Digital Information

September 28, 2017 Marni Warren

The classroom model has changed, over the years, as digital technology has progressed. Increasingly, students are learning how to, from early primary years, integrate technology into their lives by building familiarity with a range of contexts (Howell, 2013, p. 133). This is to build up digital fluency, to support lifelong learning in a digital age, but also to prepare the students as digital content makers. By building basic skills, students are prepared to add back to the pool of knowledge by creating further digital content (Howell, 2013, p. 135) This involves creating digital content, and feeding back into the pool of common knowledge, in order to become digitally fluent.

Students need to also be aware that much of the information that they are being exposed to is being tailored through marketing algorithms. The trend of tracking user movements is concerning, as the technologies use personal information about users from their personal profiles on websites. Estee (2015, p. 125) notes that we live in an age of invisible digital identities, where our demographic data and personal information is used as chips to sell us more. This works in other ways too, where cyberbalkanization occurs, a term coined by William (2007) which described the constricting bubble of known information, as unknown-information isn’t being shown due to not being included in the information filters. Both of these highlight the necessity for critical thinking when engaging in digital information. How we use the internet will define who we are as people, and further restrict options in the future - as well as exposure to counter intuitive ideas which could further help an individual develop (Williams, 2007). This is problematic to Digital fluency, as not only is the individual not being exposed to information that is different, but they can be caught in a trap of only being exposed to information that is fake.

Sourced - Google Images. Belle Gibsons book, The Whole Pantry

The above image is the cover for the book 'The Whole Pantry', written by Belle Gibson who was a 'healthy food blogger', writing articles online with recommendations on how to be healthier and 'detox' ones body. Her basis of authority was allegedly overcoming a brain tumour with a healthy diet - a claim that was tested in court and proven false. However, her information was given extreme credibility, and highlights the necessity for a critical and skeptical approach to online information.

Digital fluency requires consolidation of knowledge across all areas of digital engagement. (Howell, 2013, p. 205) Students need to have the ability to think critically, record and upload podcast materials, have efficient search techniques, Have an understanding of basic coding and web design skills, expert use of digital communication, experience in creative technologies of robotics and gaming, and an enthusiastic attitude towards technology (SCSA, 2017). This needs to be fostered actively. Once students have begun engaging in games for the purpose of learning, they can begin applying prior experiences to new contexts after seeing how technology can be used across disciplines is a form of higher-order thinking process skills (Howell, 2013, p. 206) Teachers should, with these aims in mind, consider ways to develop critical capacities. As much as students are encouraged to generate content, they also need to become critical thinkers, capable of discerning what was written by a peer from something written by an expert, knowledgeable on the topic, and therefore useful information. Below are some useful worksheets for helping students develop a feel for 'authentic', or reliable, content.

Downloadable Worksheets for developing classroom Skepticism:

Download here: Ten Questions for Fake News Detection

Download here: Authenticity Checklist

References

Estee, B. (2015). The Invisible Digital Identity: Assemblages in Digital Networks. Computers and Composition, 35, 125–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2015.01.005

Howell, J. (2013). Teaching with ICT: Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity. Oxford University press.

School curriculum and standards authority (SCSA). (2017).Information and communication technology (ICT) Capabilities. Retrieved 28 August, 2017, from https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/5157/ICT.pdf

Williams, D. (2007). The Impact of Time Online: Social Capital and Cyberbalkanization. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10(3), 398–406. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2006.9939

Digital Blurring

September 28, 2017 Marni Warren

When the digital is talked about in schools, it’s usually talked about in reference to students learning what are considered ‘practical’ technologies. The SCSA (2017) notes that the scope of student ICT capability should extent to

“This includes conducting research, creating multimedia information products, analysing data, designing solutions to problems, controlling processes and devices, and supporting computation while working independently and in collaboration with others.” [SCSA, 2017].

The concept, however, doesn’t address the digital blurring that is already occurring - the combination of games with reality in trans-modal fashion.

“The average young person today in a country with a strong gamer culture will have spent 10,000 hours playing online games by the age of 21. Now 10,000 hours is a really interesting number for two reasons. First of all, for children in the United States, 10,080 hours is the exact amount of time you will spend in school, from fifth grade to high school graduation, if you have perfect attendance.” (McGonigal, 2010)

In her TED Talk, Jane McGonigal makes a compelling case that Games can be utilised in ways that solve our real world problems - particularly as they are already an integrated part of many students lives, they should be utilised as a tool. In order for students to develop critical thinking skills and higher order learning, they need to be challenged (Killen, 2016, p.57) .By scaffolding this learning and integrating necessary information in a reward scenario, students can benefit from the digital in their real life aspirations. An example that McGonigal utilised is Quest to Learn, an educational endeavour that turns a school room into a fantasy world, where students need to complete their assignments in the form of quests (McGonigal, 2011). Furthermore, the students then need to reinforce the learned knowledge by explaining it back to a basic AI avatar, which ensures that they have learnt the concepts required.

