Digital Citizenship Toolbox

Digital Citizenship Toolbox

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to talk with third graders about
digital citizenship. I love talking about this topic with elementary
students because it is an easy age to influence them to

be good digital citizens. This year I changed my

"Digital Citizenship Toolbox" to have items that compliment 
the 9 Elements of Digital Citizenship. I want to reiterate the 
importance of all of these elements throughout our students time 
at our prek-12 school but third grade is when all 9 are introduced 
(instead of focusing on one or two at a time.)

Respect

Digital Access: Advocating for equal digital rights and access

is where digital citizenship starts.
*Object Lesson: Padlock and Equity/Equality Poster- 
I explain the difference between equality and equity and how some 
people in the world don't have access to things likewater or education
 but also the internet. The padlock represents those of us who have 
access but lock it down for our own use instead of sharing it with others. 
My example was how our school recently invited another school over to
 attend STEM lab time with a mix of fifth-grade students from both 
schools so that the other school could have an experience with robotics 
for the first time because those students do not have access to what our 
students have access to.


Digital Etiquette: Rules and policies aren't enough- we need
to teach everyone about appropriate conduct online.

*Object Lesson: Toothpaste- I squirt out some toothpaste as
I'm talking about saying rude things to others. I then ask what
happens when you say "I'm sorry and I take it back?" Students
talk about how you forgive and I ask them "Do you forget?" I then
use my finger to try to get the toothpaste back into the tube that I
squeezed out. I talk about when we say rude things and try to take
them back that they never really ever go all the way back. The
toothpaste represents those rude things and the messiness of me
trying to get it back in the tube represents the repercussions of saying
things we can't really take back online.

Digital Law: It's critical that users understand it is a crime to steal

or damage another's digital work, identity, or property.

*Object Lesson: Bagel Spreader- I talk about the role of a spreader

is to saturate a bagel. I talk about how digital law is part of all aspects

of digital identity or property. How we have a responsibility to respect

the work of others on the internet and not claim it as our own. I explain

how a photograph my sister took was on the internet and a company

took her photo without her permission and now uses it for their

advertisements. She received no payment or credit for her beautiful

photography but now the whole world can see it but no one knows

it belonged to her.

"How would that make you feel?"

Educate

Digital Communication: With so many communication options
available, users need to learn how to make appropriate decisions.
*Object Lesson: Permanent Marker- I talk about our digital
footprint and how the things we say have a long-lasting impact but
I also discuss how choosing the right method to communicate is
important because of the concept of permanence. Perhaps the
things you are saying are true but would it be better shared through
a direct message instead of a tweet for everyone to see?


Digital Literacy: We need to teach students how to learn
in a digital society.
*Object Lesson: Teacher ID Card- I show my school ID card
and talk about how technology can be integrated into learning. We
talk about the 4 C's- creation, consumption,curation, and connection
and how each of those can help them as learners. I also discuss
how each teacher has a responsibility to teach students how to
use technology wisely for educational purposes.

Digital Commerce: As users make more purchases online, they
must understand how to be effective consumers in a digital
economy.
*Object Lesson: Credit Card- I show the credit card and explain to
them that it is fast and easy to order things online. It is a great way
to get the exact things you want quickly but you also have to be aware
that the easiness of buying online can sometimes get people in trouble
with overspending. I then talk about how students shouldn't buy
anything online without their parents' permission- including
gaming upgrades.



Protect

Digital Rights and Responsibilities: We must inform people of
their basic digital rights to privacy, freedom of speech, etc.
*Object Lesson: Passport- I show the passport and ask them what
it is. Once someone says a "United States" passport, I talk about the
rights and responsibilities I have as a U.S. citizen and then we connect
that to the rights and responsibilities they have as digital citizens. I also
explain that every single time they go online, they become a digital
citizen.


Digital Safety and Security: Digital citizens need to know how to protect 
their information from outside forces that might cause harm.
*Object Lesson: Toothbrush- Would you use a toothbrush that
someone else just used? No, because their "slobber and germs" are all
over it- it's personal. Passwords and personal information should be
treated the same way. Protect yourself online so that others won't have
access to your "slobber, germs, address, etc." because once they have it,
it will never be the same.


