I like the phrase digital citizenship. Citizenship, of course, implies a balance of rights and responsibilities that accompany belonging to a certain group. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, citizenship is “Engagement in the duties and responsibilities of a member of society (OED, 2023). By framing the internet, in particular, as a space that offers certain privileges but also requires responsibility in order to operate in and be part of that space, shifts the discussion from potential scare tactics to agency. Students are encouraged to learn and understand the limits and potential of the internet in order to better participate in it; just as they would learn about the society or democracy they live in, the good and the bad, to become active participants. This approach better reflects the participatory culture Jenkins writes about. Students must feel welcome to contribute, that those contributions matter, that they will be met with social connection, and that they can learn from fellow mentors to best achieve results–that is where we might come in! Suppose we better understand and can come to negotiate the challenges and benefits of online spaces. In that case, we are more prepared to mentor students, encouraging them to participate in productive and engaging ways. This is not a denial of the safety concerns we all recognize exist, but rather a framing that puts students in the “driver’s seat” instead of seeing them as “acted upon” by external factors including other users/trolls. Really, it is an acceptance of the “terms and conditions” of the internet that may include the messy stuff so students know exactly what they are getting into, how to avoid or mitigate certain outcomes, and ultimately participate better.

This is most certainly a departure from how the internet was viewed while I was growing up. Essentially, those who should have been my “mentors” did not understand the community, and as a response, opted for a Dr. Phil/Chris Hanson/”your child is at risk” approach.

Here is a cute video for teaching digital citizenship in a grade two class. Ohhhh how far we have come. (notice how it reflects the kickassness of tech while recognizing the user has certain responsibilities in order to best participate as a “citizen.” The comparison between online citizenship and our own material society can be better teased out in older grades, I think.)

Video: Common Sense Education. (2019). We, the Digital Citizens: How can we be good digital citizens?. https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/we-the-digital-citizens

SK is definitely trying in their take on digital citizenship too, wanting to equip students with opportunity and know-how:

The SK above policy document reflects much of the same themes in Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship where an updated definition includes:

-Digital citizenship is the continuously developing norms of appropriate, responsible, and empowered technology use.

-To lead and assist others in building positive digital experiences

-To recognize that our actions have consequences to others

-To participate in a manner for the common good

I think “common good” is a great way to anchor the link between our community’s expectations with those of the digital sphere. It reinforces that we are responsible for our actions, regardless of the where/how/who. We act in a way for the common good because we want others to do the same for us; that is why we stop at red lights, hold the door open for others, and form orderly lines when waiting for services even when it is inconvenient. We might drive this point home even further by demonstrating that the screen does not separate us from each other even when we are anonymous online. Others might not know who you are online, but we all know that even anonymous users are still people (excluding Russian bots, of course).

I am happy to see this approach more broadly taken because most students will understand as they are already in similar microcosms online that require a certain reconciliation of rights and responsibilities. This might be the COD Lobby or Roblox, TikTok, or the YouTube comment section. They already will be intuitively negotiating their role as a user, the community, and known risks.

Firstly, holy moly! This kind of cyberbullying is so beyond the likes of what I even realized possible. In fact, considering the literal extortion of a minor like Amanda Todd, I feel like the term cyberbullying hardly encompasses the devastation that occurred. In my mind, this was a series of exploitation, sexual assault, and criminal behavior more generally. Maybe the term has different connotations now, but, when I was in school, bullying was essentially teasing. It was a step or two below violence or harassment. I remember thinking to myself as a kid in middle school: “we all have been bullied.” I wondered if updating the term to reflect the seriousness of this kind of behavior might help students realize how outside the window of acceptable behavior this is. However, it was noted in the Dark Cloud: the high cost of cyberbullying documentary, that often with young people, extreme examples like Amanda Todd’s tragedy can undermine the seriousness of the matter. This is perplexing to me.

Moreover, I am convinced young people who participate in or perpetuate this kind of targeted onslaught of abuse already know they are behaving in a way that is beyond the pale. I know this by the way it is reserved for interactions behind the computer screen/device; the same kind of behavior in person, to one’s face, would take a certain kind of monster. Somewhere along the way, the distance provided by technology shelters perpetrators from the societal implications that would occur naturally if the same actions were committed face to face. What I don’t know is how you teach children what they already know is wrong remains wrong online, and whether or not that is the parent’s job. Teachers obviously cannot ignore it, but I think parents must involve themselves in establishing ethics for the new technological age prior to school. Students will likely be introduced to the online world long before they are in our classrooms. It is gonna take a village to curb this!

