Fabula est Vestri- The Story is Yours...."Delirious"

Policies, Permissions, and Procedures- A Walk Down the AUP Lane!

May10
2012 Leave a Comment Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

Acceptable Use Agreements (AUP) related to technology use in schools can be seen as a dime a dozen?  So common place, that they have little value…UNLESS…we begin to view the importance of their purpose in a whole new light. Having never really read the fine print on the ones I have had to sign till now, I fear that many others follow this same pattern making the work behind such an AUP almost obsolete. So why the change of heart?

Firstly, it was one of the projects we could choose to complete for our final Course 2 COETAIL assignment.  Tasked to create an AUP working collaboratively felt like the right thing to do as we had been talking about personal learning networks and sharing ideas online during Course 1. It also made sense to me, personally, as I wanted to connect with our IT department as a regular class teacher. By impacting “their world”, it could become my world…and then more importantly, the world of my students.

And then, I also needed to become aware of what exactly I was signing.  What did I have permission to do on the network? How would or could it impact my teaching? Was I breaking the “law”?  If I did not know, how could I expect my students to know and acknowledge the fact that our school had one…and that somehow made the decision easier  to walk down the AUP lane with fellow cohorters, Marcello Mongardi from TAISM and Sarah Leonardis from YIS. We truly journeyed together, discovering new things, planning the route to follow and blazing slightly new trails through the underbrush of policies, permissions and procedures.

After looking at our current AUP, I believed that the time had come for our whole school policy to be broken down into various sections. My collaborators agreed. Currently, the language is mostly focused on the High and Middle School as they have greater access to the one to one laptop program and daily application of technology in their lives. I am advocating for change and hope to have more laptops available in elementary as well, definitely in upper elementary.  Therefore, it seemed that separate grade 4-5, grade 2-3 and K-1 policies were on the cards.

Each of these sections will have potentially unique interactions with computers and the internet and they also have different ability and maturity levels. My first decision after reviewing many AUP documents that we shared using DROPBPOX was to follow the “Keep it Simple” principle. After all, who is the target audience? Students need kid friendly language. After a first draft, I shared these documents with actual classroom teachers who were more familiar with actual language used in these different age levels. They made suggestions that I incorporated into the AUP.

Our school uses a “code of conduct” we call the ICS Way. It determines appropriate behavior in three areas: Taking Care of Self, Others and this Place. As our current  AUP is linked to that, I decided to follow suit and formatted the document accordingly. There are plans to integrate units into our curriculum based on the ICS WAY, and it would be extremely appropriate to introduce and reinforce the AUP during these units.

I did not update or change the content of the original document much. It seemed to adequately cover issues of online privacy and safety as well as appropriate and responsible use of technology equipment.  Some of my changes include being more specific, defining general terms so that there were examples for students. I also added a cyber-bullying section as it was not clearly addressed in the current document, after discussing this with our elementary IT teacher. I have also decided to keep the introductory wording from the original document, only adding a section where students and other parties sign for accountability reasons.

Finally, I am toying with the idea of creating a “lesson worksheet” version for the younger grades. By adding boxes where students can draw picture related to the points, it will make it more meaningful for them and possibly be useful for teachers who have to cover the AUP in their classrooms.

All in all…a wake-up call to me! AUP’s have a purpose and need to be actively shared as part of a school’s culture. If not,  they will just become another dime…lost in the dozen.

Image Source: AttributionShare Alike Some rights reserved by Oneras

 

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Digital Sojourner – A Quest for Permanent Residency

May05
2012 2 Comments Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

This week I reflected on the Internet.  The word “behemoth” got lodged in my mind.

The Internet "Behemoth"

Had this “thing”, this net become the metaphor for something so large, so powerful, we have yet to define its boundaries? The Internet defies reason, it crosses borders with ease, it scales mountains without so much as breaking a sweat and it dives deep into the dark depths of the ocean and traverses the void of space. Do we still foolishly believe we can contain this leviathan?

The net has become a “world” within a world. New vocabulary terms fill glossaries daily as people travel to and from this country. Many have full citizenship… digital citizens, the explorers of the 21st century wandering the streets of a virtual world. Flashing “passports” briefly as they crisscross the earth in mere seconds, communicate with people known and unknown, conducting business while creating profiles and ‘trashing” the place with their “footprints”.

And then there’s me. I am but a sojourner on a quest for permanent residency and eventual citizenship in this digital world. I have a passport, but crossing the border with its lines of protocol and procedures remains daunting. There are so many choices to be made. Neon colors and widgets barrage into my reality and leave me wishing for a mentor…one of those who have managed to make the jump…from my world to the online world. Or maybe just a quiet place?  Please take my hand…show me, help me discover, protect.

