Week 10 - responding to feedback

(October 26th)

This week we are responding to the feedback we received from our own "how to" sheet. I am a bit disappointed that only two peers have responded to my sheet, but it has still given me a chance to reflect on what I had submitted.

First peer feedback:
"Kia ora Renee, I had never heard of Story Bird prior to reading your "how to" sheet. You not only have clearly described the possibilities of Story Bird, you've even managed to make me excited about using it. I thought it was fantastic how for step one, you gave me the options to sign up for a private or class account, instead of simply stating "you can sign up at www.storybird.com". You considered a teacher's perspective of the resource in an early childhood setting, and rightly pointed out that I would prefer children using it as a resource instead of creating an account too (which would become difficult for teachers to manage). I thought the way you introduced the pathways of each of the four options was fantastic. How cool that you can learn more about the picture's artist, and even use desired images for personalised craft. I think I may download the Lark by Shorebird app on my phone! The centre I'm working at is considering purchasing an iPad too. Now that it's warmer, most of the tamariki prefer going outside during free play, which means the inside teacher could use this app and supervision would be possible with the smaller group of children who prefer to stay inside."

Second peer feedback:
"Thank you for sharing this wonderful site and app!, After reading your "How to sheet" and browsing the site I also believe Storybird would be a great digital resource in not only an Early Childhood Education setting but also Primary. In Primary Education some of the scaffolding you recommended necessary for Early Childhood would be able to be removed over time.
I created an account and found your instructions very simple and easy to follow. Placing an image alongside the description allowed me to look at the screen to ensure I was on the right pathway. You precisely stated a range of benefits Storybird holds within Early Childhood Education.
I can see its benefits for Primary Education especially supporting reluctant readers and writers. I particularly liked how it had a private parent showcase tab making it easy for parents to be apart of their students creative Stories. 
Thank you once again for sharing this resource, I look forward to implementing it into my future classroom."


I am very happy to have received such positive feedback from my peers. I was a bit nervous and unsure about the response I would get as I wasn't sure how easy my sheet was to follow. I am happy with the response as it took me a very long time (5-6 hours!!) to create my "how to" sheet. In response to the comments I received, I agree that this resource can be used well for teachers and learners in education. As explained in the first peer feedback, I am happy that I decided to expand on all of the possible options the website gives you, rather than assuming it was self explanatory to follow. I am also happy that the second peer feedback also thought this website would be well used in a primary school setting. 

It is clear that my "how to" sheet was easy to follow and I am glad I have been able to share this wonderful resource with some of my peers.

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At the end of the week, I received two more pieces of feedback. Again, they were positive and once piece of feedback suggested another curriculum link I could have added to my "how to" sheet. This was good advice that I had not picked up on so I made the change and added it it. Other than the added curriculum link, I would not change anything about my "how to" sheet.

Third peer feedback:
"Thank you for introducing me to story bird and for sharing your how to guide in using the app/website. When i downloaded the app/website your step by step guide was very easy to understand and was very useful to have next to me when i downloaded it.  i found it very useful that your how to sheet is taken from a teachers/educators view. I found this useful as it made it easier for me to use and support children within the centre i work in to use it. I used the website/app with a group of children who were under 5's years old, i found that they needed teacher assistance but found that they were all very interested in it as it was a new way for us to work together to create and read books. from sharing this app/website with a group of children i agree with you that it should be used as a resource rather than children creating their own accounts. 
I noticed within your links to the strands of the New Zealand early childhood Curriculum 'Te Whariki' you left out strand one: Well being - Mana Atua. After reading through your how it sheet and looking at the site i feel as though the app/website links to the strand Well being, Goal 2, "children experience an environment where their emotional well-being is nurtured". The app/website allows all children to be involved and you have exampled this within your how to sheet "these pictures can then be turned into stories, books and poems which can be written by you, students or other users". children's emotional well-being is nurtured as they are able to be engaged in their own learning, make thoughtful choices and share these with their peers and teachers, which relates to children's social, cognitive and emotional development"