During school, I have no recollection of being taught about treating our peers with decency online or even how to protect ourselves. Perhaps, young people’s online usage needs to be more monitored. The difference between this and when I went to school is no matter how brutal it might have been at school, it ended when we got home. We were never inundated with bullying 24 hrs. The Dark Cloud mentions the prolific nature of cyberbullying and how there is no reprieve. It also mentions, that even in person, adults step in only a fraction of the time. Online, 59% of children report being bullied. There is near zero chance of adult intervention there.

I hope police take this more seriously now, especially if it is targeted and victimizing. According to the government of Canada, cyberbullies can face jail time, have devices taken away, or pay a fine. I would like to know how often perpetrators encounter these consequences. This topic makes me feel so out of my depth…And makes me want to bring the hammer down. I hope after discussion with the class, I can temper some of this rage and actually see some tenable approaches for myself as a future teacher.

There are some behaviors online we are not going to curb through scare tactics (in my day, it was illegal downloading), but I cannot help but wonder if a certain threshold of this kind of bullying meets criminal and maybe if that is the case, ramping up repercussions is not a bad thing. I realize that some cyberbullying is anonymous, making consequences difficult to enforce, but the circulation of graphic materials without consent is a serious offense in the adult world if charges can be laid. I don’t want to treat children like adults, but I am literally at a loss how to navigate this. It is clear, that the singsongy PSA by organizations and government tend to be read as trivializing. Perhaps, there is a middle ground, but besides the obvious conversations we might have with a class, I do not know what teachers on their own can do besides advocate for victims.

Verywellfamily.com has some suggestions for parents and I think as teachers we can support these efforts, particularly by encouraging students to come forward and report each incident.

According to Jenkins (2006), contemporary media is a participatory culture and he suggests that in the classroom, teachers must consider the interrelationship between communicative media and the culture/communities that emerge around it. It is clear from the rising rates of smartphone use at younger ages and the way YouTube and TikTok have become young people’s preferred platforms, that students are and will continue to participate in this culture. The culture itself is interesting as it demands engagement, is shaped by that engagement, and is newly synthesized, ultimately reflecting back something new yet familiar to its participants. Wesch hits on this effect in his lecture: users consume content and, in turn, put their own spin on content, creating viral memes that then impact the larger community outside of the space they were created. Soulja Boy is a perfect example of this. Although I had the pleasure of watching that phenomenon (check out the dance tutorial; I cannot stress enough how important it was that this dance was mastered by all attending house parties for an entire summer) take off, many people now know Soulja Boy from his presence in mainstream media without knowing the early impact of the internet in his rise to fame.

All this is to say, digital literacy is now just plain old literacy. Students are consuming and creating content, communicating their own stories and critiques of the world, and it would be a disservice to our students to fail to integrate Internet culture and acumen into their learning. The Tiktoks they are making and responding to will eventually make their way to Jimmy Fallen for godsakes.

Screenshot:  Addison Rae on Jimmy Fallon. NBCU (2021). https://www.buzzfeed.com/natashajokic1/addison-rae-jimmy-fallon-tiktok-backlash

Pretending that social media platforms are insignificant subcultures with no educational value undermines the learning necessary for students to become careful and critical agents in this participatory culture. Not only can we develop a pedagogical approach that adopts the same technological standards used everywhere else, but we can also promote a critical framework for these standards that better prepares students for their future beyond the classroom. The approach is likely two-fold: we encourage students to create using mediums they prefer, honing that skillset, and, by opening up the classroom to the world they are actually living/participating in, we might mitigate some of the risks that are often associated with unsupervised internet access/screentime.

Surely, we wouldn’t give a student a culturally significant novel to glean from but restrict their access to the theoretical and heuristic framework to analyze the text by, right? I feel it is not enough to just be hip, showing cool clips or allowing students to submit TikToks videos as assignments; we must also frame both the tools used and the content made in a critical way.

How do we do this? Strike that balance? I am not entirely sure, but I do know it lies in approach. Perhaps, an earlier introduction to critical theory might help support students to think about social media and the internet in a similar way that they might be expected to consider art, text, history, and philosophy. When students write, we want them to know how and why they are using certain devices, the impact of a device on the whole of their piece, and be able to recognize that device, or its variant, at work in other texts. This is part of literacy as a whole. Similarly, we might be able to identify the larger context and meaning of memes and viral trends, analyze them in relation to culture and society, and help students recognize the impact in other spaces. I don’t want students to read Shakespeare just to repeat plot points back to me. I want them to see the layers of cultural and textual meaning, make links to their own lives, be critical of the period it is written in, and be even more critical of what it tells us about our contemporary period. It seems to me, through his anthropological treatment of online spaces, Wesch is advocating for something similar. He challenges the audience to peel back the meme and meet the communities behind it. He invites us to actively participate in participation culture. I think this translates to the classroom too! Otherwise, we run the risk of widening that gap between the classroom and the “real world” students are part of or want to be part of. We don’t have to be in their heads, but we should be on the same planet at least.

