology. Where will it happen if digital citizenship and technology aren’t discussed in school? The curriculum is starting to change and needs to be updated more so that technology is more prominent. Students need to understand the reproductions of a negative digital imprint. Grade 10 is too late to start discussing cyberbullying, sexting and homophobia (Digital Citizenship Continuum).  To me, this is the same as putting a bandaid on a problem once it has happened.  “Oh, you’ve already started sexting and cyberbullying; well, I guess we should have a discussion.” As educators, we need to be proactive and help students understand the disadvantages and advantages of growing up in a world of technology.

“The IRL Fetish” (Nathan Jurgenson) explains how addicted society is to technology. People pride themselves on not being online and on taking a break from their smartphones or social media. I find that when I spend too much time scrolling Facebook or TikTok, my emotions are affected. As an adult, I have become self-aware of how these applications can affect me. Children need to learn to self-evaluate their feelings.  This should be discussed in class; it does not become the norm without the discussion.  I believe our mental health is essential, and the only way to lose the mental health stigma is to talk about it openly.

Since many parents were not taught about digital citizenship growing up and how to navigate the future regarding it to their children, educators need to step up.  Ribble’s nine elements of digital citizenship should begin in the early years so students can understand their rights and responsibilities.  This way, educators are being proactive instead of talking to students about the repercussions of online safety after the damage is done.

I was born in the 1980s and spent my childhood and teen years in the 1990s and early 2000s. When I was in a small town elementary school, the school had only a few computers for kindergarten through grade 6 students(think 100 kids). We did not discuss cyber safety during that time since no one had the Internet. The school’s computers were not connected to the Internet, so the students used them to type our stories and not die on the Oregon Trail.

I remember my parents purchased our first computer in 1995, which was a huge deal.  We had Microsoft Windows 95, which was connected to dial-up internet.

Above is the nostalgic sound of turning on your computer in 1995.  This is followed by the patience creating dial-up tone from connecting to the internet, hoping no one would call or pick up the phone to ruin the connection.

Once I was in high school, we had a room designated for computers.  There was enough for each student; my class had 11-13 students, depending on the year. We were told not to go on any “bad” websites, or we would not be able to use the computers.  We feared losing our computer privileges if we did something wrong on the computers.  This approach taught us to lie and conveniently not tell the teachers if something went wrong or if a virus was downloaded onto the computer.  We weren’t stupid as students, so we avoided authority and deceived the teachers if something happened so we wouldn’t lose our privileges. Creating a scare tactic is not a great way to deal with teens because when you tell a teen they can’t do something, they find an alternate solution to work around it.

The computer safety I did receive was from my mom.  She told me not to give out information that could pinpoint someone to where I live.  I remember talking with people worldwide in Yahoo chatrooms, asking a/s/l (age/sex/location). Then, if you liked chatting with a particular person, you would give them your

username to add them to a private messaging space.  In later years, we moved to MSN messenger to chat with new and old friends.

As future educators, we need to communicate openly with students without fear so that they know they can tell us when they make a mistake. Students need to know adults are here to help and not to allow someone to harass or bully them online.

I remember being in grade 5, playing Oregon Trail on the computer.  We would often die of dysentery. 

This game (Oregon Trail) shows the ever-changing world we live in.  27 years ago, these were the available computer games.  At that time, these games were incredible. I grew up learning about computers.  How they worked, and how they could change our lives.  I can remember people discussing what a different world we lived in.  How gone were the good old days when kids did not sit on computers all day. They got outside and did things.  Guess what?  People still say the same thing.  I think it is just a reason to complain.

So, as a future teacher, what can I learn from my childhood? Well, to start with, we know that the internet is ever-changing.  When I graduated high school and started college(the first time) at 18 years old, Facebook was a huge deal.  Everyone was signing up.  After looking at Michael Wesch’s post, we now see Facebook is not

popular with teens. 