Fourth peer feedback:
"I really enjoy how you have made your 'how to' link with the colours of your app. It is very visually appealing!!
I have never heard about this app and website, and with your how to sheet this has made me interested in learning more about it. You have made your instructions every clear and precise to make it easy for me to set up my own story bird. This looks like it will be a great app/website for students to use to enhance their interest and abilities within their English.
You have made your instructions very clear and with the photos it makes it easy to follow these. I like how you have taken the screen shots and then drawn on them to be specific about what you are describing. With the side notes that you have added to the side of the screen shots makes it even more evident about what you are explaining.
As I am a primary teacher this would be a fantastic app/website to use within my class. I love the idea of the library that you have described. This will be an excellent tool to set up so you can assign certain books for the students to read to expand their reading.
Story bird sounds like a great tool to use to further interest students within their writing and reading.
Thank you for introducing me to this app and website."

Week 9 - Exploring, reflecting, responding

(October 19th)

This week we were asked to explore our peers' "how to" sheets. This was a large challenge for me because I had been the only person in my group to upload my sheet. When my peers started submitting their "how to's" I responded with feedback to them straight away. It took another couple of days before I received any feedback on my own sheet. This frustrated me as I was wanting to start my assignment and could not do so until I could reflect on my peers' feedback. I still believe these "how to" sheets were a good assignment as we have been able to learn from each other and find out about possible resources we can use when teaching. Here are the responses and feedback that I gave to my peers regarding their "how to" sheets:

My response to "Scribbit" how to sheet:

Your "how to" really caught my attention in a fun, engaging way. The bright colours and presentation kept it entertaining and I was intrigued to find out more about this resource. The information and guidance was provided in a clear, simple way that was easy to understand and follow. While I may not use this in early childhood education (due to possibly being too advanced for young children), your links to the curriculum clearly supported how the resource would benefit children's English and literacy throughout schooling. I believe this would be a positive resource to help with children's literacy and your "how to" has definitely encouraged me to look further into this website as a tool for teaching.

My response to "Beebots" how to sheet:

I found your "how to" activity was written simply and was easy to follow as I learned about the resource. I thought that use of headings and titles rather than a step by step guide helped me to understand the resource and how it works in engaging, simplistic way. The information was clear and allowed me to picture how I would use Beebots in my early childhood setting. The links to Te Whariki support my ideas of the learning outcomes this resource would have when using it with tamariki. 

My response to "Toontastic" how to sheet:

I found your "how to" sheet very engaging and simple to follow. The first thing that caught my eye was the "parent guide" option on the first picture shown on your "how to" sheet. I would have been interested to find out what information was provided for parents (perhaps it was the learning outcomes from the app?) I think this is something else you could have included in your "how to" sheet since the information would most likely be helpful for teachers too.

The step by step guide was well written and informed as I followed it again after downloading and exploring the app myself. The curriculum links you made clearly explained how this app would provide creative, expressive ideas for children's learning. Your guide also encouraged me to gain ideas on how I could use this app in early childhood education. 

All of the "how to" sheets that I read were simple, engaging, and easy to understand. I enjoyed being able to find out more about these resources and followed the step-by-step guides on how to use them. As a student teacher, I think it has been very helpful to share and provide ideas for our peers. By providing feedback to each other, we are learning how to assess our peers and receive different ideas and thoughts towards our own work from peers rather than a lecturer. 

Week 8 - How to..

(October 12th)

This week, we were asked to create a "how to" sheet. This would be a step-by-step guide to using a resource that we could use as a teacher, and must be a resource we were unfamiliar with. I decided to write mine on a website called "Story Bird".

How to: A guide to using Story Bird

Story Bird is a website used by teachers, students, and anyone who wants to be creative. The website allows you to create and write stories using artwork, drawings, and pictures uploaded by other users. (You cannot upload your own art work unless you register as an artist – see step two). These pictures can then be turned into stories, books, and poems which can be written by you, students, or other users. Story Bird can also be used as a library and resource. If you do not have enough time to be creating your own works, you can view other stories and poems online and share them with children, students, or your friends.

