Phase 3 - Standard 4

   Standard 4: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

                Before this class, I was familiar with the idea of internet safety and had made a point of talking with my children about how the internet is an amazing tool, but that not all the things we find on the internet are good for people.  We made a plan that if they ever came across something that made them feel uncomfortable, they would close the laptop and come tell me right away. We also talked about how they should never give out their name or other personal information online unless they have checked with me first.  I now know that there is much more to the appropriate use of the internet than just safety. 

                Two things that are new to me are the idea of digital citizenship and the Fair Use Act.  I learned that in order to teach good digital citizenship to my students, I will need to include things like realizing that not everyone has access to the same types of technology and that should be treated equally regardless of this.  It includes realizing that just as in face-to-face interactions, the things we say and do on the internet will affect others.  We should be aware of others’ feelings in our digital interactions just as much as in our personal interactions.  I will also need to teach students what kinds of material can be used in what ways, and which are protected by copyright.  This will include teaching students about the Fair Use Act.  I learned that this act specifies certain exceptions to copyright law when the use of a work is not for profit and will not reduce the potential profit of the copyright owner, when the portion of the work used is small when compared to the whole, and the nature of the copyrighted work, for example, thoughts and ideas are protected from copyright and are seen as belonging to the public.  Students should always carefully cite their sources and ask for permission to use works whenever possible.

                I think an effective way of presenting these ideas to students is to prepare a lesson at the beginning of the school year, before students have had a chance to use computers, to cover this information.  I would also have students sign a contract outlining the ways students will need to be responsible in their use of technology. 

                Finally, it is important to address the needs of diverse learners and provide equitable access to technology.  I am not currently familiar with many kinds of adaptive technology, but plan to work closely with all members of a student’s support team to find solutions for children who may have difficulty using the technology I plan to incorporate into my class.  I am willing to adapt lessons and assignments, and will work to be current on the use of technology to meet the needs of all the learners in my class.  I am also sensitive to the reality that not all students will have access to technology at home.  I will not expect students to complete projects at home that require access to a computer and the internet.  Instead, I will provide time in class, or make other arrangements for students to have access to the technology they need.

Phase 3 - Standard 3

Standard 3: Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

An article entitled, “Education needs a digital-update,” by Virginia Hefferman from the NY Times Opinion Page on Aug. 7, 2011, includes an interesting statistic.  Hefferman states that 65% of students now entering elementary school will be doing work as adults that does not exist yet.  This means that we as teachers can not prepare students by giving them a specific set of skills that would be applicable to jobs as they exist today.  To me it seems to be more advantageous to equip students with the ability to be flexible and innovative, and to help them become as comfortable with digital work and technology as possible.  As students become competent in working with many forms of technology now, they will be more confident in their ability to keep adapting to changing technology in the future. 

As I talked about in my post on Standards 1 and 2, many forms of technology used in education today promote individuality and creativity.  Students are able to demonstrate their knowledge in many forms, according to their own interests.  I think that students who are given the freedom to learn in a variety of ways may grow up to be aware of their own strengths, and at ease being unique.  It seems to me that this can only help them as they adapt to an unknown future that will certainly include forms of technology we can not imagine today. 

I think a good way to model digital-age work and learning would be to help students understand how technology helps me in my own job as their teacher.  As I mentioned previously, I hope to involve students in a classroom blog that helps keep parents and administrators updated.  This would be a realistic and valuable learning experience that has real-world applications.  I also think it would be worthwhile to expose students to professionals in other fields who use various forms of technology in their jobs.  I could do this through field trips, by having guest speakers in the classroom, or using Skype, or by watching Youtube videos or other internet resources. 

Finally, to effectively model digital-age work and learning, I will need to be current in my own knowledge of available technology.  This semester I realized how much I had yet to learn in this area.  I now feel better prepared to use technology in my classroom, but because technology is continually changing, I will need to find ways to keep up with the changes. 

Phase 3 - Standards 1 & 2

Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity AND

Standard 2: Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

Most teachers face requirements to cover broad state standards in reading, math, science and social studies, and are often required to teach using scripted programs.  I wonder if this leads some teachers to feel as if their own originality and innovation are undervalued.  Perhaps they also feel as if administrators do not trust them to be able to cover the necessary material without such a rigid curriculum.  An unfortunate side effect is that students can become bored and disengaged when there is a great deal of routine and little originality in the classroom. 

