This week's discussion will review two technologies related
to digital citizenship, ethical online behavior, and netiquette.
As noted by Bonk (2009), open resources can lead to
copyright issues and concerns. Educators can help students learn and understand
the difference between free access and use, plagiarism, and copyright
violations by creating fun learning lessons that focus on these important
issues. Digital Citizenship and Creative Content is a free, open source
curriculum for educators to help students learn more about intellectual
property rights. Educators must register
on the site to use course content, and can receive email updates on course
revisions. The website provides a program summary
of this extensive curriculum for
faculty to preview. Geared to middle and high school students, the program
consists of four interactive units, each with 4-6 activities, using real-world
applications that take multiple classes to complete. The first unit uses a high
school Battle
of the Bands setting as an introduction to unit activities. Post secondary educators can adapt ideas
presented in the curriculum to adult learning situations. To teach information on intellectual property
and creative rights, the activities address different types of digital media
such as music, videos, writing, software, games, and online images. Program benefits state
that the curriculum meets a number of national standards,
including International Reading Association and National Educational Technology
Standards. Numerous organizations endorse the curriculum including The
International Society for Technical Education (ISTE).
As mentioned, the curriculum is quite extensive and provides
multiple activities to engage students in learning the important aspects of
copyright law and protection of creative content. Although geared to secondary
students, adult educators can glean ideas from the program that apply to adult
learners. For nursing students, an activity would be to interview college
students to determine their general knowledge, attitudes, and misconceptions
about copyrighted content, analyze the data and give a presentation of their
findings. Nursing students could also interview a published nurse to learn
about the benefits and challenges of the publication process.
Reference:
Bonk, C. J. (2009). The world is open: How web technology
is revolutionizing education. San
Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
With our increasing use of email and mobile devices, users
must learn how to interact respectfully in an electronic forum. Study Guides
and Strategies is a website developed and maintained by Joe Lansberger M.A.
that offers free open source learning guides on a variety of topics, one of
which is communicating electronically and netiquette. This learning
series begins with the "Ten Commandments of Email Netiquette," and
continues to include resources for effective internet writing,
copyright basics, and citation guides. The copyright
resource takes the user to a Library of Congress site titled "Taking the
Mystery out of Copyright," which is an interactive tool geared to primary
students, and covers four main topics: 1) copyright exposed, 2) files on
record, 3) reading the fine print, and 4) steps to copyright. The program uses
a character named Cop E. Wright, a detective who takes student through the
different sections. In addition, the site offers links to state specific educational
standards related to copyright education. One distraction to the website is
there are a number of ads along the borders. However, the information gleaned
from using site resources can help students improve their ability to
communicate electronically in a courteous and civil manner.
Adult educators can use websites like Study Guides and Strategies
as a resource at the beginning of any online class to remind students of the
nuances of proper electronic communication. In this age of texting and
tweeting, learners may forget that emailing the instructor is very different
from texting a friend. Requiring students to review information on email
etiquette and other netiquette techniques can prevent negative situations from
occurring during asynchronous discussion, or group interactions. During the
first week of every online course, I require students to read a short article and
discuss email etiquette guidelines for professionals in business and education.
The discussion is usually lively and students respond that they appreciate the
reminder and often learn something new. This initial activity sets the tone for
the course, with the expectation that all communication will be profession and
written in a respectful tone.
Thank you for the netiquette link. I particularly like the "Ten Commandmeents of E-mail Netiquette". They provide good tips for improving emails and ensuring information is relevant and respectful. We all want to make a good impression when communicating with others. This gives you a guideline to do that.
ReplyDeleteDot, I enjoyed reviewing Lansberger's site. Students and even educators can use a reminder on the importance of professional communication and netiquette expectations. Thanks for the comment.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda - thank you for all of the detailed and interesting information shared in your post! Both of the sites you discuss can be very helpful for learners of all ages.
ReplyDeleteI particularly like the studygs.net site; I think it is well-laid out and easy to navigate. I like the interactive features, as well. In my opinion, the more that academic institutions move into use of technology and the internet, the more students will be taught the 'rules of netiquette.' As a preparing adult educator, I plan to be a model for students in my own electronic communications. Like you, I believe once you set the expectation for the tone in communication and appropriate interaction, most students will follow suit.
Have a great weekend!
Carolyn H.
Hey Linda,
ReplyDeleteGreat post. It is very detailed and informative. I too like the studygs.net site for the reasons that it appears as though it will be of great help to me as an adult learner with regards to citing sources and teaching learners the correct way to cite resource materials. Too often we run the risk of incorrectly citing resources which may lead us into trouble, because we fail to remember to do the correct thing. In addition, the mere fact that it serves as an interactive tool, there is more chances for the concepts taught to be understood thoroughly. This site would be integrated in my ideal course 'Introduction to Essay Writing' where learners will be taught how to cite their sources properly. Thanks for sharing.
Nsel, Glad to hear that Lansberger's Study Guides and Strategies has some practical applications for your essay writing class. The site is even referenced on the Western Kentucky University (WKU) website. Learning how to proper cite and reference are essential skills for today's students. Additional links if interested.
ReplyDeleteLansberger's site: http://www.studygs.net/
WKU site: http://www.wku.edu/online/src/sgs.php