Interested and ready to get started? Let’s go!

(This step by step guide has been taken from a teachers/educators view).

STEP ONE – register online:

Head to www.storybird.com where you will be asked to sign up for free. You then have the option to sign in as a regular user, educator/teacher, student, writer, or artist.

When registering as an educator/teacher, you are asked to create a ‘class’ so your students who may wish to join, can register as a class group. (I registered with a class called ‘year3’ since I am in year three of my study).

STEP TWO – add your class/students:

After registering, Story Bird will then take you to your personal ‘STUDIO’ page which gives you the option to watch a “how-to” video or add/invite students to your class group.

In relation to early childhood education, teachers/educators may prefer to use Story Bird as a resource rather than having young children/students create their own account. If you do not want to invite students to your class, skip to Step Three.

If you do wish to invite students to join your class, you will be given an access code to ensure all students can find you. You can also add them to your class by typing in their username once they have registered as a student.

STEP THREE – find your way around:

At the top of your page, you will see four options to click on.

‘YOU’ gives you a list of options to direct you to your homepage, settings, help, about, and log out

‘STUDIO’ takes you back to Step Two where you have the option to add/invite students. This also allows you to create assignments for students and add stories to your ‘library’

‘WRITE’ is where you can discover, pick, and search for artwork you may like to write a story or poem about.

Clicking on an artwork or picture you want to use gives you more information about the work and allows you to use it in a story.

‘READ’ allows you to search and browse for stories that have already been created by other users. This is useful if you are looking for stories and resources to show children rather than making them yourself. It allows you to search in topics, format, and/or age categories.

By clicking on a story, you are able to gain more information and read the story from cover to end.

STEP FOUR – download the app

Story Bird also has an app available to download on phone, iPad, tablet, or other devices. The app does not offer the same uses as the website however; the app is used for creating poems to artwork. The app is free to download and use.

To download the free app, search for ‘Lark by Storybird’. Once you have signed in to your account, you will have three options to choose from at the bottom of your screen. The button on the right is your profile page where you can see your notifications, settings, and poems you have created:

The button on the left is your home page. This is where you can scroll through posts/artists/writers you are following, most recent, and trending poems that have been created:

The centre button takes you to where you can create your own poems. This can be done by double tapping the centre of the screen and choosing your picture/artwork. Once you have chosen your artwork, your screen will look like this:

With the words given below the picture, you can drag them and place them anywhere on the image to make sentences and create your poem. This could be a creative task for early childhood education. While young children would most likely need teacher assistance, they could use the words to describe the picture or create their own short poem. These poems/images can then be saved, deleted, posted, and/or shared to the Story Bird website and other social media accounts.

How would I use Story Bird in the early childhood setting?

As a teacher and educator, I would definitely use Story Bird with young children. I believe this is an easy-to-use website and it acts as a great digital resource. I would most likely use the website more than the app because the website provides more creative opportunities. I think the use creating your own book with children/students is a wonderful creative idea. Creating your own story may be time consuming but the other option is to use the site as a library. I would definitely come to this site to find creative stories written by other users online. I think it is a fun, quirky, creative way to share thoughts and ideas through books, poems, and images.

While the use of Story Bird may always need teacher assistance when using it with under 5’s, I think it is still a creative way for children to be using books, reading, and creating with the help of digital devices. I think preschoolers may be old enough to use the app to create their own digital poems but it may be harder for younger children. Over all, I found the website and the app very easy to navigate and have enjoyed making my own stories and poems to share with the Story Bird community.

