Developing technological horizons

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Let's put it this way... when it comes to technology, kids have got it covered. Let's channel their sweet skills into productivity and success! 

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Aus government initiative to educate kids on cyber safety, bullying, and safe internet use. 

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Cyber safety info video for students!

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Cybersafety

Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr... We can actually use EACH of these platforms in schools, in a super positive way. However, let's look at some of the cons. 

This is just an opinion piece about Tumblr, from a user, but it raises some interesting points. Key is the idea of self presentation that Tumblr allows, because Tumblr's main facade is privacy. Tumblr hosts a ton of self harm users who promote/present 'inspiration' for their behaviour, anorexic/bulimic support and inspiration pages, pornographic pages, and generally pro-negative inspiration pages. This is the down-side of Tumblr, and there is a massive upside (and I would personally advocate for it's use in almost any classroom, within guidelines, because hey- the kids are already using it anyway!). The benefit to Tumblr is the possibility for extreme creativity and accessibility between pages. It's the modern 'poster' but with so much more potential. It also allows students to engage in a platform which is UNIVERSALLY VISIBLE. This actually (should) positively impact their own expectations of themselves, and in turn the quality of the content they deliver. It's a lot more inspiring to create something valuable if it's not only your Grade 9 teacher who will ever see it. However, regarding cybersafety, Tumblr and other online interactive sites must be used after an explanation of the dangers... 

Dangers:

- Affects their employability

- Ethical dilemmas: what is private? What is public? 

- Social and criminal issues: everything is accessible, by someone somewhere. 

Students, though hyper-technology aware, may not be aware of the dangers associated with their online behaviour. Because they practice online involvement in the privacy of their home or room doesn't actually mean that it is a private experience. 

Also, here's a 'how to' for new Tumblr uses, made on Tumblr. 

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Let's take a look at what some students think of technology in the future. 

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Blended learning

The internet is a free zone of contact, sharing, communication, information and… documentation. Because the internet is so accessible, and because this is what makes it so valuable, people use this accessibility to share vital information about themselves. Personal information is shared through a variety of sites including Facebook, internet banking sites, YouTube, online blogs and forums, and a myriad of others. The interconnectedness of these sites and spaces however is underestimated, and many do not realise that personal information enables companies, strangers, hackers or ASIO to access and utilise this information. 

This vital information creates high levels of vulnerability, especially in the young, naïve, or uninformed- in a variety of ways. Targeted marketing and ads, targeted links and targeted conversations from potential stalkers or strangers who have ulterior motives and are able to gleen such a variety of information.

Piracy has also been a massive issue since web sharing begun, and 60% of internet activity is taken up through file sharing.

Cyberbullying has a massive impact on young people. Students need to become VERY educated on the implications of their actions online- that online crimes can be equivalent to physical bullying and attacks face to face. 

Another important consideration when looking at blended learning is this... Do the students need the extra screen time? Is it a positive thing to encourage MORE screen time when the students will already no doubt be engaged in excessive amounts of this in their personal time? Similar to video gaming in the classroom, despite it's benefits, it is necessary to limit the screen time of students for their own health.

There is also the chance that students, when engaged in online activities, will be more likely to take part in the kinds of behaviours listed previously as decidedly negative. Just because it is a school forum doesn't mean bullying won't occur. 

This said, there is extreme value to be placed on a resource that allows fully integrated learning, especially in developing programs that can alternatively challenge and accommodate for different learning styles, levels, and skills. It's a superb way of improving overall class engagement and skill. Students, to engage with this effectively, should be educated about the issues they will face online- most of which they will have already come across and formed an opinion on. As in using any resource, it's important to allow the students to self assess and discuss the learning process. 

As Sugatra Mitra explains, a school in the cloud could be a fantastic opportunity for so many... 

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BYOD

Benefits: cost effective, employees enjoy using their own devices, less of a need to constantly update the whole system.

82% of US companies allow employees to use their own devices, and the majority believe it to have positive impacts on motivation. Using personal devices also positively impacts on the interactions between the student, the carers/parents, and the community. This apparently leads to increased parental support. However, it may also disadvantage some students whose parents do not believe these devices to be the key to learning, or find them expensive. Students from low socio-economic backgrounds may find themselves disadvantaged, even by things such as app purchases- which can range from $1 to $100 depending on the app. It is important in such cases to ensure the apps we use as teachers have durability and can be used throughout at least the year.

