When I think of when I first started teaching, my website was a static page, with way too many .gifs and that annoying midi music that blared out when the page loaded. The page was more of a bulletin board that rarely changed and didn’t contain a lot of photos. The only “interactive” piece what a button to send me an email. I was sooooooo innnovative. I taught in a dial up world. At home? That page took almost an entire day to load – because hey, I’ve always loved my graphics. None of my students had access to smartphones, because they didn’t exist in that world. The school had one projector we only used on special occasions and it took an act of skill and luck to get it to connect to a laptop.
Fast forward 12ish years… and whoa. Our kids are interacting with the world. Publishing work for a global audience. Connecting with classrooms, in real time, through free videoconferencing software. There are ipads to motivate the reluctant reader with interactive books. There are apps to encourage creativity and choice. There are projects and interactive boards to allow kids to be an engaged part of the discussion rather than a passive listener.
Our kids are global citizens. As we think about digital citizenship, we need to be careful that we don’t make details like “citing sources” a classroom rule. It’s not about more rules for kids. It’s about being a good person, doing good things, and sharing work that is an example of the good you offer the world. Our schools are like the training wheels to try out technology in a safe environment, getting a feel for the balance and learning how to make technology work for you. Practice, patience, and quality integration will all lead the way.
I can’t even believe I was just a girl teaching in a dial up world, and now I’m part of a connected living breathing ecosystem of learning that lives 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The discussions we must have with kids and the things we must model for them have changed in the way we share our stories and connect. We can’t ignore that. We have to live it and be models of it. But the thing that hasn’t changed? Do good. And everyday is an opportunity to encourage just that.
