For my final blog, I’ve decided to address equity and safety in regards to technology in the classroom. As the semester comes to a close, I have been reflecting on all of the wonderful technology I have been exposed to in ECI 201. From Piper Computers to Twitter in the classroom, the possibilities are endless. But it is my job — as an educator — to ensure that I foster an environment that promotes digital equity and safety.
We’ve touched on these concepts several times in class…
In order to use technology safely, there are a few things that must be addressed: how to be a good digital citizen and how to act responsibly online. At the beginning of the year we discussed what it means to be a Good Digital Citizen, according to ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education):
Someone who advocates for equal digital rights and access for all.
Someone who seeks to understand all perspectives.
Someone who respects the digital privacy, intellectual property and other rights of people online.
Someone who communicates and acts with empathy for others’ humanity via digital channels.
Someone who applies critical thinking to all online sources and doesn’t share noncredible resources, including fake news or advertisements.
Someone who leverages technology to advocate and advance social causes.
Someone who is mindful of physical, emotional and mental health while using digital tools.
Someone who leverages digital tools to collaborate with others.
Someone who understands the permanence of the digital world and proactively manages digital identity.
One of our assignments was to make a digital poster that reflected a particular aspect of being a good digital citizen. I designed my poster for elementary schoolers to focus on being respectful and how to recognize cyberbullying. Make sure to check it out here or by visiting the Digital Citizenship Poster tab on my website! Throughout the course, Mrs. Davis lead by example regarding how to be a good digital citizen — something I hope to do as a teacher.
As I mentioned before, being a good digital citizen is just one part of being safe online — another huge part is acting responsibly and being aware of online threats. I remember this article in particular that focused on empowering and protecting youth online. After reading that article, we had to create a summary/reflection video on our class Flipgrid (which, unfortunately, I cannot link here due to access issues). Additionally, we had a lot of discussions regarding the privacy of students online, as many apps and websites require student logins. Check out this video we watched in class:
In addition to discussions surrounding digital citizenship, as a class, we had several debates and thorough discussions regarding digital equity in the classroom. Growing up in western Wake County, there were very few situations in which my classmates lacked access to a device, or at least it appeared that way. So either my teachers did a really good job of ensuring digital equity, or every single one of my peers had access to technology. Regardless, that may not always be the case. This lack of digital equity is known as the digital divide.
What is digital equity?
According to ISTE, digital equity is “about making sure students have equal access to technology like devices, software and the internet, and that they have trained educators to help them navigate those tools.”
Why digital equity?
In that same ISTE article, Terry Godwaldt, director of programming at the Center for Global Education in Canada said, “A lack of digital access is a lack of access to education period.” One day we had a debate about the following topics:
- Due to the digital nature of society in the 21st century, all citizens should be provided access to the internet–especially students, who will need to be prepared for productive citizenship. VS. Due to the digital nature of society in the 21st century, all citizens should be provided access to the internet–especially students, who will need to be prepared for productive citizenship.
- To be fully prepared to compete in the global economy, students need all of their teachers to regularly use technology to have them communicate, collaborate, create, and critically think. VS. To be fully prepared to compete in the global economy, students need all of their teachers to regularly use technology to have them communicate, collaborate, create, and critically think.
My group was responsible for researching the argument: To be fully prepared to compete in the global economy, students need all of their teachers to regularly use technology to have them communicate, collaborate, create, and critically think. To be honest, the opposing group brought up really great arguments because not every single teacher HAS to use technology. However, for the most part, I think it is critical that teachers use technology because it does, in fact, prepare students and encourages communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.
Now that I’ve gone over what digital safety and equity are and how they relate to our class discussions and activities, I want to focus on how I will address these issues in my classroom!
Digital safety is something that I want both my students and my students’ parents to be mindful of. I think at the beginning of the year I’d like to have students interact with my digital citizen virtual poster. Because I am planning to teach at the lower elementary school level, I hope to limit the amount of technology that requires student login information, for simplicity purposes. However, I do expect to use programs like Class Dojo and Seesaw, in which students will have accounts. Commonsense.org has several resources to use for lessons on digital citizenship and safety. I would likely also show a video like the one below to address this topic in a light-hearted way that will engage students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzD8cG5BhKM
In addition to that video, Brain Pop has a whole page with games, quizzes, videos, and activities related to internet safety. This is definitely a resource I plan on taking advantage of at the beginning of the school year. But I also recognize the importance of refreshing these topics throughout the year to ensure students are constantly being reminded of these tips. I will likely print out posters to hang around the class and tape to the iPad/computer carts to act as a constant reminder. Unfortunately, it is impossible for me to control everything students can see on the internet, especially at home, so it is my job to encourage safe and responsible use of technology. I look forward to designing lessons and incorporating all of these resources into my classroom to ensure safe and responsible technology use.
Although I have limited control regarding students’ access to technology, I do have control over how I use it in the classroom. However, I plan on advocating for the 1:1 Initiative here in Wake County so that access is not an issue within the classroom. Unfortunately, that is not something that can happen overnight given the enormous size of the county and as a result of that the massive amount of money needed for something like that. I think the digital divide is something that all teachers must be aware of when planning lessons; we should all be advocating for digital equity. This PowerSchool article does an excellent job suggesting ideas to narrow the digital divide within the classroom.
https://www.powerschool.com/resources/blog/teachers-can-narrow-digital-divide-classrooms/
I feel like this article really emphasizes all of the points I have been making! I really like the part about developing lesson plans with bad access in mind. I’ve been in school long enough to realize technology doesn’t always work, so it’s really critical to have a backup plan, but there should also always be an alternative to an assignment using technology. I never ever want to make a student feel singled out because of their lack of access. Because of that, I will have to be very intentional when planning lessons that use technology.
I look forward to fostering a classroom environment that promotes these ideas! I am very excited about all of the technology I’ve experimented with throughout this course. Since this is my last official post, I want to encourage you to advocate for digital equity and equity in the classroom in general! Thank you! – Caitlin
