Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world
Social Responsibility
Education can provide students with the knowledge needed to help them become citizens within the world. Educators work to build a students academic and citizen development. Social responsibility helps us to prepare students to have a worldview that is broader and allows them to see the world without divisiveness. A students digital footprint shows what they do on the Internet and what they do on social media will be around forever. People from colleges, employers and future children can search a name and find information about that person. “Simply put, a digital footprint is the record or trail left by the things you do online. Your social media activity, the info on your personal website, your browsing history, your online subscriptions, any photo galleries and videos you have uploaded — essentially, anything on the Internet with your name on it. Digital natives like today’s students rarely think twice about putting their names on things online, so their footprints can be pretty wide” (Boyle,2019). Implementing practices that make students feel safe and that there is equity within the classroom can help to make sure that the students are successful in school and in life. Teachers have an ability to help motivate their students to have confidence and giving them instructions about their responsibility to being great digital citizens. “Over the past few decades, we have experienced the creation, expansion and assimilation of the digital world. There was the digital world, which was accessible to a limited demographic, and the real world in which we all lived. Through the rapid expansion of wired and wireless data combined with the explosion of devices capable of connecting to this network, we now live in a new reality that contains both the digital and the real world” (Crockett-Watanbe,2018).
Digital media is changing how students are engaging in interactions with peers and others. The use of digital tools is giving students the chance to become engaged in their society and the global world.
Boyle, J. (2020, January 23). 12 Tips For Students To Manage Their Digital Footprints. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/11-tips-for-students-tomanage-their-digital-footprints/
Watanabe-Crockett, L. (2018, March 22). What is a Global Digital Citizen and Why Does the World Need Them? Retrieved August 18, 2020, from https://medium.com/future-focused-learning/what-is-a-global-digital-citizen-and-why-does-the-world-need-them-8b94ace7803
Digital Privacy
The use of technology tools and apps make it a lot easier for students and educators to cooperate, create and share their idea easily. When technology is used, data and at times personal information is collected by the educator or by school districts. This data can be used to build plans for students and to get to know them. With this being said, educators are still expected to protect students to help them learn. With the use of technology student and educator data is now shared through different educational services. Students attendance, grades, behaviors, health and Individualized Education Plans (IEP) are now available online and can be shared through these services. “Traditionally, student data consisted of things like attendance, grades, discipline records, and health records. Access to that data used to be restricted to the administrator, guidance counselor, teacher, or other school official who needed it to serve the educational needs of the child. With the use of technology in schools, traditional data is now often shared with companies that provide Student Information Systems (SIS), Learning Management Systems (LMS), and many other technologies”( Gallagher, Magid, & Pruitt, 2020). Data privacy is a part of security of data that looks at the proper handling of data and how it is used, collected and maintaining compliance.
Teachers should remember the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) that protects student information from being released or shared without their parents consent. This applies to certain information and there is some information that can be shared. “The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that applies to districts and schools that receive federal funding. It forbids schools from disclosing student information without parental consent, but it has limitations: it only applies to certain types of student information and there are exceptions which can be exploited. The law is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education, which can cut off funding to noncompliant schools”( Gebhart, Oliver, Wang, Harmon, Ochoa, Cope& Maass, 2017). Students educational records and information that identifiable is protected by this law. Student information is also protected when they are using school devices and using personal information.
Protecting students is an important part of being an educator. Students do not always realize that there information is being shared through digital platforms. With the help of educators explaining laws and information with their students and their parents, safer internet practices.
Gallagher, K., Magid, L., & Pruitt, K. (2020, June 11). The Educator's Guide to Student Data Privacy. Retrieved August 10, 2020, from https://www.connectsafely.org/eduprivacy/
Gebhart, G., Oliver, L., Wang, M., Harmon, E., Ochoa, C., Cope, S., & Maass, D. (2017, November 14). Legal Overview: Key Laws Relevant to the Protection of Student Data. Retrieved August 10, 2020, from https://www.eff.org/issues/student-privacy/legalanalysis
Digital Citizenship
Digital citizenship is a person’s responsibility with the use of technology whether it is the use of a computer, internet services or digital devices to help them engage with their society on any level. “The role of digital citizenship in the educational system is to provide a means to help students understand how to use technology in a safe and appropriate manner. Some of the crucial skills that students need in order to navigate the digital world effectively include: finding reliable information online, detecting suspicious content, being aware of privacy policies with information collected online, and taking advantage of what technology offers by participating in a responsible way with others worldwide” (Hui and Campbell,2018). Teaching digital citizenship is an important topic that should be taught to all students. With the ever-changing world of technology, the increase has made a world where we are more dependent on the internet and the use of technology in our day to day activities. With this, it is making it more important than ever to teach digital citizenship.
