Teacher, Student and Parent Presentations on Digital Citizenship and Cyber Bullying
By Chris Vincent and Paul Pavao
As part of our ongoing focus on seeking to ensure that ISZL students are guided by an ethos of respect and care for others (ISZL Code of Conduct), we had two international speakers visit and work within our community last week. Christopher O’Shaughnessy and Jason Ohler are two experienced and passionate speakers well versed in engaging with children, educators and adults, on topics associated with growing up in a modern society. Their expertise was called upon as it was felt that bullying, cyber bullying and appropriate use of all forms of technology are areas that needed to be addressed proactively at all ISZL divisions. Jason Ohler addressed staff, parents and High School students on these issues, while Chris O’Shaughnessy worked with students at our Middle School and Primary Schools.
Dr. Jason Ohler
Jason has been a pioneer in the use of technology as a teaching and learning tool having been involved in this field for over 30 years. He is a published author, a radio commentator, a regular contributor to blogs and online forums as well as a composer and producer. He is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Alaska where he continues to work with education students. He has a big interest in new and emerging technologies, digital citizenship and media literacy. Even in ‘retirement’ he is as busy as ever.
Jason’s first day with us involved presenting and working with all faculty on issues associated with digital citizenship and digital storytelling. Middle and High School faculty were challenged to see themselves as all being teachers of digital citizenship and what that might look like. A key message was the need to “bring students to the policy table”, that is, the importance of incorporating students’ perspectives, as well as their expertise, in setting guidelines for use of technology.
In his session with Primary faculty, Jason highlighted many of the same key points covered with the Middle and High School faculty. He reiterated that we, as teachers and parents, need to guide students in melding their non-digital and digital lives. Our students/children need to be kept engaged and talking in order for us to know what they are thinking, and what they are doing when online. Students’ knowledge and expertise must be honoured when these discussions are taking place, and it is very important to keep the lines of communication open between all parties: parents-school, parents-students, and school-students. The final key take away for Primary faculty was that students should be creating a positive online digital footprint, and with that comes the need to manage one’s online identity, or risk having it done for us by others. Our role as teachers is fundamental in successfully guiding our students as they create and extend their identity online.
Last Tuesday evening Jason presented to parents on the topic of digital citizenship which he saw as “an opportunity to talk with children about the world in which they live”. Some of the key messages that he emphasised included the importance of:
maintaining strong and open relationships between parent and child
encouraging children to be thinking and talking about issues that matter to them, particularly those of an ethical nature
writing
children being media literate
Jason worked with all Grade 9, 10 and 11 students on Wednesday and discussed and challenged students on issues regarding the use of emerging and new technology, their digital footprint and cyber bullying. The format of the 1-hour sessions with the various student groups was one very much about engaging the students with the issues and getting them to discuss and to share their thoughts. The students spent the largest portion of the sessions discussing with peers and sharing their thoughts.
Some of the things that Jason encouraged students to do included owning their own name and thinking about the kinds of things that they would like their digital footprint to include.
Some of the resources and links that Jason shared with the various groups included:
Digital Dossiers - a student created video illustrating the amount of digital information that is kept on us all.
Born Digital Videos - videos addressing a range of issues raised in John Palfrey and Urs Gasser’s book Born Digital.
Your digital footprint may be unflattering - An NBC video story highlighting that people’s digital footprints are not necessarily helpful when seeking entry into further studies or the workforce.
The Committed Sardine Blog - read posts associated with the possibilities to think and learn with new technologies. You can also subscribe to receive regular postings.
Common Sense Media - A comprehensive site offering a wealth of resources and advice for children, educators and parents. The link I have included will take you directly to the Advice for families page but I would advise parents to look over the site.
Jason’s email - feel free to contact Jason at this address. It would help if you gave him some context - i.e. I attended a session you gave at ISZL . . .
Christopher O’Shaughnessy
Chris is a passionate, and internationally renowned speaker who engages audiences on the topics of Third Culture Kids (TCKs), as well as bullying and cyber bullying. As a TCK himself, Chris captivates audiences with his gift for blending storytelling and humour, and this was certainly the case when he spoke to, and worked with, students from Grades 2 to 5 in Luzern, Grades 4 and 5 in the Zug Primary, and up through Middle School.
In the Primary School, Chris challenged students to be aware of the how incredibly powerful the impact they have on others through their interactions is, and that this impact, for good, or for bad, lasts well into the future. When speaking about cyber bullying, he made it very clear to the students that when interacting face-to-face, you get a lot of information and social cues, telling you how what you are saying or doing is being interpreted. However, online things are different. There can be many interpretations to the written or typed word, and you can’t always know how someone else will interpret what you write. In addition, everything done online stays online, potentially forever. As a result, students today can do so much more damage than in the past, because online unpleasant things can be recalled and revisited, over and over again, feeling like it’s always with you, and that you can’t escape it. Throughout, the students shared their thoughts and insights, demonstrating their respectful and thoughtful understanding of the issue of cyber bullying, and bullying in general.
Chris spoke with all Middle School students during grade assemblies as well as working with each of the Grade 6 homeroom groups. A key message that he sought to have the students think about was that “every interaction with someone either gives or takes away life” in that it may be a positive or a negative interaction. He got students to think about empathy and putting themselves in other people’s shoes and the differences and similarities of online and real-life interactions.
The students across the primary and middle school divisions really appreciated Chris’ effective blend of humour, stories and activities and engaged very positively with him and his message.
The visits from both Chris and Jason prompted a number of very positive conversations that teachers will continue to have with students. Hopefully their visit will also provide an opportunity for you to speak with your children about issues in their worlds.
Paul Pavao
PS Educational Technology Facilitator
paul.pavao@iszl.ch
Chris Vincent
Director of Educational Technology
chris.vincent@iszl.ch