I have been embedding technology in my own teaching and have been exploring different ICT resources which can be used to enhance students' learning.
One of my concerns is how to promote e-safety as well as digital citizenship in pupils. Cyber bullying, use of inappropriate language, waste of time on undesirable sites and plagiarism are rampant and need to be controlled!!
While online interaction and communication has its own merits, I would like to know how to keep a check and balance in this regard. Students, especially teenagers, do waste a lot of time in idle chatting. Moreover, the abbreviated language used in chat rooms is effecting students' use of standard English which is a must in English language assignments/ assessments.
Students are counseled and rules are often set but it is not very easy to monitor the students all the time especially when they have access to a lot of technological tools at home too!



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 27/02/12 07:00 by Rakhshanda Asad.

Very true it is indeed a very difficult exercise .As I deal with learners from early years we need to develop a culture right from the beginning in our learners about what is considered good and bad in the use of technology like we teach them ethos in life . Constant counselling in a positive manner will be helpful and can develop a sense in learners.

I think digital citizenship and responsibility cannot be taught in isolation at school without considering their learning needs, teaching strategies, level of task and involving their parents and community.
I am teaching in secondary school. I have observed that when learners go to ICT lab they want to utilize that time (40 min) for satisfying their urge of gaming, and browsing miscellaneous things. I think it’s difficult to check and reprimand learners all the time. More important is that we change the mindset of learners, parents and community that internet, computer and technology are not only for fun purpose but it can be used for knowledge construction. Internet use is restricted at home; instead parents should join their children as friends, learn its use and become partners of school to overcome this problem. Learner’s needs and interests must be considered. Sometimes teachers are taking learners to ICT lab for open search, without previewing what might appear. I feel that learners sometimes do it for asserting themselves. Learners also distract others and waste time when they are unable to understand and attempt the task.

I think one important goal for the teachers is to instruct children to speak and write acceptable language . The planning and preparation to achieve this goal begins with early childhood education. We should assess the factors that gives rise to cursing language, such as parental attitude, the way children are rewarded or disciplined for cursing etc. We need to develop a responsive code of conduct for the children in pre-school to prepare them for kindergarten, primary and then secondary school.
When it comes to safety on line, our teenagers' main knowledge gap relates to the setting ground rules of what is acceptable behaviour and how technology may be used against them where they could be blackmailed or cyber bullied.
Technology itself can be used as a weapon. It can also be used as a powerful resource of information and putting an end to where the bad behaviour begins.

Hi Rakshanda,
The problem is that of register: students have to be aware of the need for different levels of linguistic response in different settings. Set out some guidelines for appropriate academic use of English - correct punctuation, spelling and grammar; paragraphing; sequencing of ideas; topic development, and so on. Then once a week you could make them work in small groups to assess each others' work based on these criteria.
If you are concerned about online activities at home, then the only thing that you can do is to involve parents: invite them into school for a meeting in which you can outline the problems, and how they can help.
The bottom line is the students' future success. It is worth reminding them that their online history can follow them for the rest of their lives!
Best wishes,
John

Dr J. P. Cuthell

Research and Implementation Director
MirandaNet Academy

john.cuthell@mirandanet.ac.uk

[www.mirandanet.ac.uk]

I am teaching in secondary school at Beaconhouse School System. Learners at my school are using technology since primary i.e. since 8 years. But still they do not abide by the ethics and netiquettes desired for appropriate technology use. Plagirasim (not mentioning sources), password theft, comments at blogs, deleting and tempering files, hacking accounts and deleting others work on interactive forums like mindomo is reported by teachers.

Cuthell's suggestion seems practical, as peer assessment can be done for this purpose. But peer pressure can sometimes distort fact. But criteria and evidence may help. I will definitely try. I need guidance and suggestion how to engage parents and get evidence of their participation and input? Can we give them some checklist or criteria?

Hi Rakshanda,

We need to come up with IT user policies and run IT open days for parents. I am facing similar problems with my students. Yes, the problem is aggrevated if we ask them to do open search. Whenever, pre selected websites are given and the task is well planned and monitored this issue decreases.

I believe we need to reinforce digital rights and responsibilities and I agree with Dr.Cuthell that online history can follow individuals all there life. Probably our learners are not very much aware of their responsibilities. As teachers we need to reinforce this each time we take them to the IT lab.

HiUzma,
You are right that we should arrange some It open days for the awareness of parents.I think first we should also give awareness about digital citizenship to our teachers who are practitioners. In school level to involve parents monthly meeting should be settled or every section parents meeting should arrange.We should involve whole community then might be become part of our culture.I found that many parents are very much reluctant to allow their children to use internet.

Being a teacher of primary class at Beacon house School System I strongly agree with Rukhshanda and am apparent to the fact that the students tend to engage in various unethical activities while operation of technological tools. They seem to get carried away by indulging into cyber bullying, hacking, scything and such other raw conducts. The students have also been fascinated by the abbreviations and slangs, using them in their writings and thus ultimately incorporating such hideous language in routinely conversation too. I think establishing guidelines and using awareness checklists frequently will help developing sence among learners. This could be conducted with a conference with parents and checklists can be designed for both parents and learners. Suggestion be given to maintain some order and to inculcate maturity regarding the seriousness of issues at hand within the learners. It is very simple yet effective strategy to talk with the students about appropriate online behavior.

I agree with all of you because we the classroom practioners evaluate the situation in a more realistic manner. I always involve parents in my ICT integrated programme for my primary school learners. I think when we keep parents informed, things happen in a more planned way. It needs a little informal training of the parents as well to keep them updated with all our strategies. I also involve my learners as my co planner so bringing them on board help me to acheive my objectives. Learners' feedback is in fact very supportive in my re-planning phase. We also need to develop the understanding of building a very strong connection between learning in school and learning at home to keep our learners focused. To minimize the risk of the gap in leaner's learning, parents are the best source.



Edited 3 times. Last edit at 05/03/12 11:10 by Lubna Malik.

Hi Rakshshanda!I have an experience of teachinge teenage students at middle and secondary level.I think we need to take students on board to create awareness among the youth. They can be the best ambassadors for promoting digital citizenship. Kids learn values when they experience them. Allow them to experience helping others and involve them in activities that will expand their creativity.
Kids will tend to rise to the level of expectation you have for them. Their value system will often reflect yours if the expectations are high. We need to Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility.

Dear Samira,

You are so right, we as teachers have to demonstrate digital citizenship if we expect the same from our pupils. Creating awareness about netiquettes and making explicit the consequences of deviating from them should, I feel, be the first step in this endeavour.