Digital Health and Wellness

As I've researched online sources for digital wellness there were two distinct and separate areas addressed concerning digital health. One being the physical care of the body while spending great amounts of time on the computer and the other being the care of one's mental state while spending great amounts of time on the computer. The guidelines for body care are quite clear. Ergononmics is the applied science of equipment design to reduce fatigue and discomfort while in the workplace. Proper ergonomics ensures no undo strain on the body or the hands (fingers, wrist etc.) I mention this briefly and you can see more on this by looking at the links I've provided. While sitting properly, correct hand placement and positioning to reduce eye strain is very important, I find maintaining one's mental health and especially a child's mental health to be of more significance given my chosen profession and being a mother of a child in today technological climate. I have a friend whose son gave up the computer for lent. He was quite a gamer. He actually went into a depression for awhile. That was my first red flag about computer addiction. The majority of my first graders seem to only talk about games on their DS when they play at home and the worse thing that can happen is to have their DS taken away from them as a punishment. My 2 year old niece can operate her mother's iphone like a pro! Even my own daughter said to me that she was taking time away from her tumbler and online social activity because she thought it was depressing her. I am thankful she had the awareness to recognize that and to act upon changing the dynamic. So what do we do to control digital addiction. First of all, I think is very important to have mandatory education as to what digital addiction is, how to recognize it and how to avoid it. Here are some of the waring signs of digital Addiction: " Denial and lying about the amount of time spent on the computer or about what they are doing on the computer. Excessive fatigue and changes in sleeping habits, such as getting up early or staying up late (in order to spend more time online). Academic problems, usually grades slipping. Sometimes parents might overlook the fact that the computer is the culprit since they assume their children are doing school work at the keyboard. Withdrawal from friends and declining interest in hobbies (online friends and activities are taking the place of the "real" world). Loss of appetite; irritability when cut-off from computer use; a decline in their appearance or hygiene. Disobedience and acting out. Teens may become very hostile when parents confront them. They may deliberately break the computer-use rules that are set. Their reactions may be so intense because they feel that they are being cut off from their attachments to cyberfriends." Some of the resources out there offer the below guidelines. Guidelines Internet Addiction - Turn the computer off and take a break. - Go to the park (WITHOUT your laptop) - Get involved with community or family activities. - Join a group, outside of Yahoo and Google groups. - Set guidelines as to when you can use the computer Based on what I have read and what I have seen, it is up to schools to inform and educate digital health. But, I think it should go beyond the educational system. There should be an awareness campaign supported by public service announcements on TV, by "popular" role models, magazine spots and even in movie theaters. http://digiteen.wikispaces.com/Digital+Health+and+Wellness http://www.nisd.net/digitalcitizen/sec_digcit/life_outside_health_6_12.htm http://digitalcitizenship.asb-wiki.wikispaces.net/Dig+Health+%26+Wellness http://www.surfnetkids.com/tech/1355/computer-ergonomics-for-elementary-school-students/

Digital Citizenship

Digital Access - . Digital Access: full electronic participation in society One of the most important Digital Issues that I think should be addressed in our school and many others is Digital Access. "The digital divide refers to the differing perceptions and/ or accessibility levels to technology amongst various groups of people. It is perhaps the greatest obstacle in the way of full electronic participation in schools." The article by _______ talks of two digital divides. the first one being the divide between student and teacher knowledge about current technology. There is even a difference of perception of technology use in the classroom between students and teachers. Teachers perceiving that they use more technology in the classroom and students perceiving that they use less. The second type of "digital divide" is the amount of accessibility in the classroom among various groups of students. While it can certainly be said that technology accessibility is steadily increasing in schools, the obstacle of students not being able to have digital access at home still exists. Ribble, Bailey and Ross (2004) found that "the disparity of who does and does not have access to technology in America is widening. A 2003 report by the U.S. Department of Education showed that only 41% percent of Blacks and Hispanics were using a computer in the home compared to 77% percent of Whites." Ribble, Bailey and Ross (2004) suggest the following strategies for both students and educators: • Explore Web sites and materials to learn more about accessibility issues. The World Wide Web Consortium, SNOW, and the Special Needs and Technology page are good places to start. • Identify students who have special needs or circumstances and explore ways to accommodate their technology needs (e.g., assistive technology). SERI’s Special Needs and Technology Resources page can help you identify technology tools. • Advocate the creation of Web sites that enable everyone to have equal access both in language and structure. • Advocate for technology access for all students irrespective of disabilities. For example, either adhere to the World Wide Web Consortium’s guidelines for Web site creation or ask that those in your school or district who create Web pages adhere to these guidelines. • Provide time for students to use school technology to work on assignments, rather than assuming that they all have access to technology at home. • Allow students to work together on assignments (i.e., pair students with no or limited access to technology with others who have significantly greater access). TEACHING DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP One way in which schools could address digital access would be to allow students to use their own devices. Schools could provide devices to their low income students. With this approach to reduce the gap between groups and their access to technology there is the risk of trust being breached. Should students bring their own devices into the classroom. Should schools find devices for low income students. Should there be trust in the students to use the devices appropriately?