Links to New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum ‘Te Whariki’:

Strand 2: Belonging – Mana Whenua

·         Children are connecting links with the family and wider world are affirmed and extended

Strand 3: Contribution – Mana Tangata

·         Children are affirmed as individuals

·         Children are encouraged to learn with and alongside others

Strand 4: Communication – Mana Reo

·         Children develop verbal and non-verbal communication skills for a range of purposes

·         Children develop verbal communication skills for a range of purposes

·         Children experience the stories and symbols of their own and other cultures

·         Children discover different ways to be creative and expressive

Strand 5: Exploration – Mana Aoturoa

·         Children’s play is valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous play is recognised

·         Children learn strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning

·         Children develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical, and material worlds

Week 6 - Digital Storytelling

(October 5th)


This week we have been looking at Māori storytelling and a variety of student made videos. Through these videos we have been thinking about what skills and tools would be needed for making, filming, and editing the videos. I then questioned how I would assess these skills in relation to the early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. Here are my reflections about two of the videos:

Zombie Horror

In Zombie horror, the students had used a wide range of editing and filming techniques including cuts, fades, various camera angles, slow motion, dialogue, audio, and music. This displayed many ICT skills they would have needed to film (knowing how to use a camera) and edit (using technology and software) to make the video. The students would have also brainstormed their video idea, planned scenes, and allocated roles and dialogue for each character. There would have been a lot of team work, discussion, and planning/organisation prior to filming the video. 

Whakapumau Horror Flick

Whakapumau Horror Flick was very similar as it displayed many of the same filming and editing techniques. They also included black and white scenes as well as colour which showed more editing skills. Like the Zombie Horror video, the students would have planned and discussed roles, scenes, dialogue, and characters before filming. They clearly displayed their use and knowledge of how to use a camera and various editing skills.


In relation to early childhood education and curriculum, both of these videos could be assessed on empowerment (student lead), relationships (focusing on peer relationships), contribution (working as a team and sharing thoughts and ideas), and communication (communicating effectively verbally and through stories and symbolism).

In an early childhood setting I might use digital story telling when recalling or reenacting past events or situations that a child remembers or wants to look back on. This could include class trips, a special memory, a family holiday etc that a child wants to recreate. A young child may also like to video their dramatic play or something they have created that they wish to be able to view at a later time.



- Renee O'Sullivan

Week 5 - Microblogging / hashtags

(September 21st)

This week our technology class looked at the following article:
http://www.educationreview.co.nz/magazine/july-2/home-tweet-home/#.VgI9t_mqqkq

It suggests that teachers in New Zealand can use websites like Twitter for microblogging, hashtaging, and keeping in touch with various education resources around the world. Getting involved with social media sites like Twitter allows you to get involved as much or as little as you like. By using hashtags, you are able to group information together, gather various opinions on the topic, and get ideas from people all over the world. 

Jude Barback (author of the article above) wants to encourage New Zealand teachers to keep in touch with what is happening in New Zealand education. She took her ideas to Twitter and created the hashtag #edchatNZ. This hashtag allows people to share and discuss any information they like to other people interested in this topic. By creating this hashtag teachers throughout New Zealand and the rest of the world can come together to share their resources, information, ideas, opinions, tips, and any other information in relation to New Zealand education. The hashtag allows all the 'tweets' (or posts) about this topic to be stored in one place for people to view.

While I already have a Twitter account and often use hashtags to keep up with certain topics or information, I have never considered using it for my role as a teacher. It is so easy for us to share our thoughts and opinions with the world online. Twitter can allow us to get a response or a 'retweet' in seconds!! The idea of hashtags could really help future focused and technology using teachers to gather information and share their ideas with others. I will definitely be keeping my eye on #edchatnz and using more hashtags to group my information and thoughts together.


- Renee O'Sullivan

Week Four - Digital Law, Rights, and Responsibilities

(September 14th)

This week our class has been encouraged to look at the copyright laws and rights towards using information, music, photos, and media from the internet. I was interested to find out that using photos or pictures from google images is actually stealing! So many people do this but aren't aware of where the images even come from or who they belong too. I am definitely guilty of taking images for my school projects or even for learning stories throughout my early childhood practice. Due to studying at university, we learn all about referencing and citations within our essays and assignments. I understand the importance of acknowledging somebody else's works if they are not our own. These copyright laws encourage us to think twice about what information we are taking or 'borrowing' from the internet and whether it is actually legal to use it ourselves. In New Zealand, it is illegal to be downloading and copying music and videos. Through our online safety research, it is clear how easily this information can be traced back to your computer and if you are caught, you will be finned.