I am but a sojourner, occasionally crossing the border into the Internet. I search for stores, sites and information. I buy, I watch, I download and I intrude into the lives of others. Sometimes, I hide…not wanting everyone to know me, to know that the imprint that still ripples in the electronic pond is mine. But those that know tell me…it will continue to ripple, affecting every fiber of my being, my life. Like the network that the internet has become it will not leave me. I am caught in its grip. Am I slowly becoming a prisoner of war?

The internet is not yet fully my world. I do not live there. I use its resources. The tools that can make life easier are sometimes found there. I communicate and link my ideas to others, yet find that I have not yet engaged its creative power in all its various forms.  I follow the threads and paths that someone else has left. Their ripples become the pathways on my own journey of discovery. And here lies the power, the lurking leviathan.  Ideas are hard to contain, they eventually permeate our minds if we let them.  And those ideas form society, form lives, touch families, impact hearts and can destroy if we allow them.

I am but a sojourner still, I wearily saunter down the lanes of this digital world.  Not so much scared of the here and now, but wondering what the long term consequences of lives fully devoted to this new digital world will be. YouTube Preview ImageI choose now to be connected and disconnected at the same time. Living life in the real world and stepping into the virtual one as needed.

Still “hyperlinking” to the human touch.

First Image Credit:  Some rights reserved by wsilver

Second Image Credit:   Some rights reserved by MPD01605

Third Image Credit:  Some rights reserved by whologwhy

You Tube Video: ”The Inner Net” by David Bowden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph8HqYrrBfM

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AUP- Tuning into our Discussion

May02
2012 4 Comments Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

Tune into a collaborative discussion on the development progress of updated AUP’s for our schools. By following this link…you will be able to see what Marcello Mongardi, Sarah Leonardis and I have been up to as far as sharing and commenting on each others ideas.

Image: AttributionNoncommercial Some rights reserved by Zach “Pie” Inglis

 

 

 

 

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Bullying-Getting Down to the Root

Apr22
2012 Leave a Comment Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

 

When we plant an apple seed in the ground, water and tend it, we will soon see evidence of a future tree sprouting through the layers of ground covering. The tree, eventually deeply rooted in the ground for nourishment, is soon laden with apples. Harvested and eaten for our enjoyment.

And such is our predicament in a world we call “modern”. We plant seeds of thought, perspectives, images of violence and death into the fertile ground of society, easily reasoning that no harm will befall us. Technology has made this process so much easier. We think we are creatures, free to define our own sense of right or wrong, free to do as we want to. And yet, when we collectively pick the fruit of our choices, we very quickly seek to lay blame at the feet of others or other things. Is this not the case with the issue of bullying and technology?

Bullying is a problem. On this, most people will agree. How do we then approach possible solutions that will create a safer environment for our children in schools and online? It is here that we tend to get bogged down. Not because we do not want to act, it may simply be the result of too many ideas, too many groups wanting their solution implemented that we forget that most of these so-called solutions only tend to deal with the “fruits” and “weeds” if I can return to my gardening analogy. It is time that we honestly begin dealing with the roots of this problem.

Dana Boyd points us in the same direction, “If we want to combat bullying, we need to start by understanding the underlying dynamics.” The focus of her article is a little different to mine, yet she very clearly identifies the fact that the fruits of our modern societal norms influence many of the bullying behaviors so evident in our schools. Even to the point that it is now almost “acceptable” practice. If (insert name of any popular actor/actress/rock star) can do it on any one of the hundreds of reality TV shows, it must be OK and right. I beg to differ.

A line must be drawn in the sand as to what we accept as right. Just switch on the TV or browse the Internet and one can easily see that this is not the case anymore. Technology is being used to impose the will of the world on us, and we seem to be begging for more. I feel that it may be time for the William Wilberforce’s or Nelson Mandela’s of the online world to stand up and “fight” for the rights of the few who need protecting. The Internet and associated technology are just tools. Access to it a privilege, possibly a right, just like having access to clean water. When it is misused, those same tools, eventually lead to destruction and in our case a huge moral failure impacting how we live, think, and interact with each other.

As Dana continues, “The issues (bullying) here are systemic. And it’s great that the Internet is forcing us to think about them, but the Internet is not the problem here. It’s just one tool in an ongoing battle for attention, validation, and status. And unless we find effective ways of getting to the root of the problem, the Internet will just continue to be used to reinforce what is pervasive. Educators need to be at the forefront of this debate of getting to the root of the problem. We occupy a unique position in the lives of the students in our classrooms. We need to find creative and engaging ways to access their worlds and perspectives in order to facilitate the “empathy” Dana speaks about.