Teachers must have an abundant amount of trust in their students that they are staying on task when using their own devices in the classroom.” And, to some extent, building that trust takes a leap of faith. No teacher will know if mobile technology could work in his classroom if he doesn’t start from the assumption that it might and take a leap of faith.

MINDSHIFT/HOW WE LEARN This next article had such a nice layout for suggestions to narrow the divide, I simply copied it and have also provided the link. HOW TO NARROW THE DIVIDE For educators who want to start chipping away at the divide, Mills listed a number of ways. 1. GIVE STUDENTS ACCESS. Many Title 1 schools — those in low-income communities — receive funds and grants, but don’t always buy what they need. If they have enough funds, Mills said schools should invest in a 1-1 program — a device for every student. 2. GIVE STUDENTS PROMPTS Whether it’s the school that provides the device, or whether students are allowed to use their own, it’s important to give them guidance on how to use those devices for learning. “Students do not generally use their personal technology for learning activities unprompted,” he said. “We have to provide them with prompts.” Educators should also be instrumental in guiding student etiquette with devices. For students who use text-speak and shorthand when handing in assignments, teachers can ask them to proofread and resend until the assignments are up to par. “We can teach them to use mobile literacy to help themselves,” he said. 3. PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES. “We need to think about what we are teaching,” Mills said. “This is not technology — this is Pedagogy 101.” Educators must understand the dotted line between an assigned activity and the instructional objective, which should be tied to learning skills. 4. MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE. Just giving kids a number where they can reach you has “exponential impact,” Mills said. “Just that small gesture tells kids you’re available.” For those who don’t feel comfortable giving students their phone numbers, Mills suggests using a Google voice account, which students can call and leave messages. 5. INVITE OBSERVERS TO YOUR MOBILE ENHANCED CLASS. Parents, other teachers, and administrators will learn a lot from watching how kids can plug into learning by using their devices. During their visits, talk about the upward trajectory of kids you’ve noticed who have benefited from the change. 6. INVENTORY THE DEVICES. Keep track of who owns what kind of device (especially after the holidays when kids receive new ones). This way, you can create flexible, shifting groups to make sure there’s a good variety of devices in every group. Don’t place all the iPhone 5 users in one group — mix them up to promote equity. 7. USE DISCRETION. Be careful not to publicly call out kids who don’t have a device when organizing groups. Use common sense and compassion. 8. USE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE. If the school has 10 Kindles, find ways to use them in your class. If it has six iPods or 30 computers, don’t let them collect dust. Even the oldest computers can be fired up for basic research. 9. REFRAME PRODUCTIVITY. Sitting quietly doesn’t exemplify productivity, Mills said. If you have flexible processes, you can give students different ways of understanding. 10. TEACH PROCESS NOT CONTENT. All educators, but especially those who teach low-income students, need to be open to students’ ideas of showing what they’ve learned. If they don’t want to write a blog, but want to create a video, be open to it. 11. VALUE COLLABORATION. Promote group work and project based learning. I'd like to point out that much of the divide I have read about addresses older children and I happen to teach 1st grade. One way our school could help narrow a divide would be to start looking for ways to fund devices such as ipads in our classrooms. Our title 1 tachers have started using them and the kids have really engaged while using them. Blog Part TWO for tomorrow DIGITAL HEALTH http://digiteen.wikispaces.com/Digital+Health+and+Wellness http://www.nisd.net/digitalcitizen/sec_digcit/life_outside_health_6_12.htm http://digitalcitizenship.asb-wiki.wikispaces.net/Dig+Health+%26+Wellness http://www.surfnetkids.com/tech/1355/computer-ergonomics-for-elementary-school-students/

Michigan Online Learning Requirements for K-12 Students

As a first grade teacher I wasn't sure what our online learning opportunities for credit were, so I went to our district website and found the district technology plan. I found this in section 6: Section 6 – Technology Delivery: "We currently use e2020, an online web based system for credit recovery at our high school.Computer classes also use the Internet for web quests and other online learning opportunities.High School requirements now include an online experience. We are considering Michigan Virtual High School, the KISD Moodle site, our own Moodle site or other options for this online experience." At the elementary level, we have been upgraded with new computers, document cameras and projectors. I use them all daily when instructing and supporting learning in my own classroom. I have two additional computers in my room for student use. We also have a computer lab available for classroom use. Having this availability is great, but we as teachers to date have been somewhat left to our own devices as far as online learning for our elementary students. I have not received a curriculum to follow at the elementary level. What we DO have is a weekly 50 minute computer class for all of our students. I do know that the teacher follows a specific curriculum for technology. Below is another portion of our technology plan. "Goals 1 and 2 of our school improvement plan provide an adequate timeline for technology integration. Goal 1 provides training of computer operations related to the core curriculum. Goal 2 incorporates a design/plan to implement effective use of our computer lab to teach the curriculum. It includes improved use of classroom instructional times when specific computer classes are not being taught." We have used ours lab for research and AR testing. Read Naturally is another supportive reading program we all have access to in our building. It would be nice if we had in house professional development provided once or twice a year to keep us all up to date on the online learning there is out there for our students. Most of us are pretty good at learning on our own, but to have time as a group of professionals we could have discussion of how to enhance the uses of online learing.

