Week #9: Practicing Digital Responsibility

Weekly Report & Reflection Blog Post #9:

Digital Places and Spaces for Interaction

DON’T T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TILL IT'S GONE

Lindsay, K. (2012, August 21). 

“Why I'm Always Internet-less” [Online Image]. 

Link

I found it quite amusing this week as I tried to survive three nights without my home Internet. What was not amusing was the frustration that I experienced with trying to get the service back up and running. It was a hard reality check to face when I found myself starving for some sort of access to what seemed like the outside world.  Yes, I checked my emails from work and participated in Google Chat while absorbing Tim Horton’s Free WiFi Service (the least they owe me after two decades of being faithful to purchasing a daily coffee).  However, what I took from this experience was how, in general, I relied on technology to feed my daily needs – a simple, but complex, innovation that seems to one way, or another, run (or is that ruin) my daily schedule.

CONSTRUCTING KNOWLEDGE WITH DIGITAL TOOLS AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

Hughes, J. (2013). 

“Constructing Digital Knowledge” [Online Image]. 

Link

This week was a continuation about digital tools that influence collaborative learning. Any digital tool that brings two or more people together to learn, or attempt to learn something, can be considered as a collaborative tool.  This type of learning allows learners to constructively build knowledge within an digital environment. In today’s digital society, it is hard to imagine not being able to learn since it has become an integrated part in the process of learning. However, discovering the ‘perfect’ tool that will offer the greatest return in any type of learning can be a ‘trial and error’ routine for some users. As digital learners, we are required to find strategies that will enhance our learning in any type of setting. Being able to explore tools that assist in bringing people together, to construct knowledge and share that knowledge, is an advantage that technology offers – an offer that is hard to refuse for those who want to learn.

DIGITAL TOOLS THAT OFFER COLLABORATIVE LEARNING

This week’s learning session, in my digital context course, was all about digital tools that required learning together in an online environment. Specifically, I was able to explore VoiceThread and Polldaddy as well as further investigate the advantages of using blogs, in collaborative learning. Using all these tools enabled me to connect with others, in my class cohort, and gain a deeper understanding of the knowledge components of digital rights and responsibilities of digital citizens.

Tangient LLC. (2013). 

“Polldaddy” [Online Image].  

Link

The first tool introduced was Poll Daddy wherein I was able to use this survey/poll-type of tool to answer some pre-selected course related questions that directly related to digital rights and responsibilities of digital citizens. This tool, which is also somewhat similar to SurveyMonkey, is a great way to conduct a quiz or a pre-/post-assessment of how others are thinking on any given topic or questions. Personally, I have used it as a survey evaluation tool for obtaining feedback from my students and not so much as a collaborative tool since I do not let others view the responses. The collaborative learning advantage, however, that this tool offers comes from when the participants get to view the responses of others. Once you complete the survey you are able to view what others are thinking and possibly learn from their responses. Yet, there is a limit to its collaborative side since you can not communicate with one another and the responses are usually from anonymous users – giving no room for ‘active’ learning to take place. In addition, the survey or polls are constricted to short answers/comments leaving little room to expand in constructing knowledge. 

Next, was VoiceThread - which scores an ‘A’ as a collaborative learning tool. This cloud-computing tool has innovative features that allow participants to contribute/comment using multimedia (audio, video, or text). The only minor limitation (and reason for not giving the A plus "+") is not being able to simultaneous interact with other participants – but again this is a small shadow compared to how bright this tool shines in constructing knowledge among digital users. For a more detailed account of my experiences and insights please view my “VOICETHREAD” blog page.

Finally, I was able to investigate and experience the collaborative learning advantages that surround the use of blogs. Being able to make connections with others and learn, and share knowledge, influences the way that blogs connect an online community of learners – in essence, it allows building your PLN while learning.  Particularly, with this week’s course-related learning activity, I was able to share my knowledge and gain a deeper understanding, of digital rights and responsibilities when I explored blogs from my fellow peers, Kristy, Hillary and Melissa. The simple activity of reading their blogs (learning) and, commenting on their technology scenario insights (sharing), impacted how I learnt about digital rights and responsibilities of a digital citizen.  

PoliticsWikipedia. (2013). 

“Digital Collaborative Learning” [Online Image]. Link

“Blogging helps students identify what they have learned and what they need to improve through self-reflection…[it] promotes continuous learning…and encourages students to actively participate in peer learning....Blogs provide opportunities for diverse perspectives, and enrich students’ learning experience” 

(Zheng, 2013).

