Ok I admit it, I am a geek. I was entering data on a Compaq computer in 1984 and on the internet in 1992 when it was just a collection of bulletin boards. My mum jokes that I used the computer to babysit my kids, because they were all over my computer mashing the keyboard with their tiny hands before they could walk. While my generation was busy developing and learning how to use this wave of electronics that had suddenly changed our lives our kids were busy playing around with it and finding every diversion possible from lolcats to sexting. My kids were born digital natives, and as such, technology is an inextricable part of their lives and the lives of their peers. But they were born into the "wild west era" of technology when the free-wheeling nature of the development paid little attention to safety or codes of conduct. As quickly as I learned of new products and programs I would tell them about it and warn them of perils and pitfalls. I admit that we have all learned lessons along the way from the school of hard knocks, but we have emerged relatively unscathed. Our tech savvy family is ready to take on the opportunities and challenges life in the digital age will throw our way.
We held out hope their schools would reinforce our endeavours and accommodate advances technology provided, opening up vast unexplored territories of advancement and learning. Unfortunately for many years it seemed as though there was resistance in their schools. The Calgary Board of Education is a large bureaucracy and change presumably has to work its way through the system. Apparently they have been building the professional understanding and capabilities necessary to manage the technological and pedagogical leaps required. So we were excited to see the CBE's press release announcing a major breakthrough this past February, reported on the CBC news website.1 By this fall all Calgary public schools will have wireless networks installed and available for student use. Curtis Slater, the Board's technology researcher, said the idea is to give kids better access to the newest applications and online resources. The comments section for the article was full of howls of protest from parents and teachers alike wondering how this could possibly facilitate learning. From teens texting during class to middle school kids spending all their time on Facebook, there is alot of technological misuse occurring. A critical piece of training to help address these concerns, called Digital Citizenship, was also announced, which will be rolled out first to teachers and then to students.
Digital Citizenship was developed by an American, Dr. Mike Ribble and his associates. He is the director of technology for a school district in Kansas. He defines the concept as "the norms of appropriate, responsible behaviour with regard to technology use".2 There are nine elements in this framework to help children learn to become good digital citizens. Here is a brief summary of the elements which must be discussed, considered and utilized:
1. Digital Access: full electronic participation in society
2. Digital Commerce: electronic buying and selling of goods
3. Digital Communication: electronic exchange of information
4. Digital Literacy: process of teaching and learning about technology and the use of technology
5. Digital Etiquette: electronic standards of conduct or procedure
6. Digital Law: electronic responsibility for actions and deeds
7. Digital Rights and Responsibilities: those freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world
8. Digital Health and Wellness: physical and psychological well being in a digital technology world
9. Digital Security (self-protection): electronic precautions to guarantee safety
Learning and adopting these elements will indeed be a challenge for kids who have not previously had to examine and refine their technology habits. But it is necessary to make these changes in order for all of us to enjoy the benefits technology provides. Information and learning will be making a huge leap forward in the next few years as we see the introduction of the iPad and other fairly inexpensive devices that can access applications and the internet. Textbooks that were previously shared in classrooms will be available online and kept up to date electronically. Discussions and presentations that were previously available in a one-time only lecture will now be podcasted or posted to websites available 24/7 worldwide. Kids who are going to be needing to know how to use a laptop and programs like Excel and Word or whatever new version comes along will be able to learn these along the way with their schooling, rather than having to take courses on them once they have finished school. Their employers will demand high standards of technological skills and etiquette along with the reading, writing and arithmetic already being taught. Using new technology to learn means they can get two educations for the price of one!
Sure enough, we received a notice in our school newsletter last week that once Spring Break is over, our kids will be welcome to bring their personal electronic devices to school and make use of the newly installed wireless network. According to the Principal "the skillful ability to communicate, collaborate and connect is a key component of the global transformation of learning, working and living. The use of networked personal devices with the guidance of parents and teachers will allow for a more flexible, personalized learning experience where students have more choice in how they learn and demonstrate their understanding."3 This is music to my kids' ears. It will be very interesting to see how this all plays out. As a parent I will be an active participant in this process and I look forward to supporting my kids and their school as much as I can. I applaud the CBE for taking this first step into a larger world!
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