The purpose of EDTC 300 is to “examine the use of technology and media in teaching and learning as well as the transformative effects that emerging digital tools/networks have on school and society. The course provides an experiential approach to learning about technology integration while helping students critically reflect on the implications of our digital reality” (Hildebrandt, 2022).

To facilitate our learning, we were tasked with exploring different digital tools, social media platforms, pedagogical approaches and technological models. For the purpose of this presentation, I have divided these tasks into my Learning Project, Blog Posts & Comments, Twitter, Readings and Resources Discussed, and I will end with my Final Thoughts.

For my learning project, I decided to learn how to garden. I wanted to pursue gardening for a variety of reasons. For one, this past winter I moved into my house which came with a large garden plot in the backyard that I couldn’t just leave empty. Two, both my mom and grandma have been huge gardeners throughout my life so I wanted to try out becoming a green thumb like them. And three, I wanted to see if I could actually grow my own food and see if I could make my lifestyle a bit more sustainable and environmentally conscious. In order to assist my learning, I utilized a variety of digital resources including websites, videos, articles, and social media content. I found that I ended up preferring print resources that were accompanied by pictures or media. Overall, I am very proud of the growth I made as well as how my garden turned out. This is definitely something I will continue doing year after year as I find gardening so rewarding being able to see tangible growth each week.

To share the progress, we made during our learning projects, we were tasked with creating a digital portfolio where we would post weekly blogs. Each week I would share and reflect on the various digital resources I used to deepen my knowledge on gardening. I was also able to reflect on different topics discussed during class and make connections to both my personal life and the educational system. My blog also allowed me to connect with my peers and begin to develop a personal learning network by commenting and engaging with everyone’s blog posts and learning projects. Through this process I was able to learn proper blog etiquette, trouble shoot tech problems, and overall sharpen some of my technological skills. I believe my blog is a reflection of the type of educator I wish to become and illustrates some of my key learnings throughout the course.  

Twitter was another digital space used to facilitate learning. Prior to this course, I had never used Twitter, so creating an account and being required to contribute to a digital community was quite intimidating. However, throughout the course I have gained confidence and have become more comfortable tweeting, commenting, re-tweeting, sharing resources, and participating in this digital space. As a result of EDTC 300 I have begun to develop a personal learning network, improve my digital identity, and contribute to others learning. I believe the content shared on my Twitter account reflects my own personal values and perspectives and represents the type of person and educator I aim to be. Through using Twitter, I have also come to realize the potential benefits that it could have if utilized in a classroom. As for educators, it allows for professional development, networking opportunities, general support, and greater access to information and sharing of resources. Twitter has directly contributed to my personal learning during EDTC 300.

The last aspect explored during EDTC 300 were different readings and resources. Some of the main concepts that have stuck out to me include Ribble’s nine elements of digital citizenship, the SAMR model, and the importance of digital identity, digital citizenship, and digital literacy; and how all of these topics can be and should be incorporated into the curriculum. We also engaged with a variety of videos that directly impacted my learning. Specifically, the Amanda Todd case emphasized the importance of online safety, Jon Ronson’s Ted Talk discussed cancel culture and how one singular post can have dire effects, as well as the prevalence of fake news and how society is directly impacted by digital trolls and why it is important for tech users to be digitally literate. These resources and readings directly examined the “emerging issues related to technology and media that relate to education and society, including social, ethical, and cultural issues” (Hildebrandt, 2022).

Overall, it is evident the importance technology and media plays in today’s society and the importance for teachers to be educated regarding such topics. Students will be, or in most cases, already are digital citizens. Therefore, it is vital that they understand the risks involved, while also having the appropriate skills and knowledge to successfully utilize digital tools and participate online. This demonstrates the importance of integrating technology into learning environments.

As a result of EDTC 300 I am happy to say that I have grown from being a sole consumer of digital media and have now progressed into also becoming a producer of digital media and information. I have gained deeper understanding and skills in regards to technology and digital tools. Overall, I feel more comfortable and confident using technology and incorporating it into my future classrooms.

Building a professional learning network was extremely useful during my learning project in EDTC 300. Through utilizing virtual spaces, I was able to contribute to the EDTC course community, comment on my peer’s blog posts, share resources and articles, develop a digital identity, and interact with a professional network. I believe as a result I was able to contribute to the learning of others while improving my own learning.

Blog Posts

The first virtual space that I used to contribute to the learning of others was my blog. During the semester I attempted to create engaging blog posts that were filled with useful resources, links, and references to relevant articles. I was intentional with posting my blog posts in a timely manner ensuring that my peers could interact and engage with my posts while the topics and content were still fresh. I was also intentional with including questions and prompts throughout my blog posts that encouraged engagement. I was very appreciative that these questions were always answered in the comments and resulted in deeper learning for myself.

Blog Comments

The second virtual space that I used to contribute to the learning of others was commenting on my peer’s blog posts. Each week I responded to at least 3 of my classmates posts or comments. Each comment I posted provided encouragement, resources, an additional perspective and/or validation to my peers. I also ensured that I included both my name and a link to my blog on each comment to add that additional layer of connection. The comments I received provided motivation to continue with my learning project and validated my experiences; I hope my comments had the same effect for my peers.

