Comments on: Digital Citizenship or whatever you want to call it…what to do about it

By: Our students and digital citizenship « Catholic Education Parramatta Learnscope Team

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 01:17:20 +0000

[...] about, form opinions on, and embed into their teaching practice. Dean Shareski’s recent blog post Digital Citizenship or whatever you want to call it …what to do about it is a great snapshot of some recent conversations – and it is a terrific way to begin to get a [...]

By: Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech » Blog Archive » Can a Fat Man teach P.E.?

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:00:29 +0000

[...] digital citizenship discussions have been intriguing and have been teaching me quite a bit. The issue I deal with is whether or [...]

By: Stephen Downes

Stephen Downes — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:30:58 +0000

> 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.

By: Dean Shareski

Dean Shareski — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 01:13:33 +0000

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.

By: Stephen Downes

Stephen Downes — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:26:24 +0000

> 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.’…

By: Amy Bowllan

Amy Bowllan — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:09:49 +0000

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.

By: Justin Scott

Justin Scott — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 01:22:21 +0000

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”.

By: Weblogg-ed » “Participatory Media Education and Civic Education are Inextricable”

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:10:13 +0000

[...] Rheingold has a chapter just out (.pdf) in the latest McArthur Foundation series “Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth” where he writes the following: I propose that learning to use blogs, wikis, digital [...]

By: Dean Shareski

Dean Shareski — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 02:03:12 +0000

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.

By: Diigo express 12/09/2007 | Le guide des égarés.

Diigo express 12/09/2007 | Le guide des égarés. — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 14:32:17 +0000

[...] Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech » Blog Archive » Digital Citizenship or whatever you want to cal… [...]

By: diane

diane — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 23:38:52 +0000

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.

By: Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:35:07 +0000

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.

By: Ewan McIntosh

Ewan McIntosh — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 10:46:49 +0000

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…