Safety in an online world is very similar to that in the natural. Certain laws apply, when broken it usually results in pain, physical or emotional, and in the extreme cases, death. Parents also need to take on the responsibility of teaching and modeling online safety just like they would teach a child not to touch a hot plate on a stove. Conversations around safety and bullying, supported by a strong home-school connection should therefore begin at home and continue at school. Educational institutions could play a further role by providing information to parents in the form of booklets or by hosting informative seminars for interested parents on the subject of bullying and internet safety. Should this not become a pre-requisite meeting before any computer use agreement is signed?

We need to take this seriously. The problem right now, however, is that we usually wait until something happens, secretly hoping that all our bases are covered in such an event. When the ugliness of bullying rears its head, society tends to over react. A tense period of introspection and blame follows. And then a set of new legislation, be it on a governmental or school level.  We try to save face, try to show we are able to deal with it…but are we not in actual fact just harvesting the fruits of all the seeds we so easily plant in the fertile minds of the youth in our communities.

Banner Image Credit : http://www.123rf.com/photo_4982373_concept-of-online-bullying-social-issues.html

Second Image Credit: http://www.whbconline.org/category/grow/roots-and-fruits

Third Image Credit: http://world.edu/study-reveals-cyberbullying-isnt-girls/

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To Copy or Not To Copy

Apr13
2012 2 Comments Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

I have lived in countries with the capability or will to enforce stringent copyright laws and ones where it felt like copyright laws meant you had the right to copy. And in both I adjusted to the prevailing “culture”.  Funny enough, in both, copyright laws are still being infringed upon daily. I wonder if part of the problem is not that copyright tends to be a legal term rather than an action.

YouTube Preview Image

Almost all the writers on the subject refer to either being lawyers or make it perfectly clear that they are in no way offering legal advice. Many of us are not into the intricacies of the law, all we want is to be able to do something, listen to something, or watch something…we want to enjoy, learn, develop and now more than ever in history share our discoveries with others. Is it therefore a question of copying…or a question of what is the ethically acceptable thing to do?

The debate whether this is right or wrong continues as the many blogs and responses concerning the topic prove.  From the perspective of an educator, I must agree that we have the responsibility not only to facilitate learning in terms of developing knowledge and creative thinking, but also to guide our learners along the tricky paths of acceptable behavior and responses in terms of protecting the property of others.  How do we do it? By first, educating ourselves, joining discussions and forums on the subject, learning from others and potentially creating new ways in which copyright licenses can be used to protect the work of others but also assist learning in our schools. Our obligation is to both parties, to the owners of the property (Intellectual) as well as to our students.

Copyright issues are not going to disappear. I, for one, value the fact that my work can somehow be protected by a “law”.  I think it is important. Yet, I also see value in being able to share work openly with individuals and communities who can benefit from it as I can from their ideas. Acceptable, ethical, and honest use of material is an ongoing debate….one from which we cannot cop out!

But it still does not help me! I am currently wading through a potential minefield, too “afraid” to add a picture or video to my blog as I am still learning how to correctly cite these sources. There are so many layers of licenses and permissions which lead me back once again to the terms and conditions (legal) and language that is often foreign to me. Is there no way we can simplify this process?

Oh, by the way, feel free to copy this…

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Privacy-Living in the Shadows

Apr13
2012 3 Comments Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

© Copyright Bob Embleton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Be it a wall or a window, all of us like to hide behind something. Depending on our personality, culture, or experiences we either choose to block others out of our worlds or we allow them access, like someone peering through a window. Jeremy Toeman very deftly exposes the fact that the line between wall  and window has shifted subtly due to the way online networking has presented itself to a horde of “willing” followers.  Like frogs in water, we have been brought to boiling point, totally unaware of our impending “privacy” doom.

"Frog In Pot." Jonathan Zasloff. JULY 19, 2011http://legalplanet.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/frogs-boiling-water-and-climate-change-for-the-record/

Privacy is the quality or state of being apart from company or observation, the freedom from unauthorized intrusion. I am of the opinion that there is enough warning out there, yes online and in paper print, to validate the fact that users of the internet need to be weary of whether they are willing to allow others to peer through their windows. It appears to me to be an issue of a person’s value system once again. Your values, the way you think, influences your actions online and offline. Why post things that are embarrassing, defaming, and even derogatory at times? All posts are a window to your soul, your online life signposts to who you really are. You need to decide what you want others to be able to observe or access with authorization or it seems more and more, without.

