Journal 3 - Digital citizenship

Lindsay, Julie, & Davis, Vicki. (2010). Navigate the digital rapids. Learning and Leading with Technology, 37(6), 12-15.

The term digital citizenship describes the relationship between students and teachers within the inline environment. As a professional educator you must transform yourself into a technological resource, continually monitoring new trends and ideas that will help drive student centered learning. Opening up the classroom to a more global environment offers lots of advantages for students to become engaged in the world around td them , but it also opens up a new world of socialization which if not monitored could put teachers into difficult situations.
In implementing the idea of a “flat classroom” environment it is best that you have a plan mapped out which not only explains the implementation method but how a teacher intends to monitor and use the educational network to best suits their students. Rules of conduct need to be established and monitored to ensure that students are engaging appropriately in this new space.
The concept of internet safety is compared to that of traffic safety and hunter’s safety, most all of life’s interaction have an element of risk but as parents and teachers it is our responsibility to guide our students into safe internet usage. Educational networks are designed to make the internet a safer place.

How would I implement the idea of a “flat classroom” in my own classroom?
As a middle school teacher, teaching one subject to 6 or more groups a day I would want to enable all of my classes to be able to communicate with each other regarding the topics discussed in class, it would turn a group of 25 student into a group of 100 plus allowing for more interaction with student at all levels and encouraging peer support and tutoring.

What would some of the pitfalls be in this type of learning environment?
If the teacher is not monitors the information being exchanged, students can send themselves in to the wrong direction, off topic or the misuse of the learning tool. Posting inappropriate content rather than information that will help drive a topic home.