"Participate 4.1.3 Digital Health" Quest

• What is the most proactive means of ensuring the most balanced blend of technology and well-being? What can students and teachers do to make sure they get the most from technology while simultaneously safeguarding good health?
• Set boundaries and create habits that promote time outdoors and time away from technology.
• Schedule specific times for checking messages so that this task does not permeate the entire day.
• Use personal contact to keep in touch with friends and family rather than relying on social media.
• Organize tech-free times, such as during dinner and evening hours when such activity can cause insomnia.
• What are the results of modifying some of your technology habits? Describe your scheduled commitments for increased digital health and wellness.
• The only time I really use the computer or internet is to work for GAVS, where I teach the AP French course. I typically work between 17 and 25 hours per week. Because I have a 4 year old daughter who attends pre-school only 3 mornings per week, I already have a limited amount of time that I can work. I used to take a run either before or at the end of my work time but since spraining my ankle this summer, I have not resumed a steady dedication to that practice. I have implemented Sworkit, which is an app that provides various types of 5 minute work outs. Those are nice to do every so often while I am working to provide time for stretching and brief strength training. Once my ankle is in full recovery, I will add that exercise back into my day 3 times per week.
• I use the iPad or my iPhone to respond to email. I generally am available whenever a message arrives and will respond immediately as long as I do not need access to the LMS. I prefer to handle email this way because it doesn't seem to take as much of my time when I respond by phone as opposed to when I sit at the computer. I also prefer to avoid having many emails at once to which I need to write responses because that cuts into my time for grading and leaving feedback. I do not find that this practice interferes often with my life. 
• I also use the iPad or my iPhone for personal activities. I would estimate that I might spend 1 hour per week using these devices for entertainment/social media/ research on arts & crafts. In addition, I use the internet and computer to plan the lessons for the 4 year old Sunday School class I teach, which takes up about 45 minutes each week.
• Therefore, my main focus has not been on limiting my time using devices but rather on my physical ergonomics. I find that I do feel better when I pay attention to my posture and when I take frequent breaks, even if that is just to get up and go downstairs to transfer laundry from the wash to the dryer.
• My Digital Calendar containing schedule appointments designed to improve digital health: I actually chose not to use a digital calendar for this exercise. It seemed to me to defeat the purpose and only add more technology where I don't feel I need it. I preferred to set a timer to go off every 30 minutes and to either do some light exercise for 5 minutes or to do a chore in the house that needed to be accomplished. I was able to maintain this practice for the week and plan to continue once classes resume after the holidays. Making sure to spend time outdoors is important to me as well and so I will focus my time on strengthening my ankle so that I can benefit more from my time away from the computer. 

"Participate 4.1.2 Digital Safety and Security" Quest

Link to the Prezi in case the embed is not working: http://prezi.com/l8axqywzbb-r/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share



 My Social Bookmarking Tool for Digital Safety and Security

" Participate 4.1.1 Digital Rights and Responsibilities" Quest

Here is my plan for supporting and protecting a Digital Learning Community through Digital Rights and Responsibilities:

1.How can a DLC ensure that citizens within the community have access to an environment where an AUP protects members as well as the community itself, where individuals uphold laws, and a cooperative/collective venture provides robust, safe, and ethical resources and opportunities for learning? The DLC must promote the education of its digital citizens about DLC use so that they value an environment as described in the above prompt. Knowledge is power in terms of understanding and appreciating the importance of a safe on-line environment.

2.What is the best way to establish and maintain a flourishing DLC where citizens understand, observe, and are inclined to willingly support and ultimately benefit from Digital Rights and Responsibilities? The citizens and teachers must be active participants in on-going learning about ethical behavior in virtual environments. It is the DLC's responsibility to provide those opportunities for learning. Such experiences would include seminars on Copyright, Fair Use and Creative Commons.

3. Issue an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).

The AUP for my imaginary DLC would be created by a team of educators, administrators, and students. This committee would meet each spring to evaluate the relevancy of the AUP for the ever changing virtual environment. The AUP would be distributed through the student handbook and would have a separate tear-out page for students and parents to sign as proof of their understanding of the policy. I've created an example of an AUP that such a committee would be likely to formulate based on suggestions at http://www.webwise.ie/teachers/sample-acceptable-use-policies-2/. My imaginary DLC in particular is a virtual school run at the state level that serves public school systems. Here it is:

"Participate 3.1.2 Digital Resources and Netiquette" Quest

"Participate 3.1.1 Access to the Digital Community" Quest

Participate 3.1 Access to the Digital Community

"Participate 2.1.1 Collecting Reputable Digital Resources" Quest

Collecting sources is something I do on a daily basis as an on-line French teacher. I have various locations where I gather them. I use Chrome Drive to keep a list of links by grammatical topics. It is currently 22 pages long. I love that there is a table of contents at the top of the first page where I can click on the topic, for example “Verb Tenses/Moods”, and then I am taken to that list of links which I can copy and paste into the feedback for students on their written and oral assignments.. I have other documents in my Chrome Drive as well, such as course specific links organized by chapter and the HTML for stickers and compliments all ready to go in order by assignment.

I use Symbaloo to organize professional sources, such as my links to French professional organizations and professional development pages. I also have a LiveBinder account that I started when I first came to teach with GAVS. I organized it for the French 2 class when I was teaching it but haven’t visited that account in several years, as I no longer teacher French 2.

The Symbaloo above was made specifically for this quest. The white tiles are the web eval resources collected, while the green (tech tools), orange (reference tools), teal (online courses), and yellow (exercises and games) tiles are for students. 

