Photo originally shared by Eric TaubertLast week, blessed with the opportunity to receive an invitation to the Google+ project field test, I dove in head first and began a new social experience with technology gurus from around the world Google+ is a social network akin to Twitter, and Facebook. Google+ is stil in the learning phase. The creators are very interested in feedback and are listening carefully. For example, some of the field testers were concerned with the share button. Everything that is posted could be shared by any receiver and then reshared ad nauseum. Google+ responded within hours and allowed the sharer of a post to disable sharing on their own posts. Compone Accomoda Supera (Improvise, Adapt , Overcome) Watching the changes unfurl over our Independence Day weekend thrilled most users and reminded me that we often have responsibilities for our freedoms.
So what responsibilities do teachers and students have regarding technology in general and social media in particular? Digital Citizens leave tell-tale footprints. Digital Citizens must be aware that colleges and employers are now googling applicants. Steve Johnson, (edtechsteve), a former teacher interested in helping teachers and students utilize digital tools to collaborate, create and publish, created the video “Digital Footprints-Your First Impression” which I share with all of my students at the beginning of the year. This video explains some of the ways citizens leave behind a trail for others to follow and critically interpret. Digital footprints reveal much about a citizen. Are they loyal, honest, trustworthy? Teachers and students need to diligently and consistently work on creating a positive digital footprint. A positive digital footprint starts with the end in sight. Consider personal goals and adapt your digital trail to that goal. Interested in becoming an architect, lawyer or engineer? Begin researching those careers and post positive, insightful comments and questions on wikis, nings, and blogs. Always keep the goal in sight while posting digital content.
Digital Footprints-Your First Impression
Social Media
I read with interest Malcolm Gladwell’s column in The New Yorker, “Does Egypt Need Twitter?”. As an advocate of social media, I do disagree with Mr. Gladwell. It is VERY interesting that the protest continues to be broadcast by print and broadcast media via Twitter. Al Jazeera frequently tweeted live video of Tahirir square . Even today, the Washington Post is using Twitter this morning to access a wider audience for the Q & A with Al Jazeera’s D.C. bureau chief Abderrahim Foukara.
As a high school teacher of digital citizens, social media is the prevalent way students receive the news. If it comes to them, they will read and then follow it if it interests them. Much like my parents received the newspaper and chose to read the articles that interested them. Some students when asked indicated that they learned about the protest in Egypt via YouTube. Some did learn through conversations with their parents who had read the paper, or watched the evening news. Several thought that the NY Times no longer had a print edition. They wondered why print editions still exist if most people use their digital devices to access free versions. It was a fair question for a digital citizen to ask.
I’m not discounting Mr. Gladwell’s point that protests have always existed due to the will of the people. Nick Kristof of the NYTimes is admirably on the front lines in Egypt in and around Tahrir Square and still continuing to tweet about the inspirational spirit of the people involved in the protest. The young, the elderly, the religious, the amputees, the grandparents, the parents and the political are all involved in the protest. Did social media spur them on and give them courage? Did they learn about American students promoting freedom and Democracy for Egypt on Facebook? Digital citizens are learning about the protest through social media in small bytes. So, it is interesting to me that social media is assisting in the process of peace, freedom and democracy.
Ironically, I learned about Mr. Gladwell’s article through Twitter.
Suzanne Rogers
@rogerssuzanne
#sirkenrobinson
Everything Sir Ken Robinson says makes sense to me as a parent, and as a educator. It is completely logical. I’ve shown a variety of his speeches to my classes for rhetorical analysis and inevitably my students become enamored with Sir Ken. Education appears to be something that as a whole is not going well in the US and elsewhere. Or is it? One of my students is from Shanghai. When we reviewed the PISA results he simply shook his head and said that the results could not be correct. His experience in Chinese education informed his opinion.
Should Sir Ken Robinson be appointed as an education czar? Probably. Perhaps we need less (gasp) research based best practices, and allow our teachers to use their common sense regarding teaching the students to meet the NCLB goals. SOMETIMES, the teacher who is with the students day in and day out really does know how to best reach the students and inspire them. Our school’s scores are amazing! Our teachers work long hours to teach and tutor our students. It works, and our test scores prove it!
http://www.lisaacademy.org