Data Warehousing

I chose Data Warehouse because as far as I know that is the only one we are currently using in our district. I can only speak to how the Warehouse is used in the elementary knowing that the Middle and High School may use it more or in different ways. In the lower Elementary we enter data three times a year. Fall, Winter and Spring. We enter writing scores, DRA scores, Dibel scores, CBM math scores and Star Reading scores. Honestly, I could not tell you how these particular scores are used in our district. I can not recollect a time that we analyzed and made decisions from the numbers as a team or staff. I do know that I look for growth in each area as I enter data during the year. I look for growth as a whole and I look at individual growth in students. When I see a lack of growth I look deeper into what may be blocking this student(s) learning. On the bright side, with our new administration there has been a serious movement towards changing our assessments and data collecting to do what they were intended to do, drive and inform our teaching. The first step we are taking in supporting this action is that we have hired a curriculum specialist part time from Cedar Springs. I can't wait see where we will be moving in the future and how we will enter and use our new forms of data. I'm sure we'll keep some of the old assessments, but I am sure we will get rid of and replace many too.

The Evaluation Process

The internet has always caused me some concern when it comes to valid and accurate information sharing. I myself have given into the lure of misinformation at times (red-faced embarrassment admittance). I have learned that there are ways to validate information. Kathy Shrock's checklist seems to be very thorough and targeted. I was appalled at the skewed and false page on Martin Luther King. If a student was doing research and not trained in evaluating the validity of a website they could be manipulated into a way of thinking based on something that just seemed to be an accurate source, as the research from Donald J. Leu, Ph.D. showed. I only teach 1st graders so I ask myself the question, Is it too early to start teaching how to be skilled at internet research? I say no it isn't. I think that as soon as you begin to use the internet for research it is time to teach the skills of finding valid resources. That is how we begin to improve 21st Century literacy.

UDL/Learning

For several years now I have had the opportunity to learn about UDL and have taken steps to put it into practice when developing my lessons and units. Yet, I know that I am far from my goal of making this process second nature and automatic in my practice on a daily basis. Our district is currently learning and reading about The Gradual Release of Instruction. I am making connections to how this process supports the UDL model when planning and vice verse. The Gradual Release always begins with the end goal in mind when developing lessons and when introducing them to students. I can see how easily the frame work of the Gradual Release could guide the principles of UDL. I think that combining Gradual Realease with UDL (like below) while planning a lesson, an instructor would have the means to create meaningful and powerful learning for all. Focus Lessons - Multiple Means of Representation, Multiple means of Expression and Actions (modeled by teacher thought aloud by teacher) Guided Instruction - Multiple Means of Representation, Multiple means of Expression and Actions, Multiple Means of engagement. Collaborative Learning-Multiple Means of Representation, Multiple means of Expression and Actions, Multiple Means of engagement. Independent Work-Multiple Means of Representation, Multiple means of Expression and Actions, Multiple Means of engagement.

Do We Really Need Technology in the Classroom?

Using technology in the classroom isn't a "good", "bad" or "neutral" thing. It is a necessary thing. I can't see the use of a word that implies emotion for something that has become so important and pervasive in our lives, in our world, even as I use my laptop now to complete this assignment and blog it for all my fellow teachers to read. Technology allows us to share information with our students, with each other and across the world. It allows students to collaborate and constantly improve and change their learning. It allows students and teachers to "tinker" with ideas and plans that don't always work. The technology tool makes our learning and communication better and more efficient while at the same time as built in flexibility for students to work and collaborate at their own pace. “To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technological society, students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and report on information and ideas, to conduct original research in order to answer questions or solve problems, and to analyze and create a high volume and extensive range of print and nonprint texts in media forms old and new.” -from the Common Core Standards If a teacher is hesitant to use technology in their instruction I would first want to know why they are reluctant. They more than likely have limited experience with technology and what you don't know can hurt you in this situation. The next step would be to guide and move them to the direction of learning the "tools", for as they can see in the Common Core statement, in order for our students to be college and workforce ready they need to incorporate the tools of technology to enhance and expound higher level thinking skills. In short Technologies Offer Tools to Solutions. TOTS