With new information and apps coming at us at lightening speed, how do we teach learners to "self" regulate, when we as adults struggle?
As I read through the comments from my Blog, I have a clearer understanding of our role as educators to help our learners become better "Global" citizens. Just as a health teacher teaches appropriate nutrition for a better life, we should also teach our learners the same about technology. What is too much and how can they use it for good and not evil. With new information and apps coming at us at lightening speed that are suppose to make our lives easier, but do they? We can order food, groceries, shoes, clothes, post pictures and stories to our social media and even talk/Facetime someone anywhere anytime! Does this really make our life easier or does it complicate it more?
I believe like one of my fellow bloggers said: Information consumption should be supported with taught skills, so that our learners are better informed. We as educators should teach data literacy like they teach health and nutrition, to help them be more mature educated community participants. FCPS has a "digital Eco" system, but is there time to research, explore and find what fits into your classroom, with the high stakes testing of the SOLs? We are always asked to do "one more thing" when our plate is already full, and getting new information during a one hour professional development class and then asked to incorporate it in your classroom, is confusing and overwhelming.
I believe that teachers need the autonomy to incorporate what is age appropriate, with topic interest so that our learners will continue to use the skills as they become "Global Citizens"
I would be a huge fan of students having to take a 1/2 semester course on these topics to earn some sort of digital literacy and/or global citizenship certification--just as they have to pass the WISE test for the now mandatory Personal Finance and Economics semester electives. While I think it is important for all teachers to incorporate these skills in their curriculum, it is difficult to know who is teaching what and when (or if there's no instruction being done at all). My school does not have a hard and fast mandate that we teach certain DigCit lessons at certain points during the year; it's an individual teacher determination. Digital citizenship should be a year-round initiative--not just during the month of October. Agreed with you that it seems like "one more thing," which is why I think a lot of teachers don't pay attention to teaching these specific skills. If we keep assuming that students have learned this in previous years, the next graduating classes will continue to be lacking in the PICKLE skills.
ReplyDeleteI agree a 100%, I watched this with my son when he was in high school. Every teacher from 8th grade til his junior year kept blaming the teacher before, until I threatened litigation!!! Just think what parents that are not teachers ASSUME?
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