Digital Communication By: Jamie Maceri and Joyce Estes

“Essential Questions” 1.Do I use , cell phone, and instant messaging technologies appropriately when communicating with others? 2.What rules, options, and etiquette do students need to be aware of when using digital communication technologies? 3.How can I appropriately incorporate digital communication technologies into the classroom?

Definition: The electronic exchange of communication. Ways of Digital Communication: 1.Cell Phones 2.Instant Messaging (IM) 3.Videoconferencing 4.

Digital Communication Issues in Schools Cell Phones Instant Messaging Text Messaging Blogs

Many prefer over a phone call because provides accurate records of a message. Provides users with instant access to communication. Problemsoccur when:Problems occur when: 1.Users forget that their s are usually stored in a record system on a computer. 2.People don’t think about what they say when using . 3.Other people invade privacy rights regarding usage at work, school, or home.

Cell Phones Allow for personal and immediate communication. mustMany parents now believe their children must have a cell phone, so they can reach their child at any time. Problemsoccurs when: Problems occurs when: 1.Cell phones are used at school and cause major distractions and then catalyst for behavioral problems.

Instant Messaging (IM) Allows people to communicate online by chatting. Problems occur when:Problems occur when: 1.Students instant message at school, on school computers. 2.Inappropriate things are said about other students through IM’s and cause behavior problems at school.

Text Messaging Allows people to communicate through cell phones without actually verbally talking on the phone. Problems occur when:Problems occur when: 1.Students use text messaging to cheat on tests. 2.Students communicate with other students during class time. 3.Students use text message shorthand for class assignments when asked to give complete answers.

Blogs A website used for commentaries for the public to see. Problems occur when:Problems occur when: 1.Inappropriate comments are posted. 2.Personal information is exposed.

Examples of Inappropriate Digital Communication Students leave ringers on high volume and keep their phones on during class time. Students use instant messaging and shorthand for class assignments when asked to give complete answers. Students use text messaging to cheat on tests. Let’s take a look at this video together: communication/

Digital Communication Scenario Mrs. Baxter, a language arts teacher, explores new, innovative ways for students to write essays in class. She finds a website that describes how teachers can use blogs to help students post their thoughts and ideas on the Web. She decided to set up a blog for her students.

Digital Communication Scenario Inappropriate:Inappropriate: Mrs. Baxter tells her students to navigate to her blog Website and record her ideas. She describes the assignment as diary- like writing. After a couple of days, she finds inappropriate postings (e.g., discussions of boyfriends and girlfriends), but she cannot identify the authors. After a week, she shuts down the blog and decides that blogging was a bad idea.

Digital Communication Scenario Appropriate:Appropriate: Mrs. Baxter speaks to her class about the process of blogging. She illustrates examples of suitable comments and emphasizes the importance of appropriate use. After a couple of weeks, the students are responding almost every day, and they are coming to class with more in-depth questions that relate to concepts being discussed in class.

Digital Communication Scenario What could make a difference:What could make a difference: Teachers need to research the use of technology before using it in their classroom. Just hearing about something that someone else has used in class does not always mean that it will work. Teachers should check around and ask questions about what the technology can and can’t do.

There are ways we can appropriately use Digital Communication technologies in education.

Did you know? The average cell phone now has more computing power than many of the computers of 10 years ago. How can we harness that power in education?

“And despite what some may consider cell phones’ ‘limitations,’ our students are already inventing ways to use their phones to learn what they want to know. If we educators are smart, we’ll figure out how to deliver our product in a way that fits into our students’ digital lives – and their cell phones. And instead of wasting our energy fighting their preferred delivery system, we’ll be working to ensure that our students extract maximum understanding and benefit from the vast amounts of cell phone- based learning they will all, no doubt, soon be receiving.” ~ Mark Prensky 1 How can we do this?

How do you integrate Digital Communication Technologies into your classroom? How many of you use: (raise hand) –Cell phones? (for other use than text messaging) –Text messaging? –Blog? –Wiki? –IM? – ? –Other?

Ways to Integrate Cell Phones into the Classroom Student response polling or pop quizzes (no need to invest in additional devices) Use sms to find definitions, currency conversion, math equations, translation and more Use as an internet browser to access endless information Research Read news articles and current events Read books Download and use education programs such as Google Maps and use as GPS Use as a digital or video camera to accompany school projects, publishing, etc. Educate students on appropriate and acceptable social use Use the voice technology to share engaging lectures or lessons 2

Blogs and Wikis In Education (Ways we can use them) Group projects: Students work together in one place to research, outline, draft, and edit projects within the wiki Assignments: Post homework, course materials, study guides, and more. Resource Collections: Organize articles, websites, videos, and other resources for students Peer Review: Post questions for student brainstorming, or have students post papers for peer feedback Group FAQ: Students and/or teachers post and respond to questions on a given topic Parent Involvement: Give parents a chance to be a part of the classroom and stay up to date on classroom news and events Online Newspaper: Create a student-published online newspaper 3

References 1. Mark Prensky – What You Can Learn From a Cell PhoneMark Prensky – What You Can Learn From a Cell Phone 2. Value of Using Cell PhonesValue of Using Cell Phones 3. Wikis in the ClassroomWikis in the Classroom