As a future teacher I continually look for ideas to keep lessons exciting and engaging, but was unaware of the many digital tools available to aid teachers.  I knew that most classrooms had several computers but had only seen them used to take AR reading tests, type reports, or play computer games.  I had also seen smart boards used, but very rarely.  This semester I learned of various technological tools that will help me meet my students’ educational goals in interesting and engaging ways.  Following is a list of some of my favorite tools and applications that I either become aware of, or had the opportunity to use, through lessons or presentations this semester:

·       Google Maps – In particular, I liked the “My Places” application that allows students to create, label and personalize their own maps. 

·       Google Earth – This program allows students to virtually visit places they may not ever have a chance to actually visit.  It has the potential to make social studies lessons much more meaningful as students can virtually travel all over the world.

·       iMovie – This is such a fun, simple way for students to present information they have learned.  Students can make their own “how to” videos or documentaries which are an authentic and meaningful assessment.  As they teach what they have learned to others, either in person, or through an iMovie, they employ higher-order thinking skills, solidify the knowledge for themselves and are more likely to retain it.  This program also allows students to present information in a creative and individualized way, which will be more engaging for them.   

·       The Flat Stanley Project – This website, flatstanley.com, sets up a digital pen pal experience for individuals or whole classrooms.  They can connect with other students around the world to send and receive letters and photos of their Flat Stanley in different locations.  Through this activity, students have an authentic experience in literacy, social studies, geography and even math.  They are exposed to a broader world by making meaningful connections with actual people. 

·       Skype in the Classroom -  Like the Flat Stanley Project, using Skype in the classroom allows students to make connections with people around the world in a real time, face-to-face conversation.  One application I think would be particularly exciting for students would be to speak with experts, professionals, or authors through Skype in their classroom.  It could personalize the experience by being able to put a face with a name, and could motivate students to learn more about a particular subject. 

·       Blogs for use in a classroom – Prior to this semester, I had read blogs, but had never set up or written one.  I saw them as an online diary, and honestly, was annoyed by most of them.  As I have researched online though, I have come to appreciate the work of other educators that I have found on their blogs.  Blogs also give me access to the insight of teachers I would not meet in person, but whose good ideas I find valuable. I can also envision setting up a classroom blog in the future to keep parents updated about what we are working on in class.  As a parent myself, I am always curious to know what is happening in my children’s classrooms and would love to be able to see photos and read about special projects or upcoming events.  I wrote a unit for another class this semester on the book, “The Landry News” by Andrew Clements with the idea that after reading it, students would write a class newspaper.  I have since changed that plan to include a classroom blog, for which students could write posts.  This would help them feel a sense of ownership over the communication with parents and over the classroom as a whole.  They would be the representatives of their class and could record things that were meaningful to them.  This is another authentic learning experience made simpler and more engaging through technology, and one which provides the teacher with an authentic way of assessing students’ work.

·       Virtual Field Trips and Virtual Dissections– Similar to Google Earth, these allow students to have a visual, interactive experience virtually visiting a place, or completing a dissection that may be unrealistic to do in person.  Students no longer have to be limited in their educational experiences by their school’s location or budget.

·       The Flipped Classroom – This was perhaps the most innovative idea I learned of this semester, using relatively simple technology. In this approach, teachers create videos of their lessons, with voice-overs, graphics, illustrations, and more, which students watch at home as their homework.  Students then work on the application of the lesson, for example the math problems, or science homework, in class where the teacher is available to help them individually and answer questions.  I can imagine that students find it interesting to watch their lessons on their computers, iPads, or even smart phones.  They then avoid the frustration of being alone at home when it’s time to do homework, with no one around to answer questions, because they are able to complete their assignments in the supportive environment of their classroom.  I think this approach would work best with older grades, but will keep it in mind in my future teaching. 

           When thinking back about how I was able to design digital-age learning experiences and assessments, I realize that I did not use technology well in my first lesson.  It was more of an afterthought than an essential part of the lesson.  I did not have the students create a digital product and instead had to take digital photos of their paper products.  Next time, they would create something visual in a program like kidspiration or even excel that could be saved and submitted. 

In my second lesson, I did have the students create an electronic product and really liked the way it turned out.  I also liked the component of students explaining their knowledge as part of the assessment.  This way, they could be assessed in visual as well as verbal ways.  I also think the project produced good collaboration with other students and could then be assessed individually as students created their own iMovies. 

