Quercus in a Digital World
In this 4th ESO elective English subject, our 15-16 year-old
students use technology to learn English actively and creatively.
This suject entails project work and blogging. Just from the very
beginning students learn how to use their class blog run by blogger
for being able to publish and share their individual or group
projects. Apart from our class blog, students use other sites and
webtools suitable to their age to support their work. Some of those
include: Glogster, Tackk, MyBrainshark, Voki, Voicethread, Animoto,
Prezi, Fotobabble, Blabberize, Soundcloud, Dvolver Films Students
also collaborate in shared docs and presentations on google drive
and work together synchronously by using sync.in or typewithme. It
is also possible that at some point of the school year we hold
language exchanges with other schools abroad. For those, we use
Skype. Lessons are run in one of the computer rooms in our school
equipped with 1x1 PCs with access to wired broadband internet.
Students may also make use of the school flip cameras, cameras,
digital voice recorders, microphones,
Due to the high amount of technology involved in this subject we
feel the need to help our learners to develop high standards of ICT
skills. Therefore, we think it is of vital importance to deal with
issues concerning online security, 'netiquette' and plagiarism on a
regular basis. We also ask participants to comply with the set
rules of responsible online practice. Thinking on behalf of our
students we would like to count on our learners' parents' help to
foster safe and responsible digital citizens.
In order to inform and educate learners to use technology safely
and responsibly 'Quercus in a Digital World' icludes such essential
digital issues and promotes such digital practice as:
Passwords: students are taught how to create secure passwords
and have a system for remembering them. We stress that email
passwords should have a higher level of security and should not be
used for other sites.
Pricacy: to ensure maximum privacy, once they have joined
blogger and accepted blog invitations as contributors, students are
told to accept most of the default settings except for 'display
email' under profile and 'share profile', for which they deny
access.As for blog settings, 'QDW' administrators deny permission
to let search engines find the blog and prevent it from being added
to 'our listings'. We warn students never to give out their full
name, address, telephone number or any information that may
identify them as individuals.
Personal information: we make learners reflect on the kind of
personal information they want to share online and decide whether
it might affect them in the future before clicking on the post
button.
Photographs: students may not know that pictures may show
private information such as street signs and names, licence plates,
and we do not want any of that to be shown online. Students also
learn to turn off geotagging features.
Property: we make sure learners understand and respect the
concept of 'copyright' and 'Creative Commons'. Very often not only
teenagers but also adults assume they have the right to copy
anything they see online. We teachers and society in general have
to teach them that 'google images' compiles content from a variety
of sources. Students need to go to the source, see if they have
permission to use it and then, cite that source. In the same way,
students learn to generate a license for their own work.
Professionalism: we stress the concept of 'netiquette' or online
behaviour as well as online grammar in anything they post and in
Skype video-conferences. In this way, anything that is inadequate
because it may harm others will be penalised. Students are also
asked to report anything they feel inappropriate immediately to
their teacher.
Personal brand: students are made aware of the concept of
digital footprint and are encouraged to think about the kind of
things they would like to be digitally identified with in the
future.
In order to become part of the 'Quercus in a Digital World' team
we encourage you both students and parents to consider and discuss
all the points stated above referring to digital citizenship and
ask you to sign the digital pledge that follows:
We participants of 'Quercus in a Digital World' pledge to:
Communicate responsibly and kindly with one another.
Protect our own and others' private information online.
Respect each other's ideas and opinions.
Give proper credit when we use others' work.
Stand up to cyberbullying.
Ask for permission to use others' work.
We agree to the above
Parent(s) and child's names
Parent(s) and child's signatures
Should you have any questions regarding this RUP document do not
hesitate to contact me, M. Carmen Ribas Ripoll at INS Quercus
secondary school, so that I can help you answer any doubt you may
have. 93 8764556
References:
http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/Resources.html
http://www.edutopia.org/article/digital-citizenship-resources