Copyright laws and regulations have been put in place for a reason but so little of us know what they actually are or how they are being used. Thanks to the organisation Creative Commons, owners of information, images, music, and videos are allowing anybody to use their works. Through Creative Commons we can find information that we can legally copy if we show credit to the author or owner. It allows owners to tell the world their images are free to use without having to go through legal rights and laws. 
See article link here: What is Creative Commons?
Also See: Can I download music without breaking the law?

As teachers, it is important for us to be aware of this information and to be teaching children this information at a young age so they know what they are doing and are aware of copyright laws. We shouldn't be copying or 'borrowing' anything off the internet for our own uses without knowing who owns it and where it has come from. By sharing this information with others we will be securing the copyright laws and rights via the internet.

I think it is so important for teachers to be learning this information so we can pass it down to children and students. While in early childhood education, teachers are usually the ones who use the internet, we can act as role models for each other while promoting online safety, security, and laws to young children during its use. I think it is also important for teachers to be aware of any videos they may be downloading for children. 

This information has definitely made me stop and think about the ways I use the internet and to make sure I think twice before using an image or information without knowing where it is from. This website http://www.morguefile.co.nz/ allows you to find free images you can use rather than just taking them off google images and not knowing who they belong to.


- Renee O'Sullivan

Week 3 - Online Presence

 (September 7th)

This week our class has been encouraged to look at our online presence and "digital footprint". The following readings/articles have really made me have a second think about what people can see about me publicly online.

Article link here: Your Digital Footprint
This article makes us think about what personal information is shared online. How many people can see your full name, address, email address, phone number, birth date, photos, text, personal opinions, any thing you say online? This article also challenges you to google yourself. What information or photos come up? How much information about you is public to anyone and everyone? I have been encouraged to change some of my privacy settings on social media accounts and re-think what photos and media I am posting publicly.

Article link here: 8 Steps To Remove Your Digital Footprint
This article simply gives you step by step tips and guides on how to control your privacy settings on various social media accounts. Again, it challenges us to google ourselves to see what information is out there. We are encouraged to keep our settings private so we know who is viewing our posted information.

Article link here: Protecting Privacy on Social Networking Sites
This article recognizes young people sharing their information online; specifically on social networking sites. I was surprised to find out that a survey done by Oxford Internet Surveys discovered 95% of young teens aged 14 years and older have checked, and are aware of their privacy settings on social media. It suggests that most young people are more safety cautious online than we think. 

Personal reflection:
These articles have really challenged me to have a look at my personal social media accounts. Due to running teen camps twice a year, and photographing various stage plays/performances, I often have photo albums public on my personal Facebook account so the community and people involved who I may not be friends with can still see the photos. Today I spent a decent hour going through each of my photo albums on Facebook re-checking which ones were private and which ones were personal. It is important to make sure that the things you want to stay private and between your family and friends stay that way and are not public to anyone who can search for them.

Another thing that made me think is that I have one public Twitter account, two public Instagram accounts, one public YouTube account, and one personal public Blog. While I am aware that these accounts are public, it has made me question whether I truly understand the larger scale of putting these photos and media online for the whole world to see. I constantly google myself so I am aware of what information is shown publicly. If I do not like it, I go and change my privacy settings. When you google my name, I am aware that various photos from my Twitter and Instagram accounts come up. The link to my personal blog is also in the first top 10 search responses.  This means I must constantly be aware of what I am posting because anyone can see it. I am always cautious of my personal information being private and I am careful of what words, comments, or opinions I am voicing online. 

Yesterday I also took some time to watch the move "Cyberbully" (directed by Ben Chanan, 2015). In this movie, a girls laptop is hacked and over taken by an anonymous user. The hacker gets into all of her social media accounts and starts posting mean comments under her name. The hacker also takes control of her phone, laptop video webcam, and microphone so he can communicate with her, and watch her every move. It is revealed that the girl was a cyber bully herself after setting up an account with a fake name to make fun of other people. While the hacker in this movie was not revealed, the girl was able to see the harsh reality and consequences of her mean words and actions online. It also made me think some more about how easy it is for people to view information about you online. We must be aware of our online presence and the consequences that come with sharing personal information, photos, and opinions online with the rest of the world.