Phases of the Moon - Instructional Decisions/Teaching

I really enjoyed preparing and teaching this lesson, but it reinforced to me a lesson that I have learned many times before.  Whenever I plan a lesson, I should expect that I will need almost twice as much time as I planned.  I wanted to integrate with social studies by including myths, and allow enough time for each student to create a quality mini-documentary.  On my lesson plan, I allowed for 2 hours.  I decided that in order to fit my lesson into the 30 minutes allowed in class, I would skip the myth and just focus on the phases of the moon activity and documentary.  I think that in order to effectively accomplish these two things, I needed 60 minutes instead of 30.  I always feel frustrated when I have to rush students through their work in order to meet a time limit, even though time limits are realistic and ever-present.  The solution is to more realistically plan lessons to include only that material which we can cover in the amount of time available. 

I do feel that this lesson was effective for achieving the goals and addressing state standards.  Students were well focused throughout the lesson and while working in groups, each student had the opportunity to individually observe each phase of the moon.  On the peer feedback forms, the lesson participants wrote that the content was well supported in the lesson, and one stated that they learned this content for the first time. 

To improve this lesson for next time, I would absolutely need to plan for more time.  I would also need to be more prepared by turning off the flashes on the digital cameras so they are ready to take pictures in a dark room.  Finally, I liked the idea from my peer that I use a youtube video to demonstrate the moon phases before students work in groups to create their own. 

Phases of the Moon - Assessment of Learning

To assess student learning during this lesson, each group photographed the eight phases of the moon they created with models during their experimental project.  They then downloaded the photos to their computers and put them in order from new moon to full moon and back to new moon.  Most importantly, the students explained each phase of the moon either verbally or in writing, in terms of the position of the sun, moon and earth.  They were also required to include a description and graphic depiction of some kind that explained the difference between the rotation and revolution of the moon.

Two students worked together to create the movie above.  They successfully ordered their photographs and explained the first photo, the new moon.  At this point, they ran out of time.  I am certain they would have been able to successfully complete the project if they had an additional 30 minutes.

I used the above rubric to assess each team of students' documentary.  I do not feel like the score I gave the project above is fair because I know they did not have enough time to finish the project.  However, in an effort to practice using this type of rubric, I scored their project as they turned it in. For "Conclusions and Explanations" I gave their project a 2 because all of the explanations were missing except the first one. For "Understanding of Science Content" I gave them a score of 2 as well.  They showed evidence for their understanding of the process of the lunar cycle by putting their photos in the correct order in their documentary.  I could also tell by observing them at work that they understood the position of the sun, moon and earth in each phase of the moon.  Had they had time to finish their explanations, they would have received a 4 for their understanding of the science content. Finally, for "Collaboration" I would give them a score of 4.  The final score for their documentary was an 8/12.

Micro Lesson #2 - Inspiration

The inspiration for Micro-Lesson #2 came from a lesson titled, "Myths, Legends and Moon Phases" by Andrea B. Freed of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education.  I thought the integration of social studies and science was brilliant and wanted to incorporate it into my lesson.  I added the introduction/assessment of prior knowledge activity and included the use of technology with the hands-on activity to produce a product that allowed students to exhibit creativity and could be assessed to determine what students had learned.

Link for the lesson, "Myths, Legends and Moon Phases":
http://education.jhu.edu/newhorizons/strategies/topics/multicultural-education/multicultural-science-education/

Micro Lesson #2 - Planning Assessment

I love the assessment tool for this lesson.  Students will be working with a partner to photograph themselves recreating the 8 phases of the moon, using a flashlight, a Styrofoam ball, and their own head.  They will then upload their photos to the computer and use a software program like iMovie to make a mini-documentary.  They will then identify each phase of the moon and explain how they achieved it. This requires that they fully understand the relationship between the positions of the sun, moon and earth and be able to communicate that knowledge verbally or in text to another person.  It allows for students to express themselves creatively, and demonstrate their knowledge in a unique way.  This assessment links perfectly with  the objective of understanding the four-week lunar cycle, and the 5th grade standards of describing the position and motion of objects (such as the moon or planets) in the sky over time. 

Micro Lesson #2 - Designing Instruction

This lesson creatively integrates science, social studies and technology.  It starts out with a story, a myth about the phases of the moon, and then continues to explain the science behind the myth.  The lesson is organized to engage the students from the beginning, and help them make a personal connection to the science that follows.  The lesson also helps students see that subjects like social studies and science do not exist in isolation, but can be learned in conjunction with each other. 

