Thursday, March 2, 2017

Global Digital Citizenship - Technology Resource

My technology resource was Edmodo. After researching global digital citizenship, I have a further understanding of using technology in the classroom. The learning environment that might be appropriate for my technology resource is higher-level grades. There are many ways to use the website, but it is easily navigated by people with a higher understanding of technology. With the many options this site provides, it would be well suited for older students. There are many ways to collaborate on this website which would be beneficial to the learning environment as well. Since teachers and parents can get on this application, there is a lot of connectivity to the classroom as well.

The learning environments that may not be well suited for my technological resource are lower grades. It would be difficult for younger students to understand the website and how to use it. Edmodo is kind of a social media type of website when looking at it. The way it is laid out as well as how it is used can be comparable to Facebook, except for the classroom and classroom uses. I would not use this for students under 6th grade because of the confusion it may cause for students. It is better suited for older students who have a better grasp on technology. This relates to the cultural aspect of global digital citizenship because for some cultures this website may not be suitable. It depends on accessibility and knowledge with this technology. It is also possible that this website can be abused by students if they are not posting correctly or using it to stay up to date with their teachers and assignments posted on the site.

To modify this resource to be appropriate, I would say the website can be simplified. There are many options on it, which can be confusing for certain people who are trying to navigate and understand the site. The options can be made clearer and the interface could be simplified as well. It is a very busy website with many things to use. While this may be a good thing to have more options available, there is such a thing as too much information. To make this website appropriate for younger students, it would have to be simplified. The login can be simplified as well as making an account and getting connected. It can also be used by younger students by making sure parents are involved and can help them use it from home. This is considering families have technology access, which could also be another problem. Relying on this website for the classroom would take some legwork to make sure there are no issues with connectivity.

After researching global digital citizenship, there is more to consider when using technology in the classroom. It is important to be socially responsible when using technology. The way we communicate with technology is very important, as well as the culture of technology. Many people experience technology differently, and it is helpful to understand this to make it properly available for using in the classroom. It is also important to use technology safe and ethically. This is especially important when using a site such as Edmodo because it is important to respect others and protect yourself when going on the Internet or using anything online. Access to technology is very important as well, as I addressed earlier in my blog post. All of the aspects of global digital citizenship work hand in hand to make technology use appropriate, and I have gained a further understanding of that now.

3 comments:

  1. Great post, Katie. I'm glad the past unit on Global Digital Citizenship has really made you realize new concepts about technology in the classroom. I do agree with you that Edmodo may be a little too advanced for student in the younger grades. Although it is a great resource, it is important that we all see the limitations in everything we do in the classroom and that we always keep the best interest of the students in mind. The question I've been asking is how you feel your specific technology resource should be modified to fit the criteria of being a source for global digital citizenship, but you already answered that in your post! Do you have any ideas for helping students who may not have access to a computer at home be able to utilize Edmodo to help them with their work?

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  2. Katie,
    Awesome post I can tell that you have really learned a lot from some of your specific detail. I also enjoyed how you touched upon the area of being culturally diverse. I liked how you discussed that your website relates to the cultural aspect of global digital citizenship. I also thought that it was kind of inte4resting how your site, Chelsey's site, and Cynthia's site all seemed inappropriate in the younger grades which is important to research and understand before you use a website like Edmodo. I learned a lot about Edmodo through your presentation and now I got to see how you felt about it. Great job!!!

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  3. Katie,

    I like that your resource and implementation of global digital citizenship in the classroom center around connectivity with parents. It is so important to involve parents, and I think Edmodo is a great technological resource that will accomplish this! You mentioned simplifying the website in your modifications, is there a way you can make navigation easier for parents and students, as a user, or is this something that can only be changed by the creators of the site itself? Thanks for sharing!

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