Peer's Digital Citizenship, Ethics, and Netiquette

In investigating my peer’s views on technologies dealing with digital citizenship, ethics, and netiquette, I learned a bit from Kathy Spearman’s post located at http://mskitydon52.blogspot.com/#!/2012/12/week-7-netiquette.html:

"www.albion.com/netiquette/ offers core rules and descriptions of what is considered proper Internet etiquette. It also challenges the student to answer quiz questions in hypothetical situations

 www.studygs.net/netiquette.htm

Both of these websites can be used as instruction tools for students to help them learn the proper methods of communicating on the world wide web."

Also of interest is Revonne Lester’s blog about digital citizenship located at http://educationstation2012.blogspot.com/#!/2012/12/digital-world.html:

"http://vtisp.org/resources/vocabulary/digital-citizenship/ is also a great site. This site is a site dedicated to digital citizenship. It has each of the nine themes listed. When you choose a theme to click n to learn more, it gives you the definition f the theme, a prompt, and an exercise to do to further educate yourself on the learning. This site can be used by teachers or by teachers who are teaching teachers."

Both of these technologies can be incorporated into the learning environment I create but depending on the amount of experience of each group of learners.  The netiquette site can be incorporated as a refresher for my more experienced computer users or for an entire lesson for my beginners.  The same is the case with digital citizenship; it can either be something to touch on or an entire focus depending on the experience level of the learners.

Digital Citizenship, Ethics, and Netiquette

One technology that deals with digital ethics in regards to adult education is the program ExamGuard (http://www.examguard.com/TestingEngine.asp).  ExamGuard is ideal in an online environment and can be utilized for distance learning or a computer lab self-paced environment.  It handles digital ethics with respect to the idea of cheating while taking an online exam.  ExamGuard blocks out the ability to simultaneously search the internet and insures that it is the only window available for the duration of the exam.  Because many online or lab based courses work on the honor system, it is difficult to give administer an old-fashioned test since the learner can just look up the answers in another window but ExamGuard allows an ethical way to test without the instructor being present or available.

A great technology or resource for the idea of Digital Etiquette is a movie and subsequent activities on Brain Pop (http://www.brainpop.com/technology/computersandinternet/digitaletiquette/).  The brief movie goes over the brief do’s and don’ts of communicating digitally such as not using all capital letters and not naming other people without their knowledge or permission.  Although this technology is not geared specifically toward adult education, it is a great prerequisite for any type of adult learning.  I plan on incorporating this into my practice by showing it on the first day of any computer lab course I teach that involves the internet.

Open and Distance Education

The idea of open education is a common occurrence that until this week I kind of took for granted.  How many times do we not know an answer to something and take to the internet to discover it?  I feel this is the epitome of open education.  MIT has taken it a step further by physically publishing their courses and content for the world to see and learn at their own leisure.  Bonk (2009) wrote that approximately 50% of the visitors to the open education provided by MIT were self-learners simply looking for an answer or an attempt to broaden their horizons.  I selected the MIT open education idea because this is something I can pass on to the learners at the Center and post in the computer lab (http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm). The idea of open education is not without drawbacks; there is no formal organization and there are no degrees or certificates awarded for the hours spent reviewing this open information just to learn pieces of a subject.

Pre-internet distance education consisted of mail-in assignments and tests were given by proxy usually at a library or some other public arena (Bonk, 2009).  The advantage to the pre-internet phase is that all expectations were laid out directly and the learner could work at their own pace without interference from peers or even the instructor.  The disadvantage is that collaboration was not possible and there was little to no feedback as far as progress was concerned.  Post-internet distance education more simulates a classroom with interaction from all sides and allows for maximum use of resources throughout the process.  A disadvantage to the post-internet distance education is that there is more work than a physical classroom based course in order to prove participation and learning.

Distance learning does not affect me as an adult educator – at least not in a formal way.  We cannot offer distance learning courses to our members because our community members cannot be expected to have updated or really any technology available to them at home since it is a very disadvantaged community.  Informal distance learning in an open education format is urged with our members both in and out of the classroom environment.  In fact since our previous discussion, I am looking into information I can provide to our learners about the MIT offerings since our computer lab is available for use to learners and other community members.