Teaching digital citizenship is one of the best ways to help in the decrease of inappropriate behaviors at school. Students will be able to ask themselves if they would say their statement to a person in front of them or only when they are on social media. Help children to understand that kindness matters in every interaction they have—whether in person or virtual. Have your child consider this important question before sharing anything online: “Would you say this to a person if they were standing next to you?”(Bright Horizons, 2019). When students become good digital citizens, they will be able to use the internet with more self-awareness and a better sense of how they should interact with others.
Bright Horizons. (2019). Teaching Internet Safety and Digital Citizenship to Kids. Retrieved August 4, 2020, from https://www.brighthorizons.com/family-resources/teaching-internet-safety-and-digital-citizenship-to-kids
Hui, B., & Campbell, R. (2018). Discrepancy between Learning and Practicing Digital Citizenship. Journal of Academic Ethics, 16(2), 117-131. doi:10.1007/s10805-018-9302-9
Learning Culture
A learning culture is a group of values, processes and practices that are taken from outside of the school or classroom and brought inside. When a culture of learning is used, it will help to encourage students and other staff members to develop their own knowledge and ability. “What your students think about themselves and what they believe they are capable of are part of their thinking habits. Some of these habits have been formed in their home environments. Your thinking habits are part of your classroom, as well” (Lynch,2019). The students and teachers have high expectations to help them have and continue to value learning and hard work.
When there is a learning culture that encourages everyone to do their best and continually work on themselves, they will be able to help one another stay motivated in their learning and better themselves. Working in a classroom that is welcoming and has a safe feeling for the students can help build the solid foundation for better learning. “A warm and responsive classroom culture is essential because, like all of us, students need to feel safe and valued in order to thrive” (Pandolpho,2019). If a student does not feel like they belong within the classroom, they can have a major obstacle in their education. A classroom that is positive can help to empower the students to experience a higher level of learning.
Lynch, M. (2019, January 11). Create a culture of learning in your classroom. Retrieved July 13, 2020, from https://www.theedadvocate.org/create-a-culture-of-learning-in-your-classroom/
Pandolpho, B. (2019, October 01). How New Teachers Can Create a Welcoming Classroom. Retrieved July 13, 2020, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-new-teachers-can-create-welcoming-classroom
Social Responsibility
EDUC 639
It is important as a teacher to show social responsibility within the school building and outside of the school. This includes acting in a manner that helps to show their best interests of their environment and society as a whole. “Responsibility is the ability that people possess to respond effectively and adequately toward their behaviors, in a way that the person adjusts to those norms that set all social behaviors” (Carbonero, Martín-Antón, Otero & Monsalvo, 2017). We should nurture our students, welcome all students and create a safe learning space for all students. Teachers are able to have a powerful influence on their students attitudes, thinking and their beliefs of themselves. Our students need to understand that they have dreams and aspirations that they can reach with motivation. Students should know their dreams and learn how to accomplish their goals. With motivation, students will learn how to push forward and have an understanding that hard work helps them reach their goals. “Tell them that nothing in life comes without hard work and assign specific tasks to them which they need to complete before getting their reward. Make your kid aware that there are children around the world who have limited access to even basic needs such as water and food and therefore they should not take what they have for granted but should be thankful for the same and should work hard for all the things want” (Donate Your Sweat,2017). Students can learn at a young age that things are not handed to them and they will have to work hard to get what they want. Students can build the skills needed to help them succeed in school and outside of school. Teachers can be the greatest motivators and should use their relationships with their students to help them achieve great success.
References
Carbonero, M. A., Martín-Antón, L. J., Otero, L., & Monsalvo, E. (2017). Program to Promote Personal and Social Responsibility in the Secondary Classroom. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00809
Parenting Tips To Raise A Socially Responsible Child. (2017, November). Retrieved July 3, 2020, from https://donateyoursweat.org/blog/parenting-tips-to-raise-a-socially-responsible-child/