I believe as teachers, we should be made aware of all this information, especially if we are using technology with children. Teachers must be able to promote safety online and know the consequences of sharing information anywhere online. This has given me a lot to think about and I hope I can pass this safety knowledge onto other people.


- Renee O'Sullivan

Week 2 - Digital Citizenship

(August 31st)

Technology uses I have observed:

On my last teaching practice, I was able to witness a lot of positive technology uses. iPad's were used to show the children videos from YouTube when they were expanding on farm and animal interests. The teachers were in control of the iPad and would only have them out for a certain time period. I also witnessed a teacher showing 2-3 children the process of making a learning story. The children were there when the photos were taken, they witnessed the photos being put onto the computer, then onto a page where the story was written, and finally printed to be put into their portfolios. I believe this was a good process for the children as they were able to learn how things were being done, and how technology was used positively alongside the teacher. I also saw times when child would ask for cameras so they could take their own photos and work out how to use the camera that benefited their own learning.

I have also been on another placement that had a computer where children could play 'educational games' whenever they liked. While this is something I personally wouldn't want in a centre, it was a well monitored activity. Children were allowed to be on the computer 2 at a time and only have 10 minutes each. I found this an interesting experience as everything they were learning through these games (colours, shapes, sounds, animals, counting, etc) could have been done without a screen and through play.



Mind map reviewing digital citizenship:

This week our class took a focus on looking at Ribble's 'Nine Elements of Citizenship'. The nine elements were each displayed with positive and negative uses of technology and its uses for students. Below, I have created my own mind map with the points I feel are most relevant and important for technology uses in early childhood education.

I personally found the making of this mind map more challenging than I thought it would be. I tried three different website/designs before I got it to look the way I wanted it too. The writing was too small and unreadable when using other designs. This has contributed to a wonderful learning skill for me this week. My experience shows that while technology may have it's challenges, it gives greater opportunities to explore and create something in our mind and put it onto paper or online. 

I found this blog post 10 Ways To Support Learning Styles With Concept Mapping by Naomi Mihut very interesting because it shows many different visual view points and how we may each have a different way of thinking, planning, or presenting our ideas. I wanted my mind map to look a certain way. I had an idea in my head and could not settle for any other plan. I was determined to keep searching until I found what I was looking for. Because of this, I was able to display my ideas of digital citizenship in a creative, colourful way. 

- Renee O'Sullivan

Week 1

(July 22nd)

My response to the article 'Disrupting boundaries: how digital devices became a resource for transformative change in a time of crisis' posted by The New Zealand Gazette:

After the Christchurch earthquakes, Peagsus Digital Devices helped 11 primary schools by providing 600 'digital devices' to support schools and children's learning experiences. The Ministry of Education supported and provided enough devices so there was a ratio of one device to four children. This support has given schools, students, and teachers a positive approach to their teaching and learning. It has allowed students and teachers to become more creative by finding new ways to get information and sharing knowledge alongside others.

For students with learning difficulties, the technology devices have helped them achieve their goals in a new way. It allows children who may find it difficult to draw or write to use the device to create their ideas and share them with others.The sharing of children's work and found information has become easier and more creative to produce and display.

It is evident that the use of technology has had a positive impact on these children and their schools. It has allowed them to become more creative and interactive with their learning and has helped schools develop after the earthquakes. Teachers and students are finding it easier to work together, be more creative, and gain more problem solving and strategic skills. I think the community have done an amazing job to work together and support children's learning through the use of technology.

Reference:
The New Zealand Gazette. (2014). Disrupting boundaries: how digital devices became a resource for transformative change in a time of crisis. 28 July. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry Of Education.

Article link here: The New Zealand Gazette



My response to the article 'Digital Citizenship in schools' posted by National Library of New Zealand:

'Digital citizenship' is described as 'always evolving'. It is clear that the use of technology has provided rapid changes to the way we view, gather, and have access to information. It is recognised that each person requires new social and technical skills to be responsible and safe with technology. 

