There was so many informative concepts in chapter 3. This chapter talked a lot about research in the science of learning. How teaching is organized around four different learning theories. How technology can aid with problem solving and critical thinking for students of all ages. One concept that I thought was something important to reflect on was Internet Literacy and its importance for students. I will also reflect on group work and digital citizenship.
There is so much stuff on the web these days good and bad. Having students access the web they really need to grasp an understanding that not all things are true. With information literacy and internet literacy they can do just that. Information literate students can go through information and realize the difference between persuasive Information sources, objective sources, and satirical sources. If a student can’t decipher between these they can become overwhelmed. Making it hard for them to be good critical thinkers. Internet literacy branches off of Information literacy. What many students do these things is believe whatever they see on the web. That’s why it’s so important to be internet literate. When a student is internet literate they can go through websites finding real information that is relevant to their assignment.
Group work was a concept I wanted to talk about because I remember being in middle school and loved when we had group work. For me group work was a time to talk with your friends while getting your work done. I could easily get help on a part of the assignment I didn’t understand. It also made it okay to not understand something because if one person didn’t get it usually more people didn’t get it as well. Technology sets up great opportunities to work in groups. It takes the teacher from being the focal point and lets the students take on different roles. Collaborating with my peers was something that I enjoyed and I know many other students enjoyed doing as well. I wasn’t much of a speaker so I could choose to take notes. “Delegating authority in an instructional task is making students responsible for specific parts of their work”, sociologist Elizabeth Cohen stated. Technology allows group work to initiate a lasting learning experience among peers.
Digital citizenship extends the concept of citizenship to all aspects of the digital experience. Broken down in 3 parts with a total of nine elements digital citizenship is now an important part of the school curriculum. When you post certain things online it’s subject to copyright protection. Just like other copy right laws of plagiarisms they also extend online as well. As a digital citizen you have the responsibility of being ethical online and rejecting material that may get you in trouble. When students access material online at school teachers have to teach students how to give credit where credit is due and then it’s up to a student to be truthful.
I think a lot of teachers do fail to teach students the right way site sources and it has become harder for the student, myself as well to find the author or publisher of a website or of different information online. I think we as people have gotten into a nasty habit of taking things online and just putting them wherever we need them without giving a second thought of who created this image, poem, or whatever the case may be. Digital citizenship is our rights to be able to express ourselves online but we also have to have respect for other citizens online and the information they post. Group work is something I enjoyed as a student growing up. I think with all the new technology the world haves now it’s even a better experience than before. Internet literacy I think is one of the most important concepts I’ve talked about because we as learners and educators have to get educated on online information. It’s not all real or helpful and people are becoming too gullible with research they find online. You have to research the research to make sure its real factual information.
This was actually in our book about how The university of Connecticut and Clemson University created a website with a fake animal. If you read the comments below the video some people believe it or are confused about it. This is one of the reason its important to be internet literate.
Resources:
Maloy, Robert, Verock-O’Loughlin,Ruth-Ellen, Edwards, Sharon A., and Woolf, Beverly Park (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
"Save the Tree Octopus." YouTube. N.p., 15 Nov. 2008. Web. 28 Jan. 2015
You provide some great documentation for increasing the focus on digital citizenship and information literacy - some of my favorite areas of importance, too! I don't think there's a 'magic bullet' whereby one solution fits all and I do believe that it involves a continuing conversation between adults (parents/teachers) and children. When the internet came around, it was brand new territory and it didn't come with an instructional manual, so we all have made mistakes and learned along the way!
ReplyDeleteSo funny that you found a Save the Tree Octopus video - it almost seems real, right? One more reason to increase teaching in critical thinking and problem solving. :)