Quest to Learn

Quest to Learn is an outlier in its audacity, but examples that games are a compelling future for education. They have the capability to blur reality with digital in a number of ways, particularly through the use of virtual worlds. These are defined as online communities, which often take the form of a computer based simulated environment (Howell, 2013, p. 209). These act as entry points to the net, and students will usually engage in these through the usage of avatars, a two or three dimensional representation that acts as stand-in for the individual in either a fantastical, anonymous, or realistic capacity (Howell, 2013, p. 209). A simple example of this is Facebook, Instagram or any other popular social media.Virtual worlds are useful in an educational context as they can open the opportunity for more student participation, by removing constraints of scheduling, location and cost, and also increasing the opportunities for scaffolding.

However, Howell notes that the downside is the loss of body language and other personal identifying aspects, even whilst potential anonymity and customisation of identity are increased (Howell, 2013, p. 209). Rather, integration of games could be as simple as utilising Kahoot's! in class, a way of informally assessing student knowledge, to having students construct games themselves around the curriculum content knowledge, using friendly interfaces like Splodder, which is its own virtual community. Students don't even need to know how to code - but if they do, there are numerous free options, and ones that themselves are gamified like FreeCodeCamp.

To conclude, Howell (2013, p. 206) notes that Teachers cannot afford to become complacent, but must ensure that technology is embedded in both teaching and learning. This is in order to maintain and extend the competencies of the students, who now need it more than ever before. As lives are increasingly blurred with digital technology outside the educational context, the only way to prepare students is to show them how to control that process.

References

Howell, J. (2013). Teaching with ICT: Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity. Oxford University press.

Killen, R. (2016). Effective Teaching Strategies. (A. Crabb, Ed.) (7th ed.). Melbourne: CENGAGE Learning Australia. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DlDgwcoBCWfnjqcxuH9Sj8_NGBNHUImcmKW2ixCxid8/edit#

McGonigal, J. (2011). Power up their imaginations: Pedagogy. The Times Educational Supplement Scotland, (2241), 26. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/docview/915672148/abstract/523411E6E1924782PQ/1?accountid=10382

Digital Identity and Security

September 28, 2017 Marni Warren

Australians conduct affairs largely through electronic mediums now, with our sense of belonging to a local, institutional, national and increasingly virtual community tied in with this options. Students, however, have varying levels of digital experience - that is, access to technology at home, with indicators including socioeconomic circumstances (Howell 2013, p. 57). While students may be ‘digital natives’, born into a world that fosters digital expectancy, Digital use is still a skill that requires fostering - One isn't born with the ability use a computer.

The curriculum notes that students must “adapting to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and limiting the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment.” (Scsa, 2017). However, Estee (2015, p. 126) notes that teachers must be concerned with not just the visible, but the invisible digital identity representation as a critical aspect of helping students cultivate a healthy online presence. This is composed of understanding how data collection of students is cultivating the news and information that they in turn consume - and again in turn, produce. The digital identity that is cultivated is one that, Estee argues, is defined by three aspects - first, it’s regulated, with web companies possessing the ability to regulate the behaviour of people through the flows of information. Secondly, digital identity is made up of non-human cultural ecologies, which exist in a complex matrix of ‘temporal, spatial, physical, emotional, political, social, financial and legal dimensions’ (P. 128). When individuals choose to engage, they become part of a larger matrix in which they are not benign factors, but active shapers who are also being shaped. This opens up the final notion, which is that digital identity ‘refracts’ the internet - each user will impact information in different ways, through their method of harvesting and utilisation. The potential to shape what users see online, and use in their lives, is profound, and an area of intense politicisation.

"What happens if Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, cell phones, GPS< Foursquare, Yelp, Travel Advisor, all these things you deal with every day turn out to be electronic tattoos? And what if they provide as much information about who and what you are as any tattoo ever would?" - Juan Enriquez

In his TED talk, Juan Enriquez discusses how the digital content that we post is the equivalent of a digital tattoo - one that is long lasting, and difficult to retract. It is from this vantage that Digital Identity, and security, should be taught to students, as self-awareness and scrutiny must be utilised above all when caring for ones personal privacy and information. Data breaches, when they occur, will frequently affect individuals on a private level - and so ensuring there is no incriminating information or important identifiers available is critical in maintaining healthy autonomy and privacy.

This week, there was a breach at Equifax, an American Credit card rating Giant, who found itself compromised in a hack over May and June 2017 that found 143 million people's personal details stolen. The breach was a signifier of the age we live in - one where despite our reliance on digital information, a single break in the system can leave our personal lives in danger. Within a teaching context, students are learning at the same speed as teachers that they must be aware of the personal dangers of using the internet - That while they are actively producing content as a biproduct of their identity, that content can be used against them. That identity becomes information itself that needs to be protected, or potentially abused. In educating students of these risks, teachers should consider resources to provide, to help students begin protecting their online selves.