Twitter

The third virtual space that I used to contribute to the learning of others was Twitter. As a completely new Twitter user, this space was easily the most intimidating to conquer. Admittedly, it took me quite some time to get comfortable interacting with other Twitter users and beginning to develop both a PLN and online identity. However, throughout the semester I am proud of the growth I made. As a result of my Twitter account I was able to participate in a Twitter Chat (#SaskEdChat), dabble in the use of hashtags, follow like-minded accounts/users, and share many resources. I was very purposeful in the content I shared, retweeted, liked, and commented on as I wanted to ensure that I was creating a digital identity that reflected my own personal values and perspectives. I believe anyone scrolling through my Twitter account would be able to develop an accurate representation of the type of person and educator I aim to be.

Final Thoughts

Throughout the duration of the EDTC 300 course, I have been able to contribute to the learning of others via a variety of means. By participating both in class and virtually in multiple online spaces, I have enriched my learning, developed a personal learning network, and contributed to the courses learning community. I will continue to develop both my digital identity and PLN outside of this course and aim to continue to grow as both an educator and digital citizen.

In today’s day and age, there is a constant, overabundance of information available to us at all times. Some refer to this as a knowledge economy; information is one of our most valuable commodities and is delivered automatically to our electronic devices or accessible with a few mouse clicks. Anyone can create digital content and anyone can consume it. Is this means to worry? Not necessarily. However, this supports the need to incorporate digital literacies in the classroom to allow students to become digitally literate. The goals of the NCTE framework illustrate this need further. The NCTE “established national standards that anticipated the more sophisticated literacy skills and abilities required for full participation in a global, 21st century community. The selected standards served as a clarion call for changes underway today in literacy education.” These standards fully incorporate technology use and the role it plays in the evolution of curriculum, assessment, and teaching practice.

“Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.” 
- The American Library Association

Digital literacy is essential for students for a number of reasons. It is important students develop critical thinking skills to be able to maneuver around and effectively use the internet and digital tools. Critical thinking is vital in deciphering between the endless digital content, deciding which content is valid and trustworthy, and what would be considered fake news. In today’s society, possessing technological skills is also needed to succeed and be a contributing citizen. I would even argue that digital literacy contributes to mental health. The overuse of technology may have a more significant impact on developing children and teenagers. In the same breath, technology can provide tools that help many manage important daily tasks that help improve and maintain their mental health. Therefore, it is important students are able to manage this critical balance.

Middle years’ students specifically are at a dangerous crossroads. They are commonly fully immersed in social media, and are provided endless information throughout their days. From information provided from their teachers while in school, to listening to their parent’s opinions on news and global happenings, to stories and content on social media, to discussing it all with their peers; students must be able to compartmentalize.

When discussing fake news in the classroom I think it is important that real examples are used and examined. There is no shortage of fake news and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to discern. Information is now commonly “aggregated into a single “news” feed – mixing updates from friends and family with identical-looking links to stories across the web”. We also all possess biases that are directly targeted by fake news. Educating students on implicit and confirmation bias is an important first step.  There are also many online sites that make learning about fake news fun and engaging, without being overly exaggerated. Sites like Can you spot the fake news headline? (Quiz), Spot the troll (Quiz), Break the fake (Quiz), Factitious – A game about identifying fake news, and Weekly News Quiz from the NY Times are all excellent resources to use in the classroom when teaching digital literacy.

Discussions and lessons on digital literacy can be incorporated to meet Saskatchewan curricular outcomes and requirements. As outlined in my previous blog post, both social studies and health are two subjects that provide multiple opportunities to incorporate digital literacy.

Literacy has always been a collection of cultural and communicative practices shared among members of particular groups. As society and technology change, so does literacy. Because technology has increased the intensity and complexity of literate environments, the 21st century demands that a literate person possess a wide range of abilities and competencies, many literacies. These literacies are multiple, dynamic, and malleable. As in the past, they are inextricably linked with particular histories, life possibilities, and social trajectories of individuals and groups.

This week in EDTC300 we were tasked with reflecting on digital identity by cybersleuthing one of our colleagues. This task was an excellent introduction to digital identity and prompted us to find out information on a peer that is available to the public online.

To begin, I did a quick google search. Surprisingly, I found a lot of information just from the first page of results. I was able to find her edusites blog, previous employment information, and extracurricular groups that she was involved in. I found that she has an Instagram account; however, it is private so the only data I could gather about her was from her bio. Social media bios are curated by the user to portray who they are and what they want others to know about them and I believe hers did just that. Her Facebook is public, however, there was only a few scrolls worth of content. Within those few scrolls though, one can learn about her interests, where she has gone to school, and even who her family is. It was evident that her Twitter account was only created for the purpose of this course, and I couldn’t find any other social media accounts of hers. Overall, I feel that the digital identity of the person I cybersleuthed is very representative of who she is as a person in real life.

