Safe and Healthy Uses of Digital Information and Technology

NPR:  "When Playing Video Games Means Sitting on Life's Sidelines"

     Becoming addicted to anything can take a tremendous toll on you and everybody around you.  This NPR segment spoke of technology addiction and how debilitating it is.  The DSM, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, added Internet Gaming as a disorder.  Fortunately there is help for people who find themselves in this situation.  One program, called Restart, began in 2009 in Seattle.  They house seven patients at a time for six intensive weeks of rehab, then they move to transition, the time devoted to putting into action what the patients learned.  It used to be called "Level Two," but since that sounded too much like something a person would hear and associate to gaming, the name was changed.

     A patient defined technology addiction as people zoned out in a fantasy world.  These addicted people are engaged in their gaming to find a high or relief, but what they are really doing is hurting themselves, familial relationships, and friendships.  The unhealthy lifestyle technology-addicted people adopt stems from gaming when they were younger and it moves to surfing the net, porn and more gaming.  This is the life they come to know usually when college begins.  These people have guidance through high school, but when college starts, there is no parental structure which leads to this unhealthy lifestyle.

     Technology-addicted people learn about healthy lifestyles when in rehab.  For example, they learn about the importance of exercise, sleep and face-to-face interactions.  Those who have graduated from rehab programs claim that it is a constant struggle with temptation and they need to use the internet in a structured way.  In other words, they need to have boundaries, including time limits, and using technology only for work. 

What is Cyberbullying?  StopBullying.gov

     Cyberbullying is bullying using electronic technology.  Electronic technology can be devices, such as cell phones, computers and tablets; or, communication tools, such as social media sites, embarrassing pictures, videos, websites or fake profiles.  People who are cyberbullied are often bullied in person.  Cyberbullying can happen 24 hours a day/7 days a week.  Messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed to a wide audience.  They are difficult to impossible to trace and to delete once posted.

     Cyberbullied kids are more likely to:

• Use alcohol and drugs
• Skip school
• Experience in-person bullying
• Be unwilling to attend school
• Receive poor grades
• Have lower self-esteem
• Have more health problems

     People may not have a reason for bullying, but normally bullies pick on the weak, both mentally and physically.  They may have low self-esteem, depressed, anxious, do not get along with others, isolated and/or antagonistic.

     Communication is key to getting things accomplished.  Building a rapport with students is helpful in tackling cyberbullying issues before they begin or before they get too far out of hand.  Speaking to students directly helps find out the where, when and how bullying happens in your school.  Another preventative method of cyberbullying is to work together with parents and students to spread the word against bullying.  Although I have never participated in youth-to-youth activities, I believe that this group helps tackle bullying issues.  Teachers can also establish class rules and overall school rules can be created/enforced that will aid in bullying prevention.  

     Cyberbullying is an issue that can be addressed with teachers through professional development.  Positive and open communication among staff and students will help bullying issues before they erupt.

The Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship

     Just as there are guidelines to follow in real life, there are guidelines for technology use, too.  This article describes ways for teachers to use technology more effectively as a role model.  There are nine elements of digital citizenship which demonstrates an overall balance of technology responsibility.

     Element one discusses the idea that all students should have digital access.  Although there are various factors that lead students to not having digital access, such as a lack of technology and/or financial downfall, there are other actions schools can take to support access to technology.  Schools can do a one-on-one initiative where they provide a computer to each student, or schools can encourage BYOD, or bring-your-own-device to school.  In this day and age all students should have access to technology.

     The second element, digital commerce, effects the purchasing and selling of products online.   Many people tend to purchase products without doing their homework and this results in poor commerce.   When I taught math, I always was sure to incorporate awareness of good buys versus bad buys.  This element takes it one step further by making sure students become aware of ineffective websites.  Not only can inappropriate websites take advantage financially, but there may be an issue with identity theft.  This is an issue that can make or break a student.  

