My topic is around online identity, which includes cyber security, online presence, and general online safety. In general, I found a significant amount of resources, but not scholarly resources. I found five resources which I have linked below, and a few other pieces for further reading on my part at the end. Findings: Creating Identity: The Online Worlds of Two English Language Learners This article examines how English Language Learners in middle-school classrooms interact with others in online spaces based on their interests. This article also looks at how students who may struggle in contemporary English speaking classrooms can easily find their niche. Image from: https://blog.vasco.com/security-tip/help-customers-keep-digital-identity-safe/ 2Learn.ca The website outlines resources for teachers, parents, and students which promotes positive online interactions, web and media literacy, copyright, and digital citizenship. From this website, there are links to external websites including Media Smarts (www.mediasmarts.ca), YouTube videos, and Statistics Canada. While this website is a wealth of information, I believe I will use this resource as a reference tool. Image from: https://aoifenimhurchucybercultures.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/online-identity/ High School Graduates' Perspectives on the Creation of Online Identities This doctoral dissertation contains numerous findings to support that creating online identities in students is ultimately for the purpose of social connection. The conclusions drawn indicate that there are multiple generated types of online identities: real, desired, enhanced, and deceptive. Few of these types of online identities can serve as a level of protection for some students. Image from: http://www.social-media-skills.org/getting-serious/creating-your-online-identity Common Sense Media As a personal favourite, I am including Common Sense Media as a source of information. I find their curriculum is appropriate and engaging for junior and high school students, and is effective when implemented. I find that Common Sense Media outlines a variety of purposeful tasks for students to complete and teachers to use for instruction. I am familiar with the grade 9 scope and sequence, having used it extensively for a number of years, but am looking forward to delving deeper into the content used in other grades. Image from: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Common_Sense_Media Online "iDENTITY" Formation and the High School Theatre Trip This article examines the sense of online identity high school students have in relation to their offline world. I appreciate how the author completed a significant amount of data collection (150 students) to understand their findings, and I also appreciated how they chose to conduct interviews as well. Richardson, the author, did not discount the single word responses, as sometimes answering in that fashion can be a part of someone's identity. This article is available through the UBC database as well as through the McGill website here. Image from: https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/features/20821-online-identity Acceptable Use Policies I am interested in learning about acceptable use policies in my province, so I have included a list of some policies currently in effect. Calgary (Huntington Hill School): This resource lays out their acceptable use policy in a clear and concise way which I appreciate, whereas many other policies use much more legal jargon which I find confuses students more. http://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/HuntingtonHills/SiteCollectionDocuments/AUP.pdf Learning and Technology Framework (Government of Alberta): I found this framework was suitable for teachers and administrators in how technology can be used and implemented. Manitoba has a similar one I am well acquainted with, but I like the Alberta resource better. https://education.alberta.ca/media/1046/learning-and-technology-policy-framework-web.pdf Bring Your Own Device, Alberta Schools: I think this resource is a well thought out policy aimed at schools to have consistency among the province. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/5821955f-5809-4768-9fc8-3b81b78257f7/resource/631bf34c-d3e6-4648-ab77-2b36727dca0b/download/5783885-2012-07-Bring-your-own-device-a-guide-for-schools.pdf References 2Learn Your Online Presence. (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2018, from http://www.2learn.ca/ydp/
Burke, A. (2013). Creating Identity: The Online Worlds of Two English Language Learners. Language and Literacy, 15(3), 31. doi:10.20360/g2ds38 Common Sense. (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2018, from https://www.commonsense.org/ Koh-Herlong, L. H. (2015). High School Graduates’ Perspectives on the Creation of Online Identities(Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Walden University. doi:https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2623&context=dissertations Richardson, J. M. (2016). Online “iDentity” Formation and the High School Theatre Trip. McGill Journal of Education, 51(2), 771. doi:10.7202/1038602ar
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With the topic I chose, I found it easy to start searching, but found it difficult (as I imagined) to find relevant information which I could use to inform my teaching surrounding the idea of cyber security and identity. One of the first tasks was doing a search in the UBC database, because I felt like I would have the most success finding some research on identity and security (see image below). Based on the image above, you will find that while there were over 100 000 results in education databases and journals, a significant portion of that was in fact not related to education in schools. Most of the results were based on education of others and how identity theft occur. Upon discovering this, I felt defeated. I was somewhat successful in this search, however, because I did find a scholarly source which was also available on the McGill University website. I will include that article in my third blog post. Next, I decided that I would spend time doing a Google search for something, anything I could use. I ended up finding a doctoral dissertation which explored the idea of online identity in middle school ELL students. Upon further inspection, I found a lot of relevant material to my idea - perhaps not related directly to the online security aspect, but certainly the identity. Going into this search, I knew I would also find hits from Common Sense Media. I have used their curriculum numerous times over the years, but since I had never spent time with the K-8 curriculum, I spent some time reading what the company finds as appropriate for those grades. Following Common Sense Media, I also came across a local (to Alberta) website called 2learn.ca (section titled Your Digital Presence) - I am not sure why the site is not promoted, because it seemed to have a wealth of information regarding online identity and safety (see links on the left in the image below). However, I may be living in my own bubble because since moving to Alberta I have only worked in an independent school which we each year contractually agree to not become members of the Alberta Teachers Association. On this website, I also found it interesting how it has sectioned off resources for different grade levels. I appreciate that they understand different grade levels have different needs. Finally, I wanted to end my search with some information about various technology agreements within the province. I found a few resources from local (to the province) schools, as well as some provincial documents about acceptable use and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). I remember when I previously taught in Manitoba, we had to re-vamp our BYOD policy as we provided students in grades 9 and 10 their own Chromebook and upon graduation they would keep the devices. Due to the nature of the program, we found it necessary to discuss when, how, and where the devices could be used, even if in grade 12 they could go to University with them. Until graduation, they were property of the school. Image from: https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/5821955f-5809-4768-9fc8-3b81b78257f7/resource/631bf34c-d3e6-4648-ab77-2b36727dca0b/download/5783885-2012-07-Bring-your-own-device-a-guide-for-schools.pdf In my current school, we have a single page acceptable use policy which outlines that students may use school provided technology appropriately. Our students keep their devices in locked boxes in homerooms and are given access to them at lunch time, morning break, and otherwise if the teacher sees a need. I think the idea behind this thinking is that our students have less pressure to contribute to their online identity while in school. I found the juxtaposition between what I found in local schools, the province, and my school interesting. While I had hoped to find more scholarly sources, I was glad to have found other resources to use. |
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