Scenario 1: Collaboration = Harassment?
A student is using Google Drive as a writing and collaborative tool for peer reviewing. Juan and Jeremy have used the platform instead to exchange comments that involve name-calling and racial slurs. Jeremy’s parents object when his account is suspended claiming it will negatively impact his academic progress.
A student is using Google Drive as a writing and collaborative tool for peer reviewing. Juan and Jeremy have used the platform instead to exchange comments that involve name-calling and racial slurs. Jeremy’s parents object when his account is suspended claiming it will negatively impact his academic progress.
The issue here is the fact that the students are using the tool for name calling (that includes racial slurs), harassment. The boys' feelings are in jeopardy.
I would recommend having a meeting with the each boys' parents individually with school administration. I would review the technology policy and follow through with the appropriate consequence.
Scenario 6: Course Management Overload
Ms. Carlson is excited to use Edmodo, a course management system similar to Moodle with her students. Although Edmodo isn’t officially supported by the tech department like Moodle is, she is excited to use it because she finds it much more intuitive to use and she likes the interface better than Moodle. Ms. Carlson is vigilant about the privacy settings, has informed her principal and parents of her instructional goals and objectives. Her students jump on board and post to the discussion at record numbers. Ms. Carlson is pleased to see such motivated dialogue on a novel that had previously felt like pulling teeth. Two weeks into the unit, she receives a parent complaint. The complaint is as follows:
Dear Ms. Carlson, Mr. Miller, Mr. Hamilton and Ms. McIntyre,
Although my son is a motivated and active participant in all of your classes, I am concerned that the school does not seem to have a unified course management system. He is using Moodle in Math, Edmodo in English, Schoology in Science, and Kidblog in Social Studies. Furthermore, all of these sites require different logins and passwords. As a parent, I am having a difficult time keeping this all straight and am requesting that the school discuss this issue and figure out a more streamlined approach.
Thank you for your consideration,
A supportive but confused parent
There doesn't seem to be any ethical issues involved here. Ms. Carlson made sure to inform both her principal and parents about her instructional goals and objectives. No one's safety or well being is in jeopardy. Based on this scenario, I would use this email to call attention to how teachers are using technology as a whole school. Maybe the students can work on having the same username and password for all of the sites, thus making it easier to access and remember. Using different sites and remembering usernames and passwords is now a fact of life. The sooner you become comfortable with this the easier it will be.
Ms. Carlson is excited to use Edmodo, a course management system similar to Moodle with her students. Although Edmodo isn’t officially supported by the tech department like Moodle is, she is excited to use it because she finds it much more intuitive to use and she likes the interface better than Moodle. Ms. Carlson is vigilant about the privacy settings, has informed her principal and parents of her instructional goals and objectives. Her students jump on board and post to the discussion at record numbers. Ms. Carlson is pleased to see such motivated dialogue on a novel that had previously felt like pulling teeth. Two weeks into the unit, she receives a parent complaint. The complaint is as follows:
Dear Ms. Carlson, Mr. Miller, Mr. Hamilton and Ms. McIntyre,
Although my son is a motivated and active participant in all of your classes, I am concerned that the school does not seem to have a unified course management system. He is using Moodle in Math, Edmodo in English, Schoology in Science, and Kidblog in Social Studies. Furthermore, all of these sites require different logins and passwords. As a parent, I am having a difficult time keeping this all straight and am requesting that the school discuss this issue and figure out a more streamlined approach.
Thank you for your consideration,
A supportive but confused parent
There doesn't seem to be any ethical issues involved here. Ms. Carlson made sure to inform both her principal and parents about her instructional goals and objectives. No one's safety or well being is in jeopardy. Based on this scenario, I would use this email to call attention to how teachers are using technology as a whole school. Maybe the students can work on having the same username and password for all of the sites, thus making it easier to access and remember. Using different sites and remembering usernames and passwords is now a fact of life. The sooner you become comfortable with this the easier it will be.
I agree with you, Jenny, that remembering usernames and passwords is now life. As long as we help students have something easy for them to remember & have it written down for when they forget.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any personal connections to either of these scenarios? (4. Share any real-life incidents or personal connections related to the scenario.)
ReplyDeleteGina- I have not had any personal experiences (like the scenarios) with using technology in my classroom. I think if I were to teach older students, this would be more prevalent and I would probably have a connection.
ReplyDelete