     Digital communication is the third element of digital citizenship.  This element refers to making sure that students are aware that whatever they text, email or place on the internet is there to stay, regardless if they delete it or not.  Technology, such as cell phones, tablets, and laptops, has a place in the classroom for learning and not for personal use.  Students also must be made aware of the fact that there is a difference between using abbreviations when emailing, texting, or using social media and those abbreviations are not appropriate for school use. 

     Element four, digital literacy, relates to the idea of teaching the technology.  Many teachers are lacking the knowledge of how to use technology.  Tools needed to be learned in technology are expanding quickly.  "Students are moving beyond the computer, laptop, netbook, or smartphone to the cloud."  (p. 26)  It is important for teachers to keep pace and learn the ins-and-outs of technology. By learning technology, teachers can help districts keep students in the district instead of moving to distance education programs which could potentially provide students more of a challenge and interest.

     Students should also be aware of digital etiquette, element five.  In other words, students should pay attention to how they use their devices and the noises that come from other people's devices.  For example, muting a cell phone during class or an important meeting, so as not to disturb the concentration of others around them.  "A good digital citizen seeks out feedback from others to evaluate their use of technology, and then makes personal adjustments based on this feedback."  (p. 29)  This is another area in which adults need to be good role models.  "Good digital citizens respect others and learn ways to use technology courteously and effectively."  (p. 29)

      Teachers, nor companies, foresee inappropriateness from technology.  Therefore, digital law, element six, develops after unlawful acts with technology have occurred.  People need to be held responsible for improper use of technology.  "Administrators need to provide teachers and students with resources and guidance on what is legal and illegal."  (p. 32)  Along the same lines, students need to realize that whatever happens today can stick with them in their futures.

     Digital rights and responsibilities, "requirements and freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world," is element seven.  Students must sign an acceptable use policy, also known as aup, which identifies student's rights to technology and what responsibility they have while using technology.  They need to be sure to cite digital sources when using its information in a project or paper.  Part of their responsibility is not only to help others, but to report cyberbullies, threats and any other inappropriate uses of technology.

     Physical and psychological pain can be caused by the overuse of technology.  Digital Health and Wellness, element eight, examines various physical symptoms and illnesses, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, eyestrain and poor posture, as they relate to using technology too much.  Psychological illnesses include becoming addicted to the internet and/or gaming and having it interfere with daily life.  Internet gaming is now considered a disorder in the DSM, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.  In order to prevent such illnesses and physical problems, people must limit their technology time and be sure to work in an ergonomically-correct setting.

     Digital security, element nine, deals with how people can secure their information online.  People need to use firewalls, have virus protection software and make backups of their files.  It is also important to include spyware and adware in protecting information while online.  One can never be too secure.

My Thoughts

     Keeping kids safe is top priority.  This week's readings were based on just that, but I do not know if schools are doing a great job in keeping student's safe while using technology.  When I was teaching, I remember collecting the aup signed by parents and students.  If it was not signed, then student's were not permitted on the internet.  Unfortunately this was never reinforced.  I do not remember that teachers or students were given any information as to what the aup entailed.  People signed it and used the computer.  In retrospect, an informational meeting should have been given so that parents, students and teachers knew what to expect from the aup.  I believe this would have covered much of the information from the nine elements above.

     As bullying is discussed in school, so should students be made aware cyberbullying and its consequences.  It potentially can be worse than bullying since it can cover more people at once. Either one is horrible and there should be zero tolerance towards it.

     The bottom line among these readings is keeping safe and that there are consequences for actions.  People need to be well-informed and observe all rules and responsibilities.

     

*I believe I my score for this reflective post should be a 20/20 for the following reasons:

1. There is a well-written paragraph (and more) for each of the readings.
2. Each of the well-developed paragraphs (and more) are thought-provoking and a great deal of information was apparently learned from each source.
3. There is clarity without spelling or grammar errors.
4. My reflections paragraphs made a coherent connection to all of the sources.