Blog:
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Course Description:
Goal of OLTD 506: To develop educators who can use social media in the BC context in conscious, skilled, knowledgeable, socially responsible, and professional ways—who will become Novice social media role models who maximize social media teaching & learning opportunities, manage risk, and make positive contributions to larger communities around & through social media. Instructor: Julia Hengstler
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EVIDENCE & REFLECTION OF LEARNING #1
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OLTD Program Learning Outcome(s):
Evidence to Support Outcome(s):
I have chosen my OLTD506 Boundaries Paper to demonstrate evidence of the above-noted learning outcome(s). This paper was submitted at the end of the Foundations and Boundaries module. The module’s purpose was to:
Reflection to Support Evidence:
As outlined in my Boundaries Paper, Teachers and Social Media in the BC Context, I have come to understand that social and networked learning is necessary for accessing new ideas and information, and furthermore, it is important for the stimulation of innovation. Therefore, privacy and safety boundaries are crucial in our increasingly digital world, and it is the responsibility of every BC educator to understand and implement the legal guidelines surrounding privacy laws in BC. Through responsible and purposeful use of social media, I believe we can facilitate student success in online learning environments. Yet, despite the ubiquitous nature of technology, a ‘digital divide’ still exists, which will need to be overcome if we are to offer all students an equal opportunity to gain a toolkit of 21st century skills and literacies. As an educator, I feel compelled to examine whether social media (computer-mediated tools around which networks of users create and share information, ideas, and learning) can help to address the digital divide, and whether appropriate boundaries are in place for this networked, connectivist approach to learning. In my practice, I plan to implement strategies to increase social learning within courses (using social media tools), while paying close attention to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA - legislation for public schools) and the protection of students’ personal information. By considering ‘fenced’ social media tools (tools which can be housed on our school’s server and thus ‘walled’), my hope is to integrate these tools in a manner which may be moderated for safety and thus deemed as an appropriate intermediate step in working towards openness. After all, I believe my primary role as an educator is to help students achieve their potential to live as responsible, happy, productive citizens in our digital, media-driven, networked world. |
EVIDENCE & REFLECTION OF LEARNING #2
OLTD Program Learning Outcome(s):
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Evidence to Support Outcome(s):
The evidence piece for the above-noted learning outcome is a draft copy of a Response to an Incident of Concern flow chart, created as one of the elective choices for the Tool Project at the end of OLTD506 (there were a few components to this project). As noted below the flow chart, it was created for the school where I work (NCDES), and the creation reflects the use of a template produced by Julia Hengstler (adapted with permission from Kent County Council – see note below flow chart for citation). Thus, with sincere appreciation, my Response to an Incident of Concern flow chart very much reflects the collaborative efforts of many individuals.
The above flow chart is likely to change and develop over time. So like anything that reflects online activity, this flow chart should be viewed as a work in progress.
Thank you and credit goes to Julia Hengstler: In her 2013, "A K-12 Primer for Posting Students' Work Online", Hengstler adapted a fill-in-the-blanks template for BC schools called "Potential BC Response to an Incident of Concern" ("Appendix B" on page 16) https://jhengstler.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/a-k-12-primer-for-british-columbia-teachers-posting-students-work-online/. This template was adapted with permission from the Kent County Council model cited in Hengstler's (2013) K-12 Primer document on page 9.
Reflection to Support Evidence:
The Response to an Incident of Concern flow chart (which is my second piece of evidence for OLTD506) has evolved from an in-depth look at privacy laws in BC, and an emerging understanding of my roles and responsibilities as an educator. As noted by course instructor Julia Hengstler, a requirement of being FIPPA compliant is having a response plan, should there be an incident of concern. The goal of a response plan is to outline paths that might be taken for various incidents that could occur. Hengstler notes (2015, VIU OLTD506, D2L Course Content) that having a plan is a way to increase a teacher’s/school’s/school district’s response time to an incident that may occur. It also shows diligence and demonstrates that a teacher takes their “duty of care” responsibility seriously when using social media tools... It demonstrates good Digital Citizenship.
In my view, the Response to an Incident of Concern flow chart generated for North Coast Distance Education School shows a coherent step-by-step plan, should an incident occur. The plan has required input from a number of individuals, and yet I still feel more input is necessary to ‘tweak’ the evolving schematic. In my opinion, anything that involves a response will likely need to be adjusted on an ongoing basis. It is impossible to predict all potential risks, and yet all social media and social networking tools carry an element of risk. It is only through time that we develop ways to respond to risk, and as our experiences with social media and social networking tools expand, so too will the ways in which we respond to varying circumstances. |