Digital Citizenship Portfolio
On this page, I will demonstrate how I understand and can develop programs that address the social, legal and ethical issues related to technology within the district / region / state, addressing these standards, which can also be found on the right side of this page. |
The Educational Media and Technology (EDMT) Graduate Program afforded me numerous opportunities to explore the area of digital citizenship. First, let's disassemble the term digital citizen. Living in a democracy, a citizen is a person with equal voice as another, despite their socio-economic status. They actively participate in conversations that challenge both their views and the views of those around them. Adding onto that now, looking at the components of a digital citizen. Digital citizens have equal access to information and technology. Also factoring in are behaviors of how one acts while online, including: netiquette, fair-use, piracy and plagiarism.
The first course that I completed was actually not a technology based class at all, but it helped lay the foundation for many related issues that would come up throughout my studies. In SOFD 580, I explored what it meant to live in a democracy, including how to become a better citizen and encourage diversity. After reading a number of articles, I reflected on them and summarized my thoughts into a paper discussing these ideas (ISTE-NETS-C.5.c, MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.3, MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.7). As a final amalgamation of the ideas from the class, I wrote a reflective paper about the social inequalities that are occurring in the city of Detroit. While Detroit has a rich history, much of what happened in the past is influencing its current state, including race, the collapse of the auto-industry, white-flight, and other factors (MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.5, MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.8). In EDMT 602, I worked collaboratively with two students, creating a digital ethics handbook, using wikispaces. Our website was an opportunity to form policies that would help to bridge the digital divide among students in the lower socio-economic class. We also developed policies to ensure all students would be able to safely and ethically use technology. While working in a group, all opinions were respected and valued (ISTE-NETS-C.5.a, STE-NETS-C.5.b, MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.2, MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.6). EDMT 627 was an interesting class with many authentic projects. I enjoyed the course due to the structure of the class and the projects, which all felt beneficial, helping me to develop as a technology integrator. On one assignment, I wrote about my experiences after a professional learning conference. I attended the MACUL conference, in 2013, and wrote about how the experience helped to shape me as both a technology integrator in my building and as a student in this program. Much of what I learned I took back and shared with my colleagues in my building (ISTE-NETS-C.5.c, MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.1). For another project, I interviewed my districts technology coordinator and wrote about what I learned about how many district spends funds on technology, set and maintains our network and hardware, among other things (ISTE-NETS-C.5.c). I also reviewed my district's technology plan for another assignment. After reading through it, I critically analyzed it, and offered suggestions to help improve it (ISTE-NETS-C.5.a). Finally, in EMDT 627, I worked in a group on a project in which we researched technology and helped design a technology budget, based on what we felt the school needed. I was interesting to see how cost impacts schools decisions and why so many schools are severely lacking adequate technology (ISTE-NETS-C.5.a, MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.4, MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.8). Lastly, in EDMT 653, I worked with a team of students on an evaluation study. Our group examined the effectiveness of an undergraduate assignment in which pre-service teachers designed and used moodle as a form on online learning. In the analysis phase of the project, while completing the review of research, we also reviewed literature regarding the digital divide and its implications on student achievement (ISTE-NETS-C.5.b, MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.5). As more technology takes advantage of the internet, the more important it is to promote model digital citizenship. From digital equality, to ethics, digital citizenship is a vital component to responsible internet and technology use. Schools have an obligation to teach students about how to appropriately use technology and the ramifications of not doing so. I feel that the EDMT program helped to expose me to multiple facets of the topic and made me critically think about many issues related to digital citizenship. |
StandardsNET-C (Coaching)
ISTE-NETS-C.5 Digital Citizenship: Technology coaches model and promote digital citizenship. ISTE-NETS-C.5.a Model and promote strategies for achieving equitable access to digital tools and resources and technology-related best practices for all students and teachers ISTE-NETS-C.5.b Model and facilitate safe, healthy, legal, and ethical uses of digital information and technologies. ISTE-NETS-C.5.c Model and promote diversity, cultural understanding, and global awareness by using digital-age communication and collaboration tools to interact locally and globally with students, peers, parents, and the larger community College of Education Dispositions MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.1 Adherence to professional ethics: demonstrates adherence to standards of ethical conduct, fulfills professional obligations, and assumes responsibility for own decisions; MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.2 Collaboration: works effectively with professional colleagues, parents, and other adults; MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.3 Commitment to diversity: values multiple aspects of diversity; respects children and adults of various cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, social classes, abilities, political beliefs, etc. MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.4 Leadership and initiative: assumes leadership roles in improving professional practice, goes beyond what is expected, and actively seeks solutions to problems. MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.5 Professional advocacy: serves as an advocate in schools and in the broader community to enhance educational opportunities for all students. MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.6 Professional demeanor: deals with conflict appropriately, posed and professional behavior, responsive to professional feedback. MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.7 Self-reflection: reflects on and evaluates one's own experience and work, is willing and able to recognize difficulties of deficiencies in one's professional practice, seeks after knowledge and professional development. MI-EMU-ADV-DISP.8 Student focus: focuses professional decision-making around student needs rather than personal preference, respects students as valued human beings. |