Tool #10

For your Tool #10 assignment:

In YOUR blog post:

1. Discuss at least three things you would want to make sure your students understand about being good digital citizens.

I want students to know #1--I WILL NOT GET IN TROUBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS on the internet.  They will NOT use digital devices in the classroom without permission and without being monitored for usage.  #2--Students need to understand that it is important for them to keep user names and passwords private and that what is placed on the web will forever remain on the web and what that could possibly mean to their future.  #3--Make sure that when they are using the resources that plagarism is bad.  They may NOT copy and paste information word for word and must document the site information from where information is taken from.

2. Share at least one of the resources mentioned above or on the Ed Tech website that you plan to use instructionally.

I found http://digitalcitizenshiped.com/curriculumOutline.pdf as a great resource for art students.  It talks about how students are "creators" and must make sure that the way they use information found on the web is legal to use, if the item is original, plagarized or used for inspiration.

3. Explain briefly how you would "teach" the idea of digital citizenship to your students.

See #2.  Also, being an art teacher, we face this challenge at every single art contest we enter.  Copies of inspiration, photo release forms, and necessary documentation has to be turned in with all art work entered.  We also can explain how one student used another student's art portfolio that she was able to steal from the internet and facebook pages got her into art school for college, but then later sued for stealing and misrepresenting herself.

4. Explain briefly how you plan to share the idea of digital citizenship with your parents.

If parents ask, I will explain my classroom rules set up for specific pieces of equipment.  I will not assign grades on projects solely on the use of the internet that would require students to have access to digital components at home.  I will also let parents know and try to make them understand that with the "world of art", lots of things are questionable.  If I give a student a topic such as "cowboy" and they decide to do research to get images for a piece of rodeo art, some things that may be inappropriate could show up on google image searches.  I guarantee I am not suggesting or sending their students to inappropriate sites and "Mrs. Walton will NEVER say it's okay to save, print, email or send images inappropriate for school for ANY project... EVER! and that "I will NOT take the blame for students using the internet inappropriately.  EVER."  If a student choses to make that decision, they will be restricted from any future internet usage and will rely on library resouces such as books and magazines to finalize their projects under the watchful eye of their teacher.