As I read the information on evaluating websites, I was pleased to realize that I do many of the steps for validating authenticity already. I felt really smart and in tune! J I did find it humorous that a webpage containing a broken link should raise eyebrows, considering that the Media Awareness Network and its media literacy link in the TOOL course Participate 2.1.1 quest results in a “page not found”. One thing that I have not ever done is use a site like Alexa to research statistics about a website. I am excited to know how to do this and to share this information with my students. I also noticed that Media Literacy week is coming up Nov. 2-6 and I have already created a News item for my course homepage to offer an activity related to the goal of increasing awareness.  I will use this opportunity to teach/review for students how to safely collect tools and resources to help them maximize their learning. One way to ensure that students use some of these techniques during the course is to have them document their procedures with screenshots in a running blog journal for the semester to which they can submit the link at each due date. I also think another effective way to teach students to be diligent in selecting their resources is to create a sort of internet scavenger hunt during which they can earn badges (which could interpret to extra points or a homework pass) as they progress through various stages of the hunt.

"Participate 1.1.3 Ideal Digital Learning Community" Quest

Please listen to my reflection on the Ideal Digital Learning Community.

Record music with Vocaroo >>

"Participate 1.1.2 Joining a Digital Learning Community" Quest

Participate 1.1.2

Symbaloo:
I chose to highlight Symbaloo as my socialmedia book marking tool because I already have accounts on that site. I have several accounts and use them for resources for my students and for resources to teach my pre-K daughter.

DLC:

At this moment in my life, my every minute is accounted for and, despite my never ending lists of things I’d like to do for myself, there just isn’t time to add one more thing. Inevitably, I add something and then feel guilty about not being able to give it my full attention. The same is going to happen with the new DLC that I selected to join. I am absolutely **dying** to participate in the courses that MIT offers in its Open Courseware. Take Chinese for free?? YES! Learn about contemporary French film and social issues?? OF COURSE! Astrodynamics??  No thanks, but sounds cool. This DLC was most intriguing personally because I love to learn. I love being the student. In addition, this DLC had the most in-depth offerings. Any person in the world, as long as they can access the internet, can take these courses. There are even testimonials from “self-learners” from seemingly remote locations, who make up 43% of the users, showing how the materials can be used in various ways in increase understanding. With videos of lectures by professors and supplementary resources in many of the subjects, there is much in the way of content available to all.

The elements that initially attracted me to the majority of DLCs were: there are images related to the text, there are a variety of offerings, and there are resources available right on the homepage of the website. I usually find this type of layout more welcoming and user friendly upon first investigation. The images somehow make such communities seem less intimidating. I think that these elements would also make these DLC most appealing to younger users. The one element that DLCs should implement is a homepage that does not require log in before viewing the resources. That format is somewhat off-putting. It would also be nice if you did not have to supply personal information in order to subscribe. Many students’ parents do not let them provide personal information over the internet, which I believe is a smart practice in general.

I’d like to find a personal interest DLC related to sewing. I love to sew dresses for my daughter, although I rarely get the chance.

“Participate 1.1.1 Character Traits” Quest

Being an exemplary digital citizen is, in all actuality, an extension of being an exemplary citizen in general. After reading all of the articles and websites at the links provided in our course, it is clear that to function in the digital world requires the same skill set needed in the tangible world. A digital learning community is an extension of the community at large. Being innovative, engaged and ethical are what I consider to be the three cornerstone characteristics of an exemplary citizen in any community.

One who is innovative models behaviors that engender creativity, problem solving, collaboration, and analytical thinking. This person is authentic in that she shares freely, works together freely, and inspires freely. Others in the community look to that person because those behaviors foster a sense of stimulation that encourages others to emulate the very same behaviors.

One who is engaged is present in, is knowledgeable about, and is always critically thinking and provoking others to think critically in and about the community environment. She exhausts all resources and is constantly seeking to learn more.

One who is ethical is honest and openly respects copyright laws and intellectual property, adopts a reflective attitude about personal responsibilities online, and protects herself from the various dangers that can exist from releasing personal information.  

In conclusion, these character traits are worthy of emulating because they are marks of an intelligent approach to the use of technology and to participation in life in general. By embracing these characteristics, a citizen contributes positively to the digital and traditional community in which we all live, making it a more interesting, lively, safer place to exist.    

"Create a Blog" Quest

Today I am embarking on my very first blog journey. And I am not even sitting in a coffee house. In fact, I am not even drinking coffee. My husband has been telling me for several years that I should have a blog, but I am pretty sure that this is not what he meant. Blogging as a way to create a professional portfolio that documents my participation in TOOL, or Teaching Online Open Learning, is also not what I thought my first blog would be about. Nevertheless, here I am. With bells on. But only because Christmas is 86 days away.

As with any online course, all the tasks seem daunting and overwhelming at first but much like I've experienced before, once you get to the down and dirty of doing the actual work, the process is enjoyable and easy. The initial set up of this blog today took mere seconds, once I realized I had to create it from my personal Google account because the GAVS Google account would not allow me to do so.

I fear making the time to do this will be a challenge. I also fear that the perfectionist in me will want to edit and edit and re-edit but I do not have the luxury of time on my side. My goal is to do a thorough job without driving myself crazy. I intend to be professional but lighthearted and, since this is a diary, I may not even make myself adhere to all the grammar and writing rules I usually practice.

I know I am an effective online teacher but I also know that I love learning and need learning in order to improve. Ultimately, that is why I am here and why this will be interesting and invigorating.

Reading the information in Wikipedia about "Blog" was helpful and somewhat scary, as at the end of the entry I was warned of stalkers and trolls, which makes this seem more like I am participating in a Law and Order episode rather than an educational verification of my skills as an online teacher. Since I seriously doubt those types are into reading what this blog will eventually be about, I think I am fairly safe. I will, however, be sure not to defame anyone but myself here and stick to the 7 tenants of Tim O'Reilly's Blogger's Code of Conduct.

So... off I go!