Bonk, C. J. (2009). The world is open: How web technology is revolutionizing education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Games, Simulations, and Virtual Environments

As I discovered in Cobb’s (2008) blog, there are many learning games that can be utilized in the educational setting.  One of particular interest is My US Rep (http://www.boogaholler.com/myusrep/).  This program uses real information and statistics in a game for learning more about Congress.  I can incorporate this game into some of the GED lessons I teach.  The benefit is that it provides real world examples that can translate to greater understanding from the learner.  The challenge is that if the class is not based in the computer lab, access to the computer for this game may be difficult.  In my facility, if a course is not computer based then lab time is difficult to acquire.  Since we cater to a disadvantaged clientele, requiring a computer for class is not feasible so we must provide them.

Also discovered in Cobb’s (2008) blog, eLections (https://games.ciconline.org/elections/Default.aspx) is an online game that simulates the ins and outs of an election and even includes a 3^rd, Independent Party.  The benefits and challenges are the same as the previously mentioned game and I see this game being included in our GED curriculum at the Center.  In addition to being included in the curriculum, these two games can be available on the Desktop of each computer in the lab to enhance members’ computer experience.

Cobb, J. (2008, April 18). Mission to learn: 26 learning games to change the world [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.missiontolearn.com/2008/04/learning-games-for-change/

Mobile Learning Technologies

There are many emerging mobile devices and technologies that are now utilized by adult learners.  The device I utilize myself is a tablet.  A tablet allows access to online information at anytime whether the student is sitting in a classroom or home taking a mobile course.  Additionally, utilizing a tablet in the physical classroom is less cumbersome than a laptop and just as easy to take notes with (Rossing, Miller, Cecil & Stamper, 2012).  There are some Colleges and Universities that require tablets, as of Fall 2012 the University of Louisville is one such University (University of Louisville, 2012).  A tablet would easily be incorporated into my professional practice by offering a course on how to utilize the tablets and also by offering tablet use in the computer lab once the University has handed them down to the Center I am employed by.

Another mobile learning technology of interest to me the use of smartphones in classrooms.  I selected this technology because it is quite a controversial subject not just in adult education but in regular education as well.  There are both pros and cons.  In adult education I can incorporate the technology into my classroom both as instruction and as a resource for the students to utilize at a time permitted to them. 

University of Louisville, (2012).  Tablet PC.  Retrieved from   http://louisville.edu/speed/academics/tablet-pc

Rossing, J. P., Miller, W. M., Cecil, A. K., & Stamper, S. E. (2012). iLearning: The future of higher education? Student perceptions on learning with mobile tablets. Journal Of The Scholarship Of Teaching & Learning, 12(2), 1-26.

Social Media

There are many drawbacks as well as benefits to adult learning with social networking.  When most of us think of social networking, programs such as Facebook (www.facebook.com ) come to mind. 

Facebook is a difficult social networking site to utilize simply because it is so vast and open; it is difficult to contain a class, group, or idea within its space.  Facebook is however a great way to disseminate information especially if classes have their own page; an instructor will get a message to many more students if it is shared on Facebook versus waiting for the students to possibly check their school email which very seldom occurs.  There are other social networking sites available for educational use where an instructor or group leader can control the environment and permit or excuse participants and guide their learning.  Ning (www.ning.com ) is one such interface, where belonging surrounds an interest or in our case a class or subject area.  The drawback to Ning is that there really is no in-between with privacy; though not all learners would consider this a disadvantage.  One strategy that I may incorporate is the idea of utilizing a Facebook page (not my own as that is too personal) to disseminate information to my students since most of them have cell phones now with the application loaded and ready.  Incorporating Ning into a classroom experience is somewhat self-explanatory as an entire class can be based in Ning and is a great communication tool.   (Richardson, 2010)

 

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Chapter 9

Week 2, Applications and Multimedia Resources

For this week’s blog entry, I must select two applications and multimedia resources that have the potential to enhance adult education.  The first application I selected is Ning (www.ning.com). I was first introduced to this multimedia resource through my son’s French III class last year.  The site mimics other social networking sites but is based on networking for a purpose and is moderated by a teacher.  In adult education, Ning can have similar effects and since it can be moderated and closed to the public is a much safer communication tool than standard social networking sites (Richardson, 2010).  The second application that I discovered that can enhance adult education is podcasting.  There are countless applications and software available to begin podcasting but Podbean is one of the easiest to use and the price is right (http://www.podbean.com/start-podcast?sourceid=bing_01).  Podcasting allows instructors or learners to record ideas or lessons that can be played and referenced at the users’ convenience.  My wife actually utilizes podcasts from a few of her internet instructors while in college; she can download them from home and listen to them wherever she likes making the concept very appealing for adult education since most learners are pressed for time.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.