The most compelling reasons to use a BYOD tactic however seem to be based largely around a desire to ‘keep up’ with the 21st century and develop student skills in the technological area. I have one key issue, personally, with having a tech based classroom approach (and I see a difference between simply using technology in some key lessons/assessments and integrating it into everything, as the lectures seem to imply is necessary). This is that students already know how to use technology- well. They already know their own devices incredibly well and are able to learn new technological information very quickly and apply it fast. As teachers, this isn’t something that is a high priority to be teaching. The lectures on technology have demonstrated this to me- as a young person who grew up with the kind of technology now being described to us as a ‘good teaching tool’ it seems to me obvious the way it can be used and what we can use it for. And I know that many students in year 8, for instance, ALREADY HAVE their own blogs, Tumblr accounts, games, YouTube accounts, google pages accounts… the list is endless. If we have it, they have it, and know how to use it better than we do. I don’t think it’s invaluable to involve technology in the classroom. However it’s not something they don’t already know how to do WELL- so it should be included only where it will truly benefit the learning.  

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Computer games

Gaming... a large percentage of the world and Australia have at some point or do on a regular basis, 'game'. This term has come to be synonymous with adventure, excitement, camaraderie... as well as all nighters, Mother/V, lack of sleep and addiction. 

Integral to the idea of gaming is that of the challenge. This is what makes games so successful, and the greater the balance of challenge, reward, and partial gratification, the more addictive the game can be. As teachers, this can be used as a valuable example- are our classes engaging but constantly challenging? Are they FUN? 

Which forces to attention the key idea of this topic- should games be used in the classroom. The question lies, however, not simply in WHETHER they should be used, but HOW, and most importantly- do the positives outweigh the negatives of gaming? Because there are negatives. Potential addictions to all games (non-educational), the potential for superficial learning, the inability to apply learning in the real world, as well as other supposed issues (some will argue things like attention difficulties and disengagement with 'real learning'). 

The unfortunate thing about computer games is that while they can be a valuable learning tool, there also needs to be a consideration of the negatives associated with extensive screen viewing (the Aus gov. recommends no more than 2 hours per day for high school students... time they no doubt already spend at home). 

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The Internet: all the best things on the web are interactive and they encourage curiosity. They stimulate students and provide them with challenges to explore. The motivation is there because of the option of self gratification (whether this be finding and securing information, or potentially providing a globally accessible resource). Blogs, websites, YouTube, wikis, interactive websites, games, communicative spaces- these are all highly valuable to learning. However, to ensure that DEEP learning occurs web projects must be carefully planned. 

Video: videos, podcasts, mixing their own soundtracks and creating YouTube clips, or simply making vodcasts or type-based videos, using video for drama and English in acting and watching... the list is exhaustive and engaging for students! Video is one of the best ways to allow students to LEARN because the material they present must be sketched, planned, acted, presented, and then edited. 

Projects: there are tons of great projects teachers can allow students to access on the web, 

Internet projects, using the web, and ensuring students are computer literate are hugely important within the 21st century, for their potential as employees, in further education, and in day to day living and virtual communication. Screens are used by students on a day to day hour by hour basis sometimes up to or beyond 6 hours per day outside of school time- it is therefore very important that responsible web practices and tools are taught. I do not think it is valuable however to encourage students to engage too much with technology within the classroom. The negative effect of a high level of screen time on the brain has been shown by various studies, showing potentially harmful effects on the brain as well as personal skills and the negating of hobbies, real life relationships, connection to nature and physical activity. I believe strongly that as teachers we have the right and obligation to use technology and teach it wisely. However, it must not be a fall-back tool or a lazy teacher's aid. Students spend enough time staring at a screen in their loungerooms. They shouldn't do that all day at school as well.

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Teaching for learning

The idea of teachers as learners is one that I’ve resonated with before beginning my degree. The idea of learner is involved in many aspects that are important to anybody who values giving direction or instruction to others. So to be teachers who teach FOR learning, we must learn ourselves. There is this idea of accountability: that the student has a right to hold a teacher accountable for what they do or do not know and understand, as well as professional accountability: to the parents, wider community, school system and the face of Australian education for the future and present. Teachers who learn are given the tools to be dynamic in their field, spiritually, emotionally, technologically, and intellectually. These areas cover those within the Quality Teaching Model and allow the class content to become significant.

Teachers who learn are able to manipulate the content to create valuable learning experiences for their students- one of the main points that I picked up today was in the superior value of experiential elements to education and the need to implement this across subject areas.  

Another key concept in this discussion is that of motivation. 50% of a student’s capacity to do well comes from what that student brings to the subject and their personal perspective. Around 30% is influenced by the teacher. A teacher’s role however clearly extends beyond a standardised result. To properly prepare students for life we teach them to become active learners- and the way to do this is through creating meaningful experiences.  

Because there’s nothing worse than being in a 50 minute class and being 100% bored because you could learn the content in 10 minutes on Wiki.