I am a proponent of the online world, however, I would rather hide behind a wall of my own making than expose myself to a world that, to be honest, does not really care about me. So, I choose carefully with whom I socialize online (friendship and professional networking), use wisdom when posting blogs, try and stay away from online shopping, although this is becoming more and more difficult (I feel like the metaphorical frog again), and hopefully by living in the shadows, I will only allow others to see what I am comfortable with…the authorized me.

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Treading Lightly

Apr13
2012 2 Comments Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

Let’s face the fact, wherever human beings have gone, we have left behind a mess.  On a recent trip to Dubai, we ventured out into the desert and just like at so many beaches, forests, mountain trails and rivers around the world-we found traces of human activity. Unfortunately, most often it is of the polluted trash kind.

"Trash." Copyright for : public domain image picture

That brings me back to another world we are now exploring as humans…the connected online world…where we live, trade, socialize, find jobs and discover knowledge. It seems like an endless world, almost like the universe, ever expanding to cover more and more territory. But, just like our natural world…we need to learn, yes, even educate ourselves to tread lightly. Why might you ask? Simply because you will leave behind footprints, in this case digital impressions of yourself, that have the potential to last forever.

We cannot avoid the implications of these digital impressions. As educators, they serve a two-fold function. On one hand, we can facilitate thinking and therefore learning in the 21st Century mindset, by “impressing” a positive digital environment on our school and classroom settings.  We need to function as models demonstrating responsible and ethical use of online technology.  In many instances, schools, teachers and parents tend to shy away from this world, instead of engaging the discussion in order to create a safe platform on which young minds can be led through the digital landscape, facing their fears, discovering new possibilities, and developing their own digital impressions along the way.

In addition, our own personal online journey also requires us to be mindful of the impressions we leave behind.  It’s not a case of do we need to have a digital footprint, we will have one regardless. As the saying goes, “first impressions are lasting impressions”, what we do, say, and how we present ourselves impacts our opportunities. As the job search market moves increasingly online, so too will the trail of impressions we leave behind influence the potential of finding employment. We need to be thinking about our online sustainability, every time we hit the “enter key.” Will what we want to post, upload, or comment on hinder or promote our future?

In other words, tread lightly when walking in the online world.  We have the responsibility to teach our students the values required to navigate and develop their online impressions. As we first discover ours, we have the ability to model effective presentation of a positive footprint…one that leaves behind only traces of human activity instead of a pile of polluted trash. Sustainability in the online world-the capability to endure, positively!

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Hiatus-A Break in the Journey

Apr13
2012 Leave a Comment Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

"Footprints." © Copyright Philip Halling and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Some journeys require a break, a period of suspended activity away from it all, a hiatus. Immediately following the end of course 1 of our online COETAIL program, I entered such a time period away from RSS Feeds, blogs and networks. Granted, the first few weeks were forced upon me by the demands of the school year. Report cards were due and then we had two days of parent teacher conferences before our second trimester drew to a close. But after that, by choice, I experienced a week without the constant clamor of phones, emails or the need to connect. It was pure bliss!

Not that I dropped everything…I read, yes one can still do that without having to be online. I thought about learning and the impact of the COETAIL program on my life. I marveled, once again, at the simplicity of life…perhaps, I thought, made a little too complex by our insatiable quest for knowledge. And I wondered whether it was all really necessary?

My “break” in my online journey meant more than I could have imagined.  As a teacher, I realized with renewed clarity that I have a responsibility to keep learning myself. Not just knowledge, but the things that make life worth living. I needed to take care of my soul and spirit, and by doing that my impact on my students could be so much more. In addition, I began seeing technology more as a tool than the solution to a school’s question of how to educate students in the 21st century. My observations of my own children, made me realize that students still need to be taught the basics of literacy and mathematics, coupled with critical thinking in order to make efficient use and sense of the myriads of wonderful things online.

A hiatus may be a break, but it can also be a very useful stepping stone to new learning and discoveries about self.

Posted in Reflection

Course 1: Final Project: Transitions in Society-Africa

Mar17
2012 Leave a Comment Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

the Backdrop: The assignment for the final project in course 1 and the blog associated with the lesson plan created the perfect opportunity to employ and practice as many of the ideas and concepts as possible that I have reflected on over the past few weeks. What I appreciated most about the course was the way these ideas and concepts posted on other blogs brewed and stewed within my mind as I tried to make sense of it within my teaching context. Specifically, my focus has been on how to establish and build a personal learning network around ideas and interests that keep me passionate about life and teaching and then on how to shape technology in the classroom by creatively innovating new ideas and platforms for learning.