Teachers must keep up with the new trends and understand what is happening worldwide.  Gone are the days of writing on paper, and now are the days of students learning about AI. The advancement of technology is astronomical. If we want to know anything, we can look up tutorials on YouTube. Schools also now have the option to offer classes online.  Until the Covid era, not many courses were taught online by schools. Now, we see entire schools set up online, such as the Cyber Stone Virtual School. Online education opens so many possibilities for students and teachers alike.  If a class is no longer available in person at a school, the student can attend the class in an online setting.  The same goes for university; this very class (EDTC300) is online. 

Do students still need to learn how to print? YES! Without keeping up with technological advances, we are doing a major disservice to our students. 

I’ll also leave you with a little golden nugget. I have been following a gentleman on TikTok called Mr. Lindsay.

@mr_lindsay_sped

What the #sigma are these kids saying? #genalpha #slang #middleschoolslang #teachersoftiktok #teacherfyp #fyp #whatthesigma

♬ original sound – Mr. Lindsay

He likes to fill everyone in on the recent trends in words such as sigma or alpha. I think this ties in with technology. Our students’ language will also evolve, just like technology, and it is up to us, teachers, to be able to understand and keep up with the newest and latest. 

I decided to test my luck with the app. , which was such an exciting application. I didn’t realize how many different recordings you could create. I created a free account by adding my email and creating a password, and then I went to explore. I started with the videos. I found I could switch up my background.

One of the standout features I discovered was the ability to use my own photos as the background, a unique and personal touch that sets this app apart.

This just made life as a future teacher even better.  I could upload my picture as a demonstration for math or science with the substitute teacher or with students who miss an assignment.  I then could explain what was behind me in detail while videoing and talking to the class. I created a quick video with Flip to try it out. Click the picture below to watch my video on Flip.

Another impressive feature of Flip is the ‘mixtape’ function.  This allows you to compile multiple videos into a mix,  making it a perfect tool for showcasing a semester or year’s worth of learning to parents. So, start creating and happy videoing!

Technology is the greatest gift and curse. Without it, I would not be attending university right now, and I would not have started pursuing my bachelor’s degree if I had to move or drive to Regina regularly. Technology also comes with social apps, which can be time wasters and consumers. We now have all information at our fingertips—some of it incorrect, but still at our fingertips. It is much easier to look up the information you need on YouTube or Google instead of calling your grandma or dragging out the encyclopedias. 

I did a terrifying thing and looked at my daily screen use on my iPhone. I was sure I already knew what the data would tell me. My most used is Facebook by a long shot, followed by my web browser, messages and WhatsApp Messenger. I am terrible for using Facebook reels to zone out on life. When I wake up in the morning before everyone else is awake, I spend downtime watching reels; I also watch them before I fall asleep at night. It’s probably not great for my mental health, but sometimes it’s nice to scroll and not need to be doing something at all times.  

My kids and husband bought me a Kobo for Mother’s Day. Since I also love to read, I thought having a Kobo would help with reel scrolling. That way, I don’t need to become off task by scrolling reels instead of opening my book app. Instead of scrolling through social media apps, I aim to read on my Kobo before falling asleep. 

COVID opened the doors for many online platforms to make living at home in isolation possible. Since 2020, there have been many advancements in technology, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and online classes. The push for online education opened a door I normally would not have pursued. Living two hours from the city with two young children did not seem possible to obtain my degree. Once more classes moved to being online, the opportunity was available. 

Being a full-time university student, employee, and mother of two very busy children has its challenges. However, this is not something I would ever change. I tried using a paper planner but found I always had to add information to my phone since my planner was never with me. I use my iPhone calendar so that way I can sync it to the computer as well. So far, this has worked well for me, and I have not missed appointments or deadlines. 

I constantly use programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Canva, Google Docs and Adobe Photoshop to meet my school work deadlines. When I went to school, the first go around (this ages me), Microsoft Word and PowerPoint did not have the option to have multiple people working on one document was not available. It’s incredible to think how far technological advancements have improved.

Wish me luck in curbing my evening scrolling with my Kobo.