I love almost anything animated! In preparation for the classroom, I’ve designed and imagined many assessments that include learning how to use animation tools and pair with creative narratives. I will admit though, I don’t have a grasp on such a tool. In fact, I thought it was probably beyond my purview…

With that caveat, and the opportunity to learn how to do something I personally might appreciate and use in the classroom, I’ve embarked on a first-hand and first-time use and review of Powtoon. As someone whose development was greatly shaped by TV like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and South Park, an appreciation for understated animation paired with clever (to me, at least) dialogue is just *chef’s kiss.*

Screenshot from Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode “Kangarilla and the Magic Tarantula.” https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/80/ATHFmainv2.png

First things first: Login via Google account (I hate when they make me create a new user account–big detterant for me). Note, premium use of Powtoon is limited, but basic/watermarked projects are available for free.

Second thing: Be totally overwhelmed at the “workspace” and go to Youtube to look for “how to” video. I look for the newest tutorial video with the most views, assuming the layout has likely changed overtime and god knows that will further confuse me. I go with “Powtoon Demo For Animation Videos (Powtoon Tutorial 2024)”

This proved helpful for becoming more familiar and for jumping right into a project. Off the hop, I learned I can make whiteboard videos! This opens up a whole new potential for me in the classroom. I always wondered how those were made while watching educational/informational youtube videos. An example of this can be found on 2 Minute Classroom’s channel where the whiteboard is used exclusively. I think I could put this to use regularly in the classroom to accompany lessons/plans and mini-lectures for independent and group work too. According to the tutorial video, it is easier than I thought!

Third thing: At the top of workspace, select new whiteboard project. Choose a template

(these are limited under education/teaching headings and even more so if you account for the fact premium content is temporary). Ideally, I create something from scratch once I get the hang of it. Just for fun, and to capture the closest thing to 2 Minute Classroom’s shtick, I went with “White Board Explainer” found underLearning & Development.

There is also the AI video creator, but that is also premium and one thing at a time, I reckon.

Now, click “Edit in Studio” and start messing around!

The one thing I liked right away was the set up. The “studio” looks pretty dang close to Google Slides or Mac Presentation. Slides, script, music, and a test play button all help the first time user intuitively know what to do if they have any experience with slides. Simiarlly, you can change the slide layout, just like you would in Google Slides, making it seem way more acessible. Good on ’em for not reinventing the wheel!

Just like I would in a slide deck, I edit the individual image or text within the slide, add an effect, and test it.

There are characters, props, images, backgrounds, and effects that can all be dragged on the slide’s timescale, allowing you to introduce elements at a preferred time. It is very simple and super intuitive to use!

In addition to using the program for teaching, students can use it to accompany their own reports or presentations in a way that familiarizes them with amateur animations. It is a stepping stone to more complicated animation or video editing. It would be a great way to start a semester where students could build off of their inital learning.

Anyway, this is what I started on using the above template if you want to check it out (first couple slides are mine, rest are template, but you get the just)

Firstly, I must admit that I am the worst kind of technology addict. I most often use it intentionally to kill time and that unintentionally kills a whole day. If we are considering video games, then it kills days upon days. I am currently playing Far Cry 6 (have been for months as I am a total map and sidequest clearer) now that it is streaming on PS Plus (premium, I think).

Image: Ubisoft. PlayStation. https://www.playstation.com/en-ca/games/far-cry-6/

I refuse to download games now and wait for them all to stream. This is due to a small hard drive, a “feature” of the PS5 that I got the Xmas before last. It is a departure from the old PS4 Pro, but somehow I still survive…barely…

Image: PlayStation. Amazon. https://www.amazon.ca/PlayStation-Console-Disc-Ragnar%C3%B6k-Bundle/dp/B0BHF3ZDQW

How crazy is it that I have adjusted to the quickest, easiest, most useful technology and feel annoyed by anything that is remotely inconvenient? While being an OG dial-up kid! Talk about building tech tolerance/entitlement!

