Digital Safety - Reflection

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If I were to say that I learned a lot from this assignment, I would be making a gross understatement.  I'm going to say it anyway: I learned a lot from this assignment.  I consider myself lucky because my initial experience on the World Wide Web involved a dial-up connection.  That distinct sound of a tone, followed by several blips, followed by some indication on your computer screen that you've made a connection.  And finally, a remarkable feeling of relief, simply because you survived the ten minutes that it takes to get online.  For many of my students and definitely, my own biological children, the previous statement would make no sense.  Getting on the internet these days is not like it used to be.  If the progression of 21st century technology was measured in distance, we would travel thousands of miles each year, and what seems like lightyears in a decade.  With that progress, you can almost expect a virtual tollbooth keeper along the way collecting dues.  What currency, you might ask? Whatever the cost is of keeping your safety and privacy intact while traveling out "there".

As the parent and an educator of the 21st century learner, this particular assignment is an important one.  As we discovered during the class presentations, one can easily become inundated with information concerning digital safety and privacy.  The issues are plentiful in the areas of copyright and fair use, cyberbullying, and of course, pharming and phishing.  Many of us see the problems arise firsthand.  How do we keep our children safe?  The key lies in keeping abreast of the trends and making an effort to be a responsible and concerned consumer of the internet. 

In a way, it's inevitable.  Kids are going to be online and they're going to use technology.  Something tells me that their brains are adapting to technology as we speak.  Barretto and Adams (2011) support that school-age children are at an age where parents should instill that Internet access is not a right, but a privilege (p.5).  This can be quite a struggle for parents and children as the power of immediate gratification takes over.  With the thrill of games and media at their fingertips, why shouldn't they feel entitled?  

Websites aimed at digital citizenship,  such as commonsensemedia.org, are an excellent source of information on digital know-how and make for wonderful allies in the digital world.  Commonsensemedia.org  promotes the healthy and appropriate use of digital media and the internet.  I enjoyed perusing the site ,reading helpful hints presented in articles and bulleted lists.  According to Common Sense Media (2009), "It is important for us to understand that our kids will spend their lives in a connected world where everyone participates in communication and creation."  If kids are to be equipped with the tools that make this communication and creation possible, then it is our responsibility to bring guidance and awareness into the picture.  

The unit, with the four elements discussed in class, were eye-openers, individually and collectively.  There were times when they overlapped but a little more information is better than not enough.  I also think the lesson could be tailored to meet the needs of middle and high-school students.  It would be interesting to see what sorts of information they could come up with regarding the four elements of digital safety.  To this lesson, I would add on an opportunity to role-play as themselves, using different technological tools.  This would be a great way to practice productivity and personal responsibility on computers. 

The assignment on Digital Safety allowed me to do two important things:  gain valuable insight on being a responsible digital citizen, and incorporate any new-found knowledge with my students and children in mind.  Though there will always be something new to learn and pass on, I hope the benefits of this technological era will continue to outweigh its downfalls.  May we all remain good citizens on this road - see you at the next mile marker!

References

Barretto, S. & Adams, S.K. (2011). Digital technology and youth: A developmental 

         approach.  The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, 27(6), 3-6.  

Common Sense Media. (2011).  Digital life: Our kids' connected culture.  Retrieved from:

         http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/digital-life-our-kids-connected-culture 

Photo & Video

http://castrolydasafety.weebly.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qex59YzQc5s