My world on the web
Let me share a few ideas about how we might think about digital citizenship moving forward.
Continue to think of it as citizenship and not digital.
Spend time reflecting on what it means to be a good citizen.
Cite examples of positive and negative use of technology and social media
Get very comfortable with the nuances and reserve judgment. Let kids decide what and if social media has value and where its problematic
Talk about mental health and technology
Explore the research on the brain and stress
Engage in experiments of restraints and disconnection
Include the adults. This is not exclusively an issue for kids but an issue for everyone
Think carefully about any policies you enact
Don’t make it punitive. Even if you conclude you think mobile phones are a distraction, focus on the benefits for students. Allow them to recognize it as a distraction. This isn’t about control but it should be about informed choices.
Be okay with teachers having different policies. Not every discipline warrants the use of technology. If a teacher doesn’t see value, don’t force them to use it. Conversely if a teacher does see value don’t restrict them.
In regards to your balanced approach you maybe interested in Ian Guest’s work exploring Twitter to support professional development. It provides some novel insights and questions.
Knowing that you don’t read my blog, in am intrigued what your collection of ideas looks like in a world without social media? Maybe that is a good place to start?
Thanks Aaron,
Some good thoughts here. I like your approach of being informed and developing habits. Perhaps that’s the conversation we need to be having with kids. What are those habits? What are the variety of ways to use social media? My fear or concern lies in the fact that we’ve perhaps undersestimated the power these have over us as well as the deleterious content that emerges no matter where you turn. But maybe there are better habits than most of us use that could neutralize the negative effects.
For the record, while I don’t subscribe to blogs anymore, I do read yours on occasion and appreciate your contributions and commitment to sharing.
Thank you Dean for the response,
Just to clarify, my comment about not reading my blog was in jest and more reference to your post that my blog. I am glad that you find it helpful.
In regards to habits, I am interested in the IndieWeb, but feel that the real challenge is not the solution, but developing structures to support users in creating their own solution with an awareness of the implications. Maybe Dave White’s mapping protocol might be a part of that?