This lesson allows for students to demonstrate their knowledge in several ways. Students have the opportunity to draw, to physically move their bodies and other objects, and to explain verbally. Including these elements in a lesson increases the probability that each student will be able to grasp the material in some way, depending on their individual learning styles. Students will also have the opportunity to collaborate with a partner, which allows the teacher to match students who work well together or who may be able to assist each other in completing the project. Also, during the time that each partnership is creating their mini-documentary, the teacher will have the opportunity to check in with each group and help in any way needed. The integration of technology provides a way for students who may be physically unable to move their bodies as instructed to still fully participate in the lesson. They could use various software programs to draw or otherwise visually represent the material. Advanced learners who complete the project early could research other myths about the moon and find a creative way to present those to the class.

Micro Lesson #2 - Planning Instruction

My goal for this lesson is to help students understand the relationship between the earth, sun, and moon and how that affects the way the moon appears to us on earth.  Students will practice by having a light source that represents the sun, a styrofoam ball to represent the moon, and their own head to represent the earth.

The science standards for 5^th grade include describing how the moon’s appearance changes during a four-week lunar cycle, and describing how the earth’s rotation results in day and night at any particular location.  This lesson aligns really well with these standards as well as integrating technology, social studies and language arts.

Micro Lesson #2 - Assessing Prior Knowledge

I would ask students to work with a partner to draw a certain phase of the moon and explain where the sun, moon, and earth would be positioned to create that phase.  Each partnership could then come up to the board and tape up their drawing.  I could then see if students have experience with this or if it is a new concept.  We could keep the drawings up until the end of the lesson and then fill in any missing phases as a class.

After discovering what prior knowledge students have, I would be able to know how much time to spend on the hands-on practice part of the lesson.  If it is new to them, I would be sure to allow enough time for each student to be able to replicate and document each phase of the moon.

Fun with Fractions - Instructional Decisions/Teaching

Some things went well with this lesson, and other things could definitely have been better.  The timing of this lesson went well with adults, but I would have needed to leave more time for 3rd graders to have completed all the creation and labeling of the fraction strips.  I also would have liked to have more time at the end for students to write their own "math stories" on the iPads and trade with a partner to solve.  I think each student just had time to create one with illustrations using the educreations software. 

I do think the lesson was able to meet both of the main objectives, which were to understand fractions as part of a whole, and to be able to represent equivalent fractions.  Additionally, the discussion at the beginning of the lesson let students find ways they use fractions in their everyday lives, which hopefully, made the lesson more interesting to them.

It's very difficult to gauge whether or not I was able to meet the needs of individual learners with this lesson because all of the participants were adults who understood the material and did not need any help.  I do think the time students spend creating their manipulatives, working with partners and writing in their math journals would allow for me to check in with each student to see if any need extra help or attention.

Fun with Fractions - Assessment of Learning

For this lesson, much of the assessment was done while students were creating their fraction manipulatives.  The picture above is an example of the fraction strips each students created, dividing one whole into equal-sized sections of various sizes, and labeling them.  I was able to observe each student while they were working to determine if anyone needed additional help.

This sample math journal is another formative assessment that was created during the lesson.  Students were compare their manipulatives to find pieces that were equivalent to each other and to write these in fraction form in their math journals.  This was effective because I could observe students while they worked on their fractions and could also collect the journals afterward to compare them to the rubric and see if any students needed additional help.

I used Taskstream to create the rubric above.  This helped me use the fraction strips and math journals as well as my observations of students to assess their learning.  Of course all of my students got 4's on both items on the rubric, but that is because they have a little experience with fractions already and not because this was a particularly stellar lesson :) 

I do think it generally went well.  However, I realized after I was quite a ways into the preparation of this lesson, that it is a lesson that does not really need technology.  Instead of finding a lesson that would be more effectively taught using technology, I found ways to incorporate technology into my lesson.  I did not intend to do it that way, but it turned out that technology was sort of an afterthought.  I think in my next lesson, I will approach choosing the content and planning the lesson with the idea of finding a more effective way of teaching it with technology in mind.

Micro Lesson #1 - Fun with Fractions

Many of the ideas for this lesson come from the Illuminations website, produced by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and is titled, "Making and Investigating Fraction Strips."

In this lesson, students will practice dividing a whole into fractions, by folding and cutting measured strips of paper, will label the fractions they create and will compare fractions to find equivalents. They will then practice this process on iPads by using the Educreations app. They will think of a verbal "math story" including fractions which they will tell to their partner. Their partner will create a visual representation by drawing it on their iPads. This will solidify students' understanding that fractions represent parts of a whole, and will prepare them for the operations of adding and subtracting fractions.

