Internet Saftey, Digital Citizenship, Information Literacy, all point in a similar direction. Helping kids be smart,safe and good. Remove the digital part and we’ve been doing this for years. But after the following exchanges, I’m a little confused:
- Alec Couros’ post followed by:
- Will Richardson’s take and
- Vicki Davis’ post responded to by:
- Tom Hoffman and
- Stephen Downes and
- Vicki Davis’ comment
In order to fully participate in this conversation,you’ll need go and read those posts.
So part of me thinks, “Hey, why do we need to address this in our schools anymore than we’ve addressed behaviour and morals in an offline context? Is it really that different? After spending time with Alec and the research he’s done, I do understand that digitally the implications and speed at which things travel does make some difference, but as Stephen Downes states:
The vile content – and it most certainly is vile – is neither new nor original. And it’s not the kids that are creating it.
As Stephen goes on to say, it’s kids modeling what they see. And even as I write this, I’m watching a story on 20/20 about meanness and completely validates Stephen’s premise about adults doing the vile acts. The media loves this and eats it up creating fear and uproar and has the public looking for scapegoats and something to blame.
I posted a while back that I wasn’t sure we needed to distinguish between bullying and cyberbullying. I still feel this way. We know that good and bad isn’t predicated because of technology. Like learning, technology simply accelerates it.
I remember a few years back schools were asked to teach kids Social Skills in a very contrived regimented format. Good and well meaning ideas but out of context and I’m not sure how effective it was. We don’t use that program anymore but we haven’t stopped talking about things like, how to speak to adults, how to respond when a fight breaks out, or how to join a game on the playground. We recognize many kids come to school with little or no social skills and schools hopefully do their best to address this along side academic goals. Many schools put this front and center and understand that learning may not matter if social skills aren’t in place.
So where does it leave us? As educator’s should we simply carry on and talk about the digital issues the same way we talk about offline issues and morals? Do we need something distinct? Should it be mandated? Even as Vicki asked Stephen Downes and Tom Hoffman, “what do we call it if not Digital Citizenship?” I’m wondering too. As a leader in my school district and teachers and administrators looking for answers and directions, how should we respond if at all?
One of the simplest suggestions I’ve handed out lately is talk to your kids. Whether you’re a parent or teacher, engage in conversations about behaviour, morals, ethics, compassion and social justice. Good teachers have been doing this for a long time
Technorati Tags: digitalcitizenship, aleccouros, stephendownes, tomhoffman, vickidavis, willrichardson, cyberbullying
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I agree with you entirely on the grounds that online meanness is no different to F2F meanness, but just that it happens a little faster and a little more publicly than before. This is good. At least adults are seeing what had been going on behind the bike sheds for years! This is still a set of attitudes that has to be instilled in those that don’t have a good enough working knowledge of the web, though. Educare, educare, educare…
We teach kids to stop, drop, and roll. With careers, lives, college admissions, and life often being influenced profoundly by the content posted by students, students should be intentionally educated on these things. Students don’t form opinions unless they are given thought provoking discussions on it.
We don’t TELL students what to believe, but we should make them consider and think about it so they will be prepared when they are at such digital crossroads in their lives. I teach it every day. And my students tell me it is important. I know it is important.
People who are in the classroom know this is a deficiency in today’s students. People not in the classroom may have a different take but then again, do they daily look in the eyes of students? I think we need to listen to teachers and what they are saying and stop ignoring that there is a problem.
Many students are not held accountable for their actions at home. Schools need to be sure that serious infractions such as bullying – including cyber bullying – are dealt with firmly and consistently.
Good citizens know the “laws” and the repercussions for breaking these laws. We need to establish norms for decent behavior in all areas of life. Cyberspace should not exist outside the realm of responsible citizenship.
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Vicki and Diane,
I agree with you both but I still wonder how or where it fits? Most of us now agree that technology shouldn’t be taught as a separate component but rather embedded to the point of seamlessness.
Perhaps this is different, but again, ethics, morals and decency should be embedded in all we do.
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FWIW from a relative newcomer to this whole school2.0 concept: I had a half hour conversation with one of my history classes about how to critique one another’s work (they’re all supposed to blog their notes, homework, etc.). I gave them a structured approach with clear guidelines. I then assigned each person a partner to critique (via comments on their blogs), and away they went. Finally, I asked them to email me a reflection of the process. Considering the group I was working with, I was blown away at how well they handled it. And the emails I got from them were highly positive; they all want more of this type of thing. I guess this is my small contribution to the education of good “digital citizens”.
Kids today are hiding behind the keys and screens, so I say take the message to the streets. I would love to see HUGE billboards – like the movie ads – begging kids to “DELETE CYBERBULLYING!” We also need to have a “beefed” up presence on television. I have yet to see Nickelodeon airing PSAs on the topic. imho.
> Even as Vicki asked Stephen Downes and Tom Hoffman, “what do we call it if not Digital Citizenship?” I’m wondering too.
In my response to Vicki’s post here http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2007/12/motivational-monday-non-partisan-basics.html and also posted on my blog here http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2007/12/these-principles.html I suggested the following:
“I have, if you will, in my previous work, defined a set of what might be called ‘social virtues’, as well as a set of what may be called ‘personal virtues’…
“I have described the social virtues in my work on groups and networks. These are the values a society needs to embody in order to function…
“I have also described at length the personal virtues. It is these I think that Richard Dreyfus was discussing: ‘civility, reason, logic, clarity, dissent, and debate.’…
Stephen,
So it’s clear that social virtues, if that’s the term, is important. What I still am struggling with is the context in which it’s taught. Dreyfus seems to be suggesting it ought to be explicitly taught. Many of our best history teachers teach things things in context of history. English teachers often do as well. I’m not debating your conceptualization but m still unsure as to the delivery of the ideas.
You suggest modeling. I would contend that’s the best method and yet when it comes to virtuous behaviour in a digital world, we have few teachers that live there. That’s why suggestions of a directed curriculum seems to be a popular choice. This is the conundrum for me.
> I would contend that’s the best method and yet when it comes to virtuous behaviour in a digital world, we have few teachers that live there.
Well yes, quite so.
But I think even the students will see through the directed curriculum when taught by a teacher that has never set foot online.
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