After completing the cybersleuthing activity for my peer, I wanted to do some digging on myself. I was happy to find that my digital identity was quite private without much being available to the public. One surprising thing I did find was articles and interviews of myself from my previous employment position. Before returning to university to obtain my B. Ed, I worked for a nonprofit organization in my hometown. A quick google search of my name (and hometown) and you will be able to find all of the projects, events, and endeavours that I organized and managed during my time there. While all of the digital recognition was important to the success of my role in the organization, I never considered the permanence of such posts. With only a few clicks, anyone would be able to find my previous employer, my old job title, and even pictures of some of my old clients (all of which had media releases). While this part of my digital identity is not negative, it is something that I never posted to the internet. I think this goes to show how our digital identities can be easily influenced by peers, family members, coworkers, and even strangers.

Different sites, different audiences, different purposes.

Nicole LeE

After reading Nicole Lee’s article on having multiple online identities, I wondered if I have curated different identities according to the different social media applications that I use. I found that I agreed with most of what Lee wrote. Facebook is for family, peers, colleagues, and connecting with anyone who may not know me well enough to have my phone number (ie. classmates connecting for group projects). Instagram is for friends and is where I share anything exciting that happens in my life. Snapchat is to view others stories and communicate with friends. And twitter, which I have only recently gotten for EDTC 300, is strictly for education and building a PLN. From reflecting on this article, I have come to realize the value I place on keeping my digital identity small. I believe I am quite lucky to have grown up alongside technology. As I evolved from a child to a teenager to a young adult, technology also evolved. Because of this, I didn’t have many social media accounts until I was old enough to understand what I did and didn’t want posted of myself. As a result, I have kept my digital footprint quite small and private, and I have been able to limit the number of “cringe” or unwanted posts of myself on the internet. Even today, I mainly consume social media and it is very rare when I actually make a post (excluding twitter).

After watching Jon Ronson’s TedTalk I am almost relieved that I am not an active social media user. In today’s day and age, cancel culture and social media shaming happen so frequently and can have such large consequences. It is not uncommon to hear of someone who made a post or was recorded in public, and within days or even hours, they have been fired from their job or suspended from their school, and their future is permanently tainted. Ronson discussed the concept of democratizing justice and how social media has created a surveillance society. With that said, I don’t want to take away the power of social movements like #MeToo or Black Lives Matter which have created real change and have amplified victim’s voices. I do believe social media has the opportunity to create social change, however, I do recognize that there is a fine line present.

Overall, this week’s activity and blog prompt makes me question: Is having a small/private digital identity good, bad, or neutral? Is society moving to a place where one must have a prominent digital identity for future employers and jobs? Should I be making more of an effort to curate an identity online that I believe captures what I want to portray to others

Digital Citizenship is defined as the continuously developing norms of appropriate, responsible, and empowered technology use. Mike Ribble separates this further into nine elements that constitute digital citizenship. These are digital access, digital commerce, digital communication and collaboration, digital etiquette, digital fluency, digital health and welfare, digital law, digital rights and responsibility, and digital security and privacy. Digital citizenship is something that is at the forefront of society due to the relevance and interconnectedness of technology in all aspects of our daily lives. Because of digital technology’s presence in society, I believe it is essential that students are taught how to navigate the rapidly moving digital present, consciously and reflectively.

I believe the Saskatchewan curriculum presents many opportunities for educators to creatively incorporate digital citizenship into multiple grades and multiple subject areas. For example, the Grade 7 Health curriculum has ample opportunity to bring in digital citizenship. Outcome USC7.1 has students establish and use strategies to commit to and act upon personal standards for various aspects of daily living over which an individual has control. This outcome would be an excellent opportunity for students to learn and discuss digital etiquette. Similarly, outcome USC8.5 would be a great conversation starter to discussing digital health and welfare and the presence of photo-shop online. This outcome has students assess how body image satisfaction/dissatisfaction and over-reliance on appearance as a source of identity and self-esteem affects the quality of life of self and family.

The social studies curriculum also presents many opportunities to incorporate digital citizenship. For example, outcome IN7.3 has students examine the relationship of technology to globalization. Here students could also examine the importance of digital commerce and digital access. Digital citizenship could also be incorporated through projects and presentations students complete in the classroom. After a lesson on digital law and discussing consequences of copyright, plagiarizing, and the associated penalties, students could be tasked with creating a presentation (this would work for any subject). In this presentation, they could be assessed on the successful use of public domain, only utilizing copyright-free imagines, music, and videos, ensuring the students are following all intellectual property rights laws.

As a future educator, I can see myself incorporating digital citizenship throughout the classroom, activities, and assignments I conduct. As society continues to evolve and change, technology and the internet are only becoming more pertinent.

“We need to ensure that students are equipped with the skills to safely and smartly sift through this abundance of information and to navigate online spaces in ways that contribute to their learning.”

Digital Citizenship Education in Saskatchewan Schools. Government of Saskatchewan.