Last week's frigid weather not only prompted many school closings, it prompted some students to take to social media in a negative way. The reaction to the negative messages was swift and predictable with teachers, administrators, and parents calling for digital citizenship training programs. A common popular analogy suggests young drivers take coursework and an assessment before obtaining a license to legally drive. Shouldn't similar steps be taken before people put their reputations and futures at risk from ill-advised sharing on social media? "We need to look beyond the scary stats and help kids start thinking about the things they want to share with their families, with their classrooms, or with a larger audience." - Alec Couros With the stakes being so high, it's hard to argue against teaching young people about responsible use and proper etiquette when using digital tools and social media. However, I would like to suggest another way. Educators should ...
Ruminations about lifelong learning.