Full Answer Section

• Promoters of Creation and Collaboration: Teachers should encourage students to use technology as a tool for creating original work, sharing ideas, and collaborating on projects, fostering 21st-century skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication.
• Lifelong Learners: Teachers themselves must continuously update their own digital literacy and pedagogical strategies to remain effective educators in a rapidly changing technological environment.

Are Teachers Responsible for Teaching Students to Be Good Digital Citizens and How to Use Technology to Learn and Show Evidence of Learning?

Absolutely, yes. This is a non-negotiable responsibility for teachers today.

• Good Digital Citizens: Teachers are instrumental in teaching digital citizenship, which encompasses the responsible, ethical, and safe use of technology. This includes:
  • Online Safety: Educating students about strong passwords, protecting personal information, identifying online scams, and safe online interactions.
  • Responsible Online Behavior: Teaching respectful communication, netiquette, and the impact of their online actions (e.g., cyberbullying prevention).
  • Information Literacy: Equipping students with the skills to evaluate the credibility of online sources, fact-check, and identify bias.
  • Digital Footprint: Helping students understand that their online actions leave a lasting “digital footprint” and the importance of managing their online presence responsibly.
  • Privacy: Teaching students how to manage their personal information and privacy settings online.
• Using Technology to Learn and Show Evidence of Learning: Teachers are responsible for integrating technology into the curriculum in meaningful ways to enhance learning and assessment. This involves:
  • Personalized Learning: Utilizing technology to differentiate instruction and cater to individual student needs, learning styles, and paces.
  • Active Participation: Designing lessons where technology facilitates active learning, encouraging students to take ownership of their learning.
  • Collaborative Learning: Leveraging online platforms and tools for group projects, discussions, and shared document creation.
  • Creative Expression: Empowering students to use digital tools for creating presentations, videos, podcasts, digital portfolios, and other forms of evidence of learning that go beyond traditional methods.

What Experiences Should Teachers Be Providing to Ensure Students Can Be Successful in Today’s World?

To ensure students are successful in today’s digital world, teachers should provide experiences that:

• Promote Hands-On Engagement with Diverse Technologies: Beyond just consuming content, students need to actively use various digital tools and platforms for creation, problem-solving, and communication. This could include:
  • Coding platforms and robotics kits (e.g., Scratch, LEGO Mindstorms)
  • Video creation and editing tools (e.g., iMovie, Adobe Spark)
  • Podcasting and audio tools (e.g., Anchor, Audacity)
  • Digital storytelling and presentation tools
  • Collaborative online documents and project management tools
• Foster Critical Thinking and Information Evaluation:
  • Activities that require students to research information from multiple online sources and evaluate their credibility.
  • Discussions on fake news, bias, and the responsible sharing of information.
  • Projects that involve fact-checking and analyzing different perspectives.
• Encourage Digital Collaboration and Communication:
  • Group projects that require online collaboration using shared documents, video conferencing, or discussion boards.
  • Opportunities for students to communicate with peers and experts online, even across geographical boundaries.
• Integrate Digital Citizenship Education Explicitly and Continually:
  • Regular discussions about online safety, privacy, cyberbullying, and responsible digital behavior.
  • Case studies or scenarios that prompt ethical decision-making in digital contexts.
  • Modeling appropriate online behavior by teachers themselves.
• Connect Classroom Learning to Real-World Digital Applications:
  • Virtual field trips using VR/AR technologies.
  • Guest speakers joining remotely via video conferencing.
  • Projects that address real-world problems using digital tools for research, analysis, and presentation.
  • Simulations and educational games that mimic real-world scenarios.
• Develop Digital Portfolio Creation Skills:
  • Encourage students to create digital portfolios to showcase their work, reflections, and growth over time, which is valuable for future academic and professional endeavors.
• Cultivate a Growth Mindset Towards Technology:
  • Help students embrace the idea that technology is constantly evolving and that continuous learning and adaptation are essential.