Cultivating Digital Awareness

The concept of digital citizenship is alive and well in the halls of BDCHS. It would be safe to say that “digital driver’s license” is a trending topic in the classrooms as students work to complete it, discuss it, and of course, question it. (Video above courtesy of Flocabulary --- It was viewed by entire school during a digital citizenship lesson last week.)

As any teacher or parent who deals with a teenager knows, the question “Why do I have to do this?” is about as common as “What is there to eat?” or “Are we there yet?” I have enjoyed the opportunities to speak to students about why their DDL is an important step in the learning process. As I have shared with them, it is not an end-all-be-all, but just a humble beginning in raising some awareness about digital citizenship and our technological lifestyles.

For example, it has been intriguing to discover how many students are unfamiliar with such growing websites as LinkedIn. Nowadays, there is an increasingly growing number of businesses using the site and hunting down potential employers --- see Forbes article on the subject. Teenagers in 2014 need to understand the importance of a positive online presence and generate a digital footprint that will jump-start their careers, rather than hinder their opportunities. LinkedIn recently lowered their age limit to 13, in fact, which goes to show it’s never too early to create a resume and start networking.

Students also seem to be unclear about online privacy. They seem astonished at how easy their data is tracked, stored, and used for profit. Many seem surprised to learn that you can brose the web privately and that you can adjust social media settings for sites like Facebook to better control what appears on your profile page.

Teacher and author of the blog Mindful Stew, Paul Barnwell recently shared five reasons why we must teach digital citizenship. Barnwell explains that digital and social media is a new literacy we must teach our students. He also writes that there is a gap between what our students do with digital tools in school versus what they do with them outside the classroom. It seems obvious, but the majority of schools are far behind in terms of this line of thinking.  

Obtaining a DDL at Brooks DeBartolo is just a small, simple step towards better insight into the complex topic of digital citizenship; and while none of us will ever get “there” on the ever-changing information highway, we hope the DDL will spark their curiosity and provide our students with some essential tools to navigate it safely and responsibly.

Digital Driver's License

As a frequent user of I-275 and the Veteran’s Expressway, it is easy to understand the dangers involved in driving a motor vehicle. I am often appalled and astounded by the bad driving habits of many on the road. Sometimes I wonder, “Did that person even take a driver’s test? And how in the world did they pass?!”

It only makes sense that such a major responsibility like driving would accompany an online course as well as a “Behind the Wheels” test. It is a day every teenager remembers, and it is a duty of the state government to monitor.

When it comes to digital technology usage, though, there is little monitoring taking place. Teenagers and adults alike are driving on many informational highways that are unmarked, unorganized, and unsafe. They also don’t have digital driver’s licenses!

This is where iDriveDigital comes into play. The free online learning management system, designed by representatives from the University of Kentucky, delivers digital citizenship training to students and tracks their progress. At the end of the modules, students are able to prove they understand the material and earn their DDL (Digital Driver’s License).

This year Brooks DeBartolo will be requiring each student to earn their DDL in order to fully participate in online activities on campus as well as have access to a BDCHS email account. These DDL trainings will cover important topics that will be addressed throughout the 2014-15 school year, including cyberbullying, digital footprint, copyright infringement, password security, and appropriate/responsible use of social media.

The next generation of digital natives has a large array of technological devices at their fingertips. Before we grant them full access, it is only right we pass along appropriate guidance to ensure their safety and prosperity. I hope that each and every BDCHS parent looks at the DDL trainings with their child and takes this responsibility seriously; and I look forward to working with the entire community to educate our students to be model digital citizens of the future.

Check out the links below to read feature articles on the iDriveDigital initiative.

Learning and Leading - ISTE International Magazine

Digital Learners - It's Only Natural

A set of new MacBook Airs will enable students to put these essential 

skill sets into practice in 2014-15. 

When I was in 4^th grade I taught my homeroom teacher, Ms. Hayden, how to save a document on Microsoft Word. We were still using 3 ½ floppy disks and my hard working teacher was confusing where to save the file, and the concept of “save” versus “save as.” No one had taught me how to perform this task; I suppose I intuitively discovered it on my own. This theme is driven home by this video: Toddler with iPad!. Years later, in preparation for a class trip to Washington, D.C., I made a presentation on a new program called PowerPoint that included animated slide transitions and modern music. I don’t remember many other assignments at that school, particularly all the textbook and worksheet activities, but I vividly recall that project and that trip.

That was twenty years ago, and while much has changed, the core concept is still the same. Student-centered learning is more relevant and engaging for students. In this digital age, this type of learning is paramount. We want to provide our students at BDCHS with essential skill sets that will enable them to be successful in college and the work force. It is widely reported that schools and universities have a tough job in helping students prepare for jobs that don’t exist yet. Eric Sheninger, a nationally recognized principal and author, writes in his recent book Digital Learning that this essential skill set includes creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, technological proficiency, and global awareness.

Let’s consider the typical teenager for a moment. They spend most of their time engaging in digital and social media, and it can be hard for us to keep up sometimes. Information is available faster than ever before, and consequently, teachers and textbooks have moved away from the front of the room into more of a facilitator role. Educators must understand this. Rather than ignore how a student learns outside of school, we must embrace it and use it to our advantage. We want students to engage in their own learning, take ownership of what is happening, and be excited again to come to school.

As our school accrues more tools to make this a reality, it will be up to us as educators and parents to see it through. Our children are digital natives and we must meet them where they are to push them to achieve. Do they know how to construct a responsible digital footprint? Send a proper email or tweet? Can they explain how mainstream media advertises and uses their personal information? They are natural learners in this setting, but they will not naturally figure it out on their own.

I will be posting much more about this topic soon and as they school year goes on. Feel free to leave posts and comments below.   

26 days...

A new amphitheater provides another new learning opportunity for BDCHS students and teachers. 

We are now less than one month away from the first day of school for the 2014-15 school year. Hard to believe. BDCHS is experiencing a summer bustle that it has become quite accustomed to over the years. With an increase in enrollment of about 100 students, BDCHS began constructing nine new classrooms, an additional computer lab, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) laboratory, an outdoor amphitheater, and a new office suite in student services. DeBartolo Development broke ground in April and crews are racing around the clock in preparation for students on Tuesday, August 19th. You can see a CGI animation of what the BDCHS campus will look like in the coming years, including a planned sports complex, by clicking here: Future of BDCHS

The Instructionally Technology sector is also busy behind the scenes as well. BDCHS already has a hybrid of devices for its faculty and students, which includes over 150 laptops, 100 workstations, 50 iPads, and a plethora of other tools such as interactive white boards, document cameras, and robotics equipment. In addition to these devices, BDCHS is adding more to increase student and teacher productivity and learning. This includes a state-of-the-art mobile MacBook lab, two new mini iPad carts, 70 new workstations for tech labs, resource centers, and offices, and other exciting tools like an Apple TV, AirMedia multi-display device, and iMacs for TV Studio production.

As BDCHS continues to accrue technology that will prepare its students for a new digital age, it is up to the entire community to help guide them on this journey. Every stakeholder matters. Whether it is a parent keeping up with school grades and news, a Board member approving a new curriculum plan, or a teacher implementing effective classroom instruction, their input makes a difference. Technically Phoenix will begin, through small articles like this one, to document this quest. This blog, along with social media, school websites, and other Web 2.0 sources, is a small contribution to the overall success of a school that dares to soar to new heights each and every year. The 14-15 school year begins in 26 days and we will be ready.