My Digital Footprint

Danielle's Digital Footprint

Ever stop to think of where you've been? How about where you've been on the internet? You leave footprints on every search inquiry, online payment center, or community in the "online world". You would be surprised at where your information goes after you visit a simple website such as Pinterest.

Above is my digital footprint of just SOME of the places I have visited online in my lifetime. Watch the video below to see where you could be leaving your digital footprint without you even knowing.

Things that make you go hmm...right? It really gets you thinking. The internet is a great resource but just like when crossing the street, you need to be safe. Easy suggestions like when entering personal information, make sure that the website URL reflects a https://, which ensures a layer of security, especially on wi-fi networks.

Curious about how to create your own digital footprint? After watching Digital Dossier, I challenge you to think of  at least 10 words you would include in your digital footprint and then visit Tagxedo.

BYOD: Bring Your Own Device

Week #3 Literature Review

Have you ever asked a child a question? If you have, you know the moment you give that child the spotlight, they'll tell you everything you need to know and more. For example, take the recent AT&T commercials found on TV. A business man asks a group of children a simple question and their responses turn into memorable advertisements, genius!

In class this week, I asked my students to imagine a world without electricity. My plan was to discuss and create circuits, however the thought of not having electricity quickly provoked the "deer in the headlights look" on all of my students. While my question was hypothetical, their concern was real. I decided to take this opportunity to talk about how much we rely on this resource. My third grade student George slowly raised his hand and asked "what about my iPod"? This thought spread throughout the class like wildfire and questions were thrown at me faster than I could answer them. Nintendo DS', iPads, iPhones were all of concern for my students, not the fact that they wouldn't have running water or lights in their home. Our children are so "tech savvy". Even my three year old nephews know how to use their pointer finger and thumb to change the screen size on my smartphone. So why are we not taking advantage of this in the classroom? 

According to Alice Armstrong, a former eighth grade English teacher of 18 years, "technology is transforming students into explorers and teachers into guides". Her article cites that "Despite the impressive numbers of middle school students using laptops, smartphones, and tablets for homework, the study found that very few are using these mobile devices in the classroom" (Armstrong, p.40). Upon reading this article, I found myself getting defensive and making up excuses on why technology isn't always the answer. I mean come on, why would I let my students use their cellphones in class? That would distract them from the lesson I'm trying to teach them! I have come to realize that I'm just like the educators in Armstrong's article. Here I am, an enrichment educator and even one of our company policies is the following: Gum, electronics, cell phones will not be allowed in  class (in accordance with school policy). I've spent so much time enforcing policies to better my students and their experience, that I could actually be prohibiting their learning experience. 

No technology, school policy!

The further I explored Armstrong's article, understanding started to seep in. Armstrong suggests that "Utilizing tablets, smartphones, and whiteboards to encourage students to explore the Internet as a legitimate resource and to collaborate with other students or teachers can engage their students in ways that lectures and textbooks do not (p.41). However, what happens if our teachers are not up to date with the latest technologies? Again Armstrong counters my roadblocks. A place still exists for "traditional" teaching tools and methods, but that place is much smaller than it was 10 or even five years ago (p.41). She also agrees that these tools do not magically solve all of the problems that classroom teachers face. Everything comes with challenges but these are challenges that we must face head on. It would be nice if we could rely on our school districts to provide faculty with effective training and technical support. 

My maximum class size is usually 25 students. However since I'm a Science Enrichment Educator, my class is open to grades one through five. Keeping them ALL on task can definitely be a challenge. You have Sophia who is a great listener and Ty who relates better to pictures, trying to engage both of these learners is difficult. However, if you find that one question that will keep the conversation going, your new problem will be getting them to stop talking. There have been many times where I did not know an answer to a students question. Science is always changing and I'm at the mercy of the school's resources to find the answer. How nice would it be to have a "wired classroom" and allow the students to find out their own answers? Or use a SMART board to draw an interactive diagram? Nice isn't the right would, it would be downright amazing. 

SMART Board Technology

You know what else would be amazing? Parent involvement.  I've had numerous phone conversations with parents who claim their love of science and how they encourage it in their child's lives. Don't get me wrong, I think this is wonderful. However, I'm talking about having our parents be "tech savvy" to better our students. In a study done by the Orange County Department of Education, Christine Olmstead had a goal to determine whether emerging technologies facilitate better parent-teacher communication and parent involvement (Olmstead p.28). We don't need a study to know that parent involvement has a positive impact on a child. However, Olmstead's article brings forth a new idea, a different aspect to technology in the classroom. 

So how do parents become and stay involved in their child's academic career? The study revealed that parents and teachers both place a high value on proactive parent involvement (p.28). Positive interactions between home and school provide students with an understanding that school is important (p.29). All of my students have 15 minutes between the end of school and the beginning of class. While some of my students choose to have a quick snack, the majority of them take the opportunity to complete their homework. There have been many times where I'm summoned to help with a math problem or spelling test during this short break. I've even seen my friends begging for help with their second graders math homework on Facebook. 

Helping children with homework is fun!- Said no parent ever

Helping children with homework, studying for tests, and helping with questions about assignments are proactive types of involvement (p.36). Online textbooks, links to educational websites that include games or videos, and teacher websites provide parents with the resources that they need to engage in their children’s learning at home (p.30). I found additional technologies, such as Remind101, ClassPager, and Google Voice, allow parents to have bi-directional communication as well. These online programs allow educators and parents to have instant communication, which are accessible via computer or mobile device. Here's the extra cool part, they're free. 

How often do we receive an email with the signature line stating "sent from my iPhone?". We're constantly connected and sadly not utilizing all technology has to offer us. Technology allows for communication between parents and the school to be a two way street. I would welcome any parent with a concern for their child's education with open arms. 

While my students may not be able to bring electronics to class, I still can. I want my student to have every opportunity to learn and be a part of their education. So, while I further my education, my goals have slightly changed. When you roadblock your own goals and ideas, your two way street becomes a dead end. It's time I start following Alice Armstrong's advice and allow myself to welcome technology and be a guide so that my students are allowed to be explorers. 

Works Cited:

Armstrong, A. (2014). Technology in the classroom: It's not a matter of 'if,' but 'when' and 'how'. The Education Digest,79(5), 39-46. 

Olmstead, C. (2013). Using technology to increase parent involvement in schools. TechTrends, 57(6), 28-37

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

Whether you're here to get credit for class or just want to share your opinion on my posts, welcome! Here you will find my responses to articles required for my graduate degree and things I'd like to share with the world. 

While you are welcome to use "freedom of speech", please be courteous to all participants on this blog! 

I look forward to hearing from you!

Danielle