Micro Lesson #1 - Planning Assessment

·         This lesson will be assessed informally through observation and a review of students’ math journals.  I chose this method because I intend to teach this lesson in a small group setting.  This will allow me to watch each student’s progress. 

·         The first standard I linked to this lesson is the ability to understand fractions as part of a whole.  Students’ understanding of this will be observable as they create their fraction manipulatives.  The second standard focuses on the ability to explain equivalent fractions.  This will be measurable while students interact with their partners to compare and find equivalent fraction strips and will be documented as students record these relationships in their math journals.

·         This lesson provides students with opportunities to compare and contrast objects, and to think creatively to connect the abstract information they have learned about fractions to concrete examples visible in their lives.

Micro Lesson #1 - Designing Instruction

·         Students start with several “whole” objects of equal size to be divided into various fractions. They first divide into halves, which is likely the most familiar fraction to students, and then continue to divide different wholes into increasingly smaller fractions, labeling each as they go.  This provides a logical structure to the lesson and helps students learn in steps. 

·         Students will have the opportunities to learn visually and audibly by listening to the whole group presentation by the teacher.  They will be able to learn kinesthetically by manipulating physical objects to create fractions.  They will also be able to learn socially by working with partners to compare fractions to each other.  This comparison of fractions to find equivalents uses the higher order thinking skills of comparing and contrasting, as well as experimenting. Student have the opportunity to analyze relationships between fractions, and record their findings in their math journals. 

·         The use of technology in this lesson is primarily as a creative and engaging way to continue to practice using fractions.  It allows students to create their own fraction problem for a partner to solve.  By observing this process informally, the teacher will be able to determine the level of understanding of each student. 

·          This lesson does not address issues of safe and legal use of technology, digital etiquette or global awareness.  It does, however, use technology in a learner-centered way.  Students are able to direct part of the lesson by generating their own examples.  This lesson also makes use of a simple software program that allows students to draw on a tablet with their fingers.  It has the potential to be engaging to students of various ability levels.

Micro Lesson #1 - Plan Instruction

·         I will help students understand that the goal of the lesson is to be able to understand where fractions come from and how to create and represent them. 

·         Third grade state standards include understanding that a fraction is the quantity formed by dividing a whole into any number of equal parts (b) and representing one of those parts as 1/b.  This lesson helps students manipulate a whole into many different variations of equal parts by cutting paper into various sizes and then labeling each with its fraction name.  Students are then able to physically compare the sizes of different parts to determine which are equivalent. 

·         This will be engaging and appropriate for students because students will each have their own set of materials and will be able to participate in a whole group lesson, using technology, while still participating individually.  It will cater to multiple intelligences, including visual, kinesthetic, and social as students work with partners. 

Micro Lesson #1 - Assessing Prior Knowledge

Fun with Fractions Lesson

·         I would ask students to list ways to use fractions in their every day lives.  I would then ask them to create a visual representation of the item with colored paper, markers etc. and attach to their math journals. (For example: a pizza, an hour, their walk to school, and their bedroom (divided in half with a sibling?)

·         I would hope to determine if students understand fractions other than ½, since that is the most commonly used.  They will most likely be familiar with ½ but that may not indicate that they understand that it represents a part of a whole.

·         I could use their prior knowledge of ½ to explain the relationship between the numerator and denominator, that it represents a part of a whole.  We could then expand this idea to include other, less commonly used fractions, and to eventually generalize this knowledge to use with any fraction.

It's a Small World...

           One of the incredible things about technology is its ability to make the world smaller.  Through technology, we can put our students in touch with other students around the world, and give them access to things they may never have an opportunity to see in their lifetimes. 

            A great example of this is the Flat Classroom Project, at flatclassroomproject.org.  This was started by Vicki Davis, of Westwood Schools, USA and Julie Lindsay of the Beijing International School, China.  It focuses on middle and high school students, with the goal of taking down the classroom walls so that the world becomes one unified classroom.  Students work together on projects with other classrooms around the world. 

            I believe that teachers should take advantage of technological resources, from Google Earth, to virtual field trips, to the Flat Classroom Project to expose students to other cultures and ways of life.  This is the best way to increase understanding and teach tolerance. 

Technology For Everyone!