Useful resources for Students and teachers to consider:

StaySmartOnline
Learning about the threats helps prevention, rather than recovery. Teachers and students should sign up to the government operated alert list for updates on ongoing online issues.

AdBlocker
A form of open software, AdBlocker (and affiliates) offer a simple service that prevents third parties from easily downloading their content into your browser and device. Requiring no extra information, this is a safe way of skimming the surface of potential threats away.

Lastpass
One of the first rules of the internet is that a single password isn't enough, no matter how many strange digits it may have.

Have I been pwned?
This handy site offers a very simple service - on the data of publicly leached breaches, the site informs users of whether their email address which was used to verify an account on many of those services has been compromised. This builds off the common problem which was just noted, in that people often don't have passwords for different accounts.

Malwarebytes
Keeping ones device clean of malware is not a simple task, but one that at minimum requires a virus scanner, if a large assortment of websites are visited on a regular basis. Not all virus scanners are authentic, so users should do research before choosing one suitable for their device - This example, Malwarebytes, is one that has a history of being reliable.

References (APA 6th Edition)

Boyd, D., Lyman, P., Ito, M., Davis, M., & Hayden, C. (2005). Why Youth. Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in Teenage Social Life. Youth, Identity and Digital Media, 119–42.

Estee, B. (2015). The Invisible Digital Identity: Assemblages in Digital Networks. Computers and Composition, 35, 125–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2015.01.005

Howell, J. (2013). Teaching with ICT: Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity. Oxford University press.

What is life long learning in a Digital age?

September 28, 2017 Marni Warren

Gone are the days of studying over mounds of textbooks from a local library. Educational systems are shifting themselves to prepare for the global shift towards a knowledge-based system. This includes the impact of eCommerce, the digitalizing of our personal lives, and the changing nature of workplaces and skills (Howell, 2013, p. 40)

Within Australia, particularly Western Australia, the School Standards and Curriculum Authority notes the goal for students to be that:

“Students develop ICT capability as they learn to use ICT effectively and appropriately to access, create and communicate information and dieas, solve problems and work collaboratively in all learning areas at school, and in their lives beyond school.” (SCSA, 2017)

The usage of ICT can positively impact learning, with major contributions of ICT suggesting that the use of ICT can help students with the development of their thinking and inquiry skills. These can increase learning opportunities, enhance learning outcomes, and improve activity choices (Kachelhoffer & Khine, 2009, p. 230). Kachelhoffer & Khine (2009, p. 337) recommend that the usage of ICT as a productivity tool furthermore provides students with the understanding and familiarity with which to scaffold their own learning.

Learning has always oriented around, as Bernie Dunlap in his Ted Talk notes, around the need for passion in learning, and for learning. This has evolved with ICT with the concept of Passionate affinity spaces (PAS). Gee & Hayes (2011, p. 69) note that this is learning which occurs when people organize themselves as group in / or / via the internet to learn and share information on a shared interest, endeavour, or passion. Just as schools form an ecosystem of learning, so are these PAS formed together to support the common endeavour.

It does not require, Gee and Hayes note, for everyone to have a deep passion for the topic, but that a few of the students are able to share knowledge on it in shared collaboration. Examples of this include people ‘modding’, or modifying game content to add to an existing game (Moddb), sharing historical information (Reddit), generating fan content for a shared enjoyment of a genre (fanfiction, Deviantart) and even for pure educational purposes, like Stack overflow for coding problems, pursuits, education and interest. Teachers should be aware of the existence of these spaces, and also the mediums in which students can share those. Having chat spaces outside of class for students to further engage with a topic, collaborate and share ideas is another way that teachers can encourage students to not just utilise ICT, but continue communicating with peers past the classroom and into real life affinity spaces.

How digital technology is received is an ongoing concern because students are now global citizens. They must interact with, and consider, an influx of information that comes from different cultural contents and backgrounds, shaping them in different ways to receive the lens from a new perspective. Lifelong learning is about understanding the social and interest needs of ones students, and helping them cultivate ways to better fulfil these criteria throughout the student's life, past school. By aiding students in developing interactive communities, teaching critical ways of asking questions, and forming a strong basis of personal responsibility for learning, students will not just know why they should learn, but gain the skills for how to learn by wanting to learn in a changing, digital world.

References

Gee, J. P., & Hayes, E. (2011). Language and Learning in the Digital Age (1st ed.). London and New York: Routledge.

Howell, J. (2013). Teaching with ICT: Digital Pedagogies for Collaboration and Creativity. Oxford University press.

Kachelhoffer, A., & Khine, M. S. (2009). Bridging the Digital Divide, Aiming to Become Lifelong Learners. WCCE, 229–237. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-3-642-03115-1_24.pdf