The use of social media allows us to share our thoughts, opinions, ideas, and emotions with many people at one time. This article raises the concerns of what information we choose to share and how many people can view it and share it with more of their friends. It challenges us to be 'cyber-sensitive' online by looking at the behaviour we use online verse offline, making sure you know who to trust online, and seeking help/support if you feel unsafe/unsure of something you are seeing online.

One example shared through a video is of a substitute teacher who had a bad day in class. She went home and posted on social media saying "Mr ___'s class is horrible..." This then got shared to all her friends, some of whom were parents of students in that class. One parent then decided they would show the post to Mr ___. It makes us realise that the things we say online (especially comments or thoughts about other people) can be spread/shared and hurt others.

Another thing the article mentions is knowing when to turn devices off. For me personally, I am constantly aware of how much time I spend looking at a screen. I know that 'blue light' (reflected off screens, computers, and cellphones) keeps our brain awake, and constantly thinking where as 'yellow light' (reflected off light bulbs) is less harmful on our eyes. This is why at night time, we may struggle to fall asleep if we had just spent an hour watching TV or being on the computer.

While this article supports the positive uses of technology and devices, it also encourages us to look at the uses behind it and makes us more safety cautious of what we are finding, posting, and sharing online. It is important to promote this safely to children using technology and devices so they are aware of issues, safety, and information online.

Article link here: Digital Citizenship in schools



My response to the video 'Cyber citizenship' by Derek Wenmoth (CORE Education):

While we may have heard the terms 'cyber safety' and 'cyber bullying, the relatively new term 'cyber citizenship' refers more to "responsible cyber social behaviour". This basically means being responsible with what you are doing online, especially individually when nobody else is around. Being a cyber citizen means responding and behaving appropriately online when communicating with other people. It means following the rules of various social media websites, respecting other people, and being aware of what you say, post, or share with others.

This video challenged me to be thinking about our uses for social media online and the way we gather/find information. As teachers, we should be aware of the ways we are encouraging online safety to students and children. It is important to model and promote safety and social behaviour online to children/students so they can understand responsible cyber citizenship.



Words that describe/summarise these articles:

The words I chose were: support, positive, teaching, learning, experiences, creative, knowledge, sharing, information, developing, skills, evolving, changing, safety, social, new, share, challenge, online, help, screen, communication, responsible, respect

This week my knowledge on 'cyber citizenship' and 'cyber safety' has grown and reminded me of what I personally post online. As teachers, we must be aware of what we are personally sharing, displaying, and posting online. It is important to keep confidentiality and not share other peoples personal thoughts, ideas or comments.

Through the first article, I also learned the positive uses of technology in schools and how it encourages children to be more creative and more independent by finding their own information. Teachers can support the use of technology in their classrooms by allowing children to research and work in groups to display information.


- Renee O'Sullivan

Introduction

Kia ora,

My name is Renee O’Sullivan. I am 20 years old and in my third/final year of studying a Bachelor of Teaching and Learning (early childhood degree) through Canterbury University. I am part of the New Plymouth cohort as a distance/FLO student. I love the use of technology and how I can use it to communicate with people all over the world. I like the idea of children’s learning and assessment being used online to make it more accessible for family and whānau. While I do also enjoy the idea of children being able to use cameras and take photos from their point of view, I do struggle with the idea of technology being used in early childhood education; especially with under 3’s. I believe there are pros and cons to the use of technology but as long as you can balance it in your life (not spending too much time on a screen) it can be very beneficial.

In relation to the SAMR model (see above), I feel I would fall somewhere between ‘redefinition’ and ‘augmentation’ because while I see the benefits of technology, I am also cautious that technology is constantly changing at a fast pace and feel that it should be limited in our daily lives. I am hoping this technology class (and my reflective practice) will help me focus on the more positive sides of technology rather than seeing it as a negative in early childhood education.

- Renee O'Sullivan