In a learner-centered classroom, the needs and interests of the learner are most important.  The learner has the opportunity to direct the learning process through activities like problem solving, inquiry, role play and simulation.  They also have the opportunity to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways, according to their interest.  A teacher’s role is to facilitate and guide this learning rather than to present all the information they feel is relevant to the student.

      This approach naturally lends itself to meeting the diverse needs of students in a class.  In a learner-centered approach, students can work on projects at different levels, and in different time frames.  Teachers would not be under as much pressure to keep all students on the same schedule and to progress through material at a designated rate.  Students would also have the opportunity to choose ways to learn that accommodate their learning styles, such as visual, audio, or kinesthetic.

      Technology could be a great tool in helping teachers create learner-centered environments.  Using computer programs and websites, teachers could differentiate instruction for their students more easily.  With such a wide variety of educational material online, they could also find ways to engage students by tapping in to their interests.  On a broader scale, through a website such as teachertube.com, students in remote areas can view instructional videos from music, art and dance teachers that they may not have access to in their schools.

      However, the benefits of teaching with technology are only achievable if technology is available.  There is still a considerable gap in the availability of technology between the rich and poor.  Title I funding has helped by providing technology grants to schools with lower socioeconomic status, but that may only help these students while they are at school.  They are still more likely not to have computer access at home. 

Finally, it is important for teachers to be aware of the needs of their students with disabilities.  Do these students have equal access to the technological tools the rest of their students can use?  Teachers should research and gain access to assistive technologies.  For many students, these can help overcome communication and participation barriers.

Just Be Nice

Sometimes people use the anonymity of the internet as an excuse to say or do things they would never do in face to face interaction.  This has become such a problem, that there is a new word for internet etiquette, netiquette.  Rudeness online also prompted Real Simple magazine to declare January 9-13, 2012 as  “Be Nice on the Internet Week,” in an effort to encourage people to return to civility.   If teachers plan to incorporate technology into their lessons, it becomes part of their responsibility to teach students appropriate online communication that goes beyond safety to courtesy. 

Teachers should model appropriate online communication to their students.  This can include being careful about the humor they use, as it can often be misinterpreted when the accompanying body language is lacking.  It can also include things like avoiding all caps or excessive punctuation.  It’s important for students to realize that most of the time using “text” language in an academic setting is not appropriate.  As a teacher, I plan to caution students about the kinds of things they post about themselves and others online.  Once it is posted, there is very little they can do to control the dissemination of that information.  They should never post something about a friend without that friend’s permission, and they should understand that whatever they post about themselves can be seen by others, including potential employers, and their parents J (By the way, according to Real Simple magazine, infrequent use of emoticons is okay.)

           

I am Safe, Respectful and Responsible

Knoles School has a motto for its character development program. It goes, "I am safe, respectful and responsible." It's not a bad reminder to be conscious of our actions and our impact on those around us. I think it would be a good motto for students dealing with technology as well. There are many legal and ethical issues to consider when dealing with digital information. Safety is the most important. Students need to learn how to protect themselves. They also need to be “respectful and responsible” by following copyright and use laws, and learning to both ask for permission and give credit.

The website isafe.org gives some clear, easy to remember tips to help children protect themselves while online.  They label them the four “R”s.  This might be a good place to start in teaching students about online safety.

Recognize techniques online predators use.

Refuse requests for personal information

Respond assertively if you are ever in an uncomfortable situation. Exit the program, turn off the computer, tell a trusted adult or call the police.

Report any suspicious or dangerous behavior that makes you feel uncomfortable to a trusted adult.

            In addition to safety concerns, teachers need to help students understand their legal and ethical responsibilities when using digital information.  Some material available online can be used without obtaining permission from the author, if its use is considered “fair.”  On the U.S. copyright website, fair use is determined by considering four points.  First, consider whether or not the use of the copyright material is for profit, or for other purposes such as education.  Second, the nature of the copyrighted work is important.  Third, the amount of the copyrighted work that is being used as compared to the whole work is a factor.  Fourth, if someone uses this copyrighted work, will it have a negative effect on the potential market for that work? 

            I found a great website for teachers to help students understand the complicated world of copyright law.  It’s called teachingcopyright.org and contains lesson plans that deal with the definition and history of copyright law, determining fair use, and peer to peer file sharing. 

            While following copyright and fair use laws fulfills the “responsible” part of the motto, to be “respectful”, it is important to teach students to ask permission to use information they find online whenever possible, and to cite their sources carefully.