Teachers and Social Networking

I have actually googled myself before to see what I could find. I’m not really surprised by what I found. Most of the matches with my name are from college water polo articles or from volunteering at the children’s hospital. As google runs out of matches for my first name it matches my last name to my cousin’s last name and sports articles about them.
As I went through the google search I double checked the settings on my facebook and made sure everything was set to private. I understand that it’s important how I present myself to my students. I have already been exposed to this as a coach. I don’t allow my athletes to be ‘friends’ with me on facebook. While some of my friends might be joking with posts or pictures I’m aware that it isn’t always appropriate for my kids.

I think that teachers should be held to higher standards. They are supposed to be setting an example for their students. I’m not saying it’s fair, I just think that if expect kids make good choices then so should we. However, I think that there should be some sort of privacy. Teachers do deserve some space and people must remember that teachers are human and everyone makes mistakes.

In order to protect myself and my job I’m going to remember teachers live under a magnifying glass and I will try to make wise choices.

Stop Cyberbullying

I thought this was a good resourse for cyberbullying.

http://www.stopcyberbullying.org

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is when someone tries to intimidate, harass, or torment another person via the internet, text messages, social network sites, or some sort of media.

I personally have never been a part of cyberbullying but I recognize the negative effects and will do everything I can as a teacher to rid my classroom of it.

         Cyberbullying is an issue hard for schools to deal with, it can happen off of school grounds and it’s hard to see. I feel that if my students are being hurt it is my duty regardless of location to help them. I think that the effects of cyberbullying are similar to that of regular bullying. Students may become withdrawn or appear to be sad or depressed, I feel that it is important as a teacher to step in and help out. If a student is being noticeably hurt by cyberbullying then by law the school must help out. Parental abuse doesn’t generally happen on school grounds but teachers are required to say something, I think it should be the same anytime a student is seriously in trouble.

         At the beginning of the year as a teacher I would go over my no tolerance of cyberbullying policy. I would lay out the consequences of their actions should a student choose to cyberbully. I would also make a class discussion of it, so students can understand how hurtful it can feel and what a toll it takes on their peers’ lives. Like any other issue in the classroom I would deal with it on an individual or group basis depending on the situation. I would hope that after we discuss the implications of cyberbullying in class I wouldn’t have to deal with it.

Copyright Reflection

After looking at different copyright laws, I am now aware that they are much more complicated than I previously thought. I didn’t know that if I bought or rented a movie I couldn’t show it in the classroom even if I wasn’t charging students to see it. I also didn’t know that you had to get permission to use certain written works. I did learn that Disney has very strict use laws and that surprised me, it seems like they just want money for everything when they try to portray themselves as a very kid friendly company.

         I think that copyright laws originally had very good intentions of protecting creators. It seems as if they now go a bit overboard. I understand that people want to get paid for their work, but when does it all become too much? It seems that they have a specific rule for all occasions. Schools aren’t looking to make money off of the materials they use, teachers are just trying to help students learn. As copyright laws become more and more rigid, creative teaching becomes increasingly limited.

         It’s hard to stay up on fair use and copyright laws, as teachers we must work hard to ensure we are following the laws and our schools are protected. We can do this by reading the rules and staying up to date on them. Teachers can also speak with their peers to ensure they are current with fair use and copyright. I think it’s important that the districts do their part in making sure teachers have the right permission and schools fees are paid. Copyright and fair use laws can be confusing, but if everyone works together to stay on the same page then teachers, classrooms, and school districts should be protected.

         I will ensure copyright is followed in my classroom by making the kids aware of the laws. We’ll go over what is permissible and what cannot be used. These copyright laws don’t just apply to the classroom and our students need to be prepared for the future.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!! My name is Kacie and I am currently enrolled in the MAT program at Concordia University in Portland. I look forward to becoming a middle school math and science teacher. One of my favorite animals is the manatee.

Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants

There is a great difference between digital natives and digital immigrants, but I don’t feel like everyone has to fit in one category or the other. Digital natives are those who have spent their lives surrounded by increasingly sophisticated technology and are completely affluent in the digital world. “They have spent their entire lives surrounded by and using computers, videogames, digital music players, video cams, cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age” (Prensky, 2001). Digital immigrants are those who were not born into the digital universe but have adapted to new technology. “Those of us who were not born into the digital world but have, at some later point in our lives, become fascinated by and adopted many or most aspects of the new technology” (Prensky, 2001). I fit somewhere towards digital native I’m completely comfortable with technology but I have not lived my entire life in the digital world. I notice characteristics of both digital immigrants and digital natives that I can relate to.

There is a major difference between technology I used in high school and the technology I employed in college. Technology advanced greatly between the time I was a freshman in high school and the moment I graduated from college. The computer course I took when I was in ninth grade was a simple typing course probably not challenging enough for a second grader now. In college level computer courses I learned how to program my own webpages, internet navigation, and some graphic design. There is a stark difference in the speed and complexity of the computers available at relative times. I got my first computer when I was in high school and dial up internet was used, in college they had high speed and were just putting in wireless internet servers. I think with advancing technologies lessons can become more interesting. There are so many new and innovative ways to present information. As instructors we must be aware of the impact technology can have on a classroom, “the single biggest problem facing education today is that our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language” (Prensky, 2001).

These articles haven’t really changed my mind about using technology. I feel like if anything it has strengthened my belief that we as teachers should incorporate it into their classrooms as much as possible. We are living in an increasingly digital world and to not prepare our students for that reality is providing them a great disservice.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, 9 (5).