YouTube Preview Image 

The final outcome of this assignment proved challenging: Finding creative ways to implement technology in an authentic way within the limitations caused by our location and  current access to technology in the classroom. I have no concrete answer to this issue yet, other than taking it day by day…trying new ideas, using what we have available…and learning along with my students. So far we have seen…many smiles, and to be honest, a few tears as well. Mostly mine!

the Blueprint: The lesson I chose to use, ended up being a new Social Studies unit I was trying to create from two current units being implemented at our grade level. We inherited units on Modern Africa (Case studies of Nigeria and South Africa) which intended to introduce students to the concepts of colonialism and the independence process. I attempted to find a way to mesh these two into one, primarily focusing on the big idea of transition as it impacts nations, groups and individuals. This time around I was not just going to use technology for research ( “just Google it”)  or for keyboarding practice.  No, my vision, connecting students (somehow) within small Personal Networks within our class as well as with other classes via SKYPE and our school’s online E-Learning Site. The collaboration, both within the class community and the wider global community( if I can get it set up) would serve as the platform on which students would be crafting knowledge and understanding of the issues related to the process of transition. Students would then have an opportunity to create a proposal presentation using Powerpoint or possibly Prezi. This is truly a pilot program for me and a work in progress as I have just launched the unit in my classroom, moving from more teacher centered activities to students engaging in connected collaborative learning.  

 

 

the Brief

Updates will follow shortly

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Changing Perceptions- Who Does What in the 21st Century Learning Landscape?

Mar04
2012 Leave a Comment Avatar of Andre De Koker Written by Andre De Koker

Over the course of this past week, I have had numerous discussions with my colleagues regarding technology and its uses in the classroom. The further along we got, the more I began feeling like the intrepid explorers of old, covered in grime and sweat, hacking my way through jungle vines in search of ancient ruins. Ruins I know are out there, hidden treasures waiting to be unearthed.

 

However, the road to technology integration and the pathway to online collaborative learning lies hidden across valleys covered in mist (The current vision of a school), cliff faces casting shadows onto grey white  clouds above (Technology availability, connectivity), and those nasty “creepy crawlies” waiting to pounce and suck the life out of a helpless victim (Decision makers).

Most of the articles we have read thus far create a vision for what schools could look like, dare I say should look like, if we are to connect our students to a true globally connected world where learning takes place as ideas are shared, developed and critiqued by contributors from all over. To make this a reality we need to change our perceptions. And this is where my thinking has diverged from placing the onus on teachers to be the only integral part of this puzzle. Yes, we are the game makers, the ones in charge of the platforms on which learning plays itself out, but are we the only ones that need to take responsibility for this monumental shift? I think not.

Students-Missing the Boat?

An IB coordinator shared an anecdotal note with me the other day that changed the way I viewed this whole process of technology integration. An IB student complained, “ Why must we do the research? Is it not the teacher’s job to do the work and give us the information?” My first reaction was one of shock, and then I realized that in order to be successful at the application and integration of 21st century practices, our students also need to change their perception of what schools are for, the teacher’s role in the classroom, and most importantly what their role is and will become in this changing milieu.

Administrators-It is All About You!

Without a vision for the 21st century, without a vivid picture of what constitutes learning in our ever growing collaborative world…our schools will become obsolete. Administrators also require a change of perception. So many have embraced this already, making it possible for their communities of learning to adapt and change, thereby creating a playing field on which teachers and students can  explore the “jungles” of the online experience together.

Others sit nervously on the side watching the boat sail off into the sunset, too afraid to board and others still remain entrenched in philosophies that worked well in the past. Administrators, it is all about you. You can make a difference in this ongoing debate that will allow us all to make inroads into the “unknown” territories of learning, waiting to be uncovered.

 

Teachers-It’s About to Get Messy!

If you are like me, you may still be a little vague about what our role truly is in this leap to the 21st century and beyond. As article upon article blended one idea into the next, I slowly came to the realization that it is going to get messy. Why? Because we are the connectors between all the players. We have to liaise with the Administration, share our vision with colleagues, and coach students along the way to a greater understanding of their roles, in short…MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. We have to explore the “misty valleys”, engaging the school mission in our classroom, utilizing facets of 21st century practices that we are able to employ. We are to scale the “cliffs”, devising creative deployment of available technology resources, and we must be on our guard to swat those “nasties” as they try and undermine our endeavors.

In short- perceptions need to change, all the role players need to come on board- successful 21st century learning is collaborative in nature…let it begin with us!

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