The advantages of using digital tools for collaborative learning are vast – it allows learners to access knowledge from a digital world that has no borders. However, in order to benefit from these tools one must first learn how to appreciate the underlying power of these tools that help with constructing our knowledge. There is no escaping technology and its influence in our daily life. We must all admit that the new generation of learners has technology attached to their hip – so to speak – and as digital citizens we must embrace this power, respectfully and responsibly, by learning how to use it to our advantage in the learning process.  

MY EXPERIENCE WITH VOICETHREAD AND IMPLICATIONS FOR ITS USE IN EDUCATION

 
For this section please view my blog page, “VOICETHREAD”, for insights into my experiences with VoiceThread, thoughts about its inclusion in my PLE and, the benefits that this cloud-computing collaborative tool has in education.

FEEDLY MAKES ME LAUGH OUT LOUD

I must admit that Browning’s (2013) article title - Act a fool on the internet and the internet will make you feel foolish -  grabbed my attention from the moment it popped up on my Feedly icon. The article does tie in nicely with our current discussion about the importance of creating a positive digital footprint. In brief, the article references a “Rico Suave barrista named Brody” who sent a digital selfie video to a model. ‘Brody’ had no idea that his video would go viral or that it would be used to mock him in a comical way. Even though I caught myself being amused by the 16-second clip, it did provide insight into why digital users need to be vigilant when posting or sharing any inappropriate material online – even Browning agrees – “that it can be extremely damaging for so many reasons”.

FINAL THOUGHTS – KEEPING UP WITH THE WEEKLY CHECK LIST

Keeping up with the repertoire of digital tools that I am investigating for inclusion in my PLE can certainly be a daunting task to a novice beginner like me. The advantages, however, that come from completing my course's Weekly PLE Tasks Reminders, is that it keeps me active with the tools and helps in discovering if they are enjoyable and useful. Basically, it gives the chance to explore if these new tools are worthy to replace other tools, or be placed, within my PLE.  Yet, most importantly it enhances my competencies in digital technology by ensuring that the acquired knowledge is being digitally applied. In the end, I may have become overwhelmed with all the tools, spent countless amount of time on the internet with reading and exploring material (more than what is probably considered ‘healthy’), BUT, it is this simple process of applying what I have learned that encourages me to keep on going – at least for the next three weeks <sigh>.

*What I am doing on a weekly basis courtesy of my current course:

PresenterMedia. (2013). 

Drawing Four Check Marks [Online Image Customized]. 

 © Link.

[  ] Checking this blog for comments and moderating any comments or discussion threads

[  ] Checking my Feedly Reader - looking for a relevant reading to share with my course cohort

[  ] Checking Twitter feeds and lists to build my personal learning network (PLN)

[  ] Reading and commenting on at least two classmates' blogs (am trying)

[  ] Checking my messages and NEWS FEEDS on Brock's ISAAK/SAKAI, for updates

[  ] Researching and adding bookmarks to my DIIGO account on topics related to digital citizenship and literacy

[  ] Reviewing new and shared information in my Evernote notebooks

[  ] Adding blog posts that reflect on my learning process and course content – and using Twitter as a means to let others in my PLN know about my blog posting

[  ] Contributing to my online community of learners by commenting and/or posting, about related theory in my digital course, in Brock's ISSAK/SAKAI forums

(*Adapted from “Learning Activity 4: Weekly PLE Tasks Reminders”, 2013).

References:

Browning, C. (2013, October 9). Act a fool on the internet and the internet will make you feel foolish. The Chris Browning Blog. Retrieved from http://chrisbrowningblog.com/2013/10/09/act-a-fool-on-the-internet-and-the-internet-will-make-you-feel-foolish/

Learning Activity 4: Weekly PLE Task Reminders, Session 9 (2013). Learning in Digital Contexts - ADED 1P32, Fall 2013 [Online Course Guide]. Brock University. Retrieved from https://lms.brocku.ca/portal/site/ADED1P32D02FW2013WWW002

Zheng, J. (2013, March 9). Active and collaborative learning through a blog network. Proceedings of the Southern Association for Information Systems Conference, Savannah, GA, US. Retrieved from http://sais.aisnet.org/2013/Zheng.pdf