Media and HOW can we WARN Our Students to be SAFE?
- Mr. Gyles
- Jun 10, 2020
- 2 min read
The internet is a vast world where we are connected through our images, posts, and what we read. As students begin to grow older their images are shaped over platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. As educators, it is important to teach students about digital footprints and online safety. To ensure social media smarts it is important to teach students about the potential dangers. By updating privacy information, changing passwords, understanding policy platforms, and deleting and reporting unwanted messages students can have a basic understanding of online safety (Use Social Media Smarts, 2020). More so, the implications of social media on students are creating new challenges for educators. No longer are students validated within themselves by their own perceptions but about how others think of them. Social media is a platform where students often show their ‘best selves’. It is important as educators to discuss the importance of positive body image and self-love. By doing this we can help ensure students find happiness within themselves and not others. On the contrary, technology safety in the world of the internet is also important. As students now find much of their information through the web and not a textbook it is important that they get valid information. Media literacy is up to teachers to show students misinformation and disinformation, how to find credible information, and interpreting information into their own ideas. If we can help students become more technically literate this will, in turn, expand their ability to demonstrate their knowledge.
No longer is writing a paper a valid way of demonstrating knowledge by the technology around us has pushed those boundaries for students. Platforms like BookCreator, Canva, Comic Life, and Imovie allow students to demonstrate knowledge in new ways. Technology like this enables teachers to give their students a choice in the kind of work they create for projects, such as a video, podcast, or written story. (Levy, 2018). This will push students to new levels of creativity and foster an environment where their creativity is an outlet of new learning.
Copy these two links to find apps on student creation:
In all, it is important to still teach students to evaluate and question their sources. Students need to know the difference between a trustworthy and untrustworthy source (Levy, 2018). We must help provide direction for our students in showing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the internet. By doing this, it will enable more students creation and deeper learning of what students can do with the power of technology.
Signing off,
Mr. Gyles
References
Levy, L. A. (2018). 7 Reasons Why Digital Literacy is Important for Teachers. In USC Rossier. Retrieved May 19, 2020, from https://rossieronline.usc.edu/blog/teacher-digital-literacy/
Renard, L. (2018). The student as content creator – 15 Content creation apps for in the classroom. In BookWidgets. Retrieved January 27, 2020, from https://www.bookwidgets.com/blog/2018/02/the-student-as-content-creator-15-content-creation-apps-for-in-the-classroom
Use Social Media Smarts. (2020). In Learning Commons. Retrieved January 27, 2020, from https://vlc.ucdsb.ca/howdoi9-12/socialmediasmarts
Comments