Digital Health and Wellness: From physical issues, such as repetitive
stress syndrome, to psychological issues, such as internet addiction,
users should understand the health risks of technology.
*Object Lesson: Ball of String- I ask for 3 volunteers and I ask each
to hold onto a portion of the string. As they grab it, I wrap it around them
once and talk about how connected we can become on the internet due
 to social media and it can cause both good and bad feelings. While talking, 
I wrap the end of the string around myself multiple times until I am 
"trapped" and I talk about internet addiction and how it can control us.
 I also talk to them about creating boundaries to prevent this from happening.

This idea was adapted from “Essential Elements of Digital Citizenship” https://www.iste.org/explore/ISTE-blog/Essential-elements-of-digital-citizenship and Craig Badura’s blog post on Digital Citizenship Toolbox http://www.craigbadura.com/2013/02/the-digital-citizenship-survival-kit.html

Fighting Burn Out.

I had breakfast with my cousin this weekend and we were discussing work burnout. She is a director of human resources in the Huntsville, Alabama area. We are four months apart in age and while we have never lived near each other, we have a lot in common- including the way we view work. At breakfast we discussed her current unhappiness with her job situation. The bottom line was that she is suffering from "burnout." When I asked her what her top three "kickers" for feeling that way she listed the following:

1. Ethical/values misalignment between herself and her employers.
2. Lack of growth/intellectual stimulus.
3. Poor communication/lack of leadership.

Bingo. Seems right in line with many of the of the top posts when I googled what causes "work burn out" or "workplace unhappiness." At some time or another many of us have suffered from some level of burnout. As educators, our burnout can affect the learning and desire to learn of anywhere from 15-2000 students, depending on what our job actually is and how many students we come into contact with weekly. The question is, how do we pull ourselves out of burnout and recover so that we can enjoy that which we have chosen to do...specifically, how do educators enjoy the journey of education?

I've been there- at the intersection of "Burnout and Apathy" multiple times in my life. I'll be honest, I think it has to do with the fact that I tend to be passionate about the things I believe in. My cousin, Melissa, is the same way. The downside to being a passionate employee is that you burn extra brightly. Your "light bulb" never really goes off, energy is always being used up. You can't shut down the breaker easily. Ok...enough figurative language- how do we prevent workplace burnout outside of leaving the institution or truly becoming apathetic and changing who we are?

1. Find your positive. Pull yourself out of your current conflict and imagine if someone was sharing your issues with you as if they were their own. Is it really an issue or are you making it an issue?  Sometimes lots of little things lead to "the last straw" and we seem to only focus on the negatives. Find your positives in your situations. For me, this sometimes means seeking out positive people to help me see the half-full glass. 
2. Find your balance. Your work isn't your life, it's a portion of who you are. Do things that you enjoy when you aren't at work. Don't get so caught up in work that it takes over your thinking both day and night. (This is my hardest thing to control).
3. Find ways to feed your inner need for "more." When you don't feel challenged, when you don't feel heard, when you feel stagnant...do something about it. For me, I seek out ways outside of my school building to build my professional learning network. It means looking for opportunities to help elsewhere- whether it be blogging, Twitter chats, speaking events or answering emails from educators outside my school system- finding a way to feel value in your day helps combat the feelings of burnout.
4. Find your edu-encourager. Find someone that not only understands what you do but understands you, ask that person to be your sounding board. It's actually probably a better idea that it isn't someone at your school. We tend to gravitate to people that see things the way we do, if you aren't careful this need to vent can easily become a gossip session. Pick someone that you can trust, that you know can look at things logically, and that will give you honest feedback. Buy them coffee and donuts occasionally and just talk in order to let things go.
5. Find the real battles. Don't let hard days make everything worth ruining your days. As a mom of teens I often say "I have to pick my battles." We should do this professionally too. Learn what's just smarter to let go of and what is worthy of fighting for. 
6. Find respect. We are all imperfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses. If we dwell on the negatives of our workplace we lose respect for those in authority over us. Remind yourself of the things your superiors do well and respect them for those things. Remind yourself of your faults too, for humility sake. 

Seeking ways to combat burnout is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Burnout can affect us mentally, emotionally and physically. We must choose to do things to pull ourselves away from this predicament. The results of "pulling ourselves away" looks different for each of us, but we must find a way to bloom where we are planted!