The significant upgrade in tech generally, and its consumer-friendly integration into daily life, has made me an addict. I don’t walk the dogs without checking that my steps are accounted for. The work on my Macbook is no longer restricted to my home office and can be seamlessly completed on my iPhone (or iPad, but let’s be real, that is for YouTube while on the treadmill). I watch a movie on the TV while scrolling TikTok. My Beats Pro headphones connect to whatever device I pick up, alternating between 3 sometimes. I wear them all day long like a crazy person.

I often wonder how I functioned before.

Well, I guess I went to the library and hauled books and printed articles around; I paid bills at the bank with my paper copies in hand; I tried to play games that were on scratched discs; I PAID FOR AND RAN OUT OF CELLPHONE MINUTES; I spent hours modifying myspace via html instead of drag and drop websites like the wix I use now; and I toted around a bloody discman with garbage headphones that was never ever truly anti-skip…(see r/nostalgia if you need a little blast from the painful past!)

Recently, instead of using the internet for entertainment, I have started moving all my business stuff onto google drive. This way, I can share invoices, receipts, and spreadsheets with the bookkeeper and accountant without bringing boxes of crap to their office. I can take a premade template and quickly fill out an estimate or invoice while on the job site and send it to a customer via my phone. This may not seem revolutionary, but prior to my BEAD last year, I had never used Google Docs or slides, let alone Google Drive. Look how organized I am now!

In addition to trading time-sucks for productivity, I am looking at TikTok for inspiration in teaching/lessons, exercise, nutrition, business, old house renovations, and dog training. It has inadvertently tricked me into creating a rather interesting/informative FYP. It is probably still a time-suck because I am not “doing” during that time, but I figure it is an improved waste of time.

I am still using a notebook and pen to plan my life, but my calendar across devices serves as my backup. I use it more to remind myself of the things I already recorded and it helps me commit to memory the important stuff by recording it again in the app. I check it every morning and every evening as I plan (in my notebook) my assignments, personal goals, appointments, and deadlines.

I am definitely behind the times, but I am becoming more open to learning tech as a tool for productivity. This year has brought pretty big adjustments and I am finding it beneficial despite a learning curve. In fact, this is the most productive I have been on the internet since those long, early days grinding on Winmx for complete downloads.

My name is Kate. This is my last course before internship and it was strategically picked to improve my understanding of educational technology. I was surprised to see the emphasis on online professional identity from the first set of readings and it got me thinking!

I am not a blogger or tweeter, but sometimes, if I am fired up enough, I will post comments on YouTube or TikTok and delete them later once I calm down. I do like video games (PS mostly) and yet still avoid online communities formed around my favourite games. I have no Facebook, instagram, twitter, and just lurker accounts for reddit and TikTok. I think I may still be suffering from elder millennial online overload that I endured growing up.

Photo: Buzzfeed, (2021). »-(¯`v´¯)-Fr!ɛnds R 4ɛvɛr, Guyz R whatɛvɛR-(¯`v´¯)-» has just signed in. https://egyptianstreets.com/2021/09/10/msn-messenger-a-nostalgic-look-back-at-a-staple-of-the-2000s/ 

Photo: Peterson, Mike (2017). Aim-90s. https://www.idropnews.com/news/aol-instant-messenger-shuts-glorious-20-years/51878/

I realize there may be some professional benefit to developing an online identity, but I am hesitant to begin that journey as an adult. My experience with online communities/presence is primarily restricted to myspace and bmezine–both of which are no longer. I have viewed the absence of an online identity as a benefit to myself when I consider the cringey way I had used it in those early years. It may be time for me to update my thinking!

All of this is to say I am a reluctant blogger, with some experience with educational technology, but that is restricted to learning via this degree and my limited teaching opportunities. However, during my last pre-internship in March I did learn how to use and utilize online spaces in a new (to me) way. My co-op teacher is my age and seemed to integrate technology seamlessly into her classroom. Beyond Google Classroom, she had an instagram and TikTok she was comfortable sharing on and with students; participated in TikTok trends with her students (they were grade twelves and permission was acquired); and students had a myriad of platforms that they could use as a tool to complete responses/video essays/creative writing. I loved that.

Although writing is more my speed, I think using 1-3 minute video format for students to film their responses or journalling (essentially vlogging), is a great way to collect the kind of formative assessments we might want and often can’t adequately gather in traditional response writing. Apparently, there are other useful ways to utilize TikTok in the classroom! I am interested in that! Perhaps, on my journey of reacquainting myself with the internet, I might find short videos a part of blogging and online professional identity making.