Cyberbullying is "overrated"

I have viewed some interesting emails relating to this article.

I feel I have to throw my two cents into this matter.

To me cyber bullying is a problem not matter how often it occurs in comparison to bullying that occurs offline.

If we look at NSW, the vast majority of school students in Year 9-12 now have a laptop due to the Federal Government's laptop rollout program.

Virtually every school student that I have come into contact with as a teacher owns a mobile phone or smartphone. Simply technology is around us.

We are proliferated with it. With this rise in technology, this provides the perfect setting for cyberbullying to occur.

The internet is a public place like the town square. Views can be said or heard by the entire world. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying, like physical or verbal bullying.

Unlike the physical world, it can be done anonymously and the offender can get away with it without penalty unless their identity is published. in the physical world, the perpetrator is often known to the victim and is more likely to get caught.

In the classroom as teachers, we have a challenging job controlling a group of up to thirty students in a room. I find that I have to move around the room quite frequently if students are using computers to ensure that they are on task that they are not using communication tools (facebook, phones etc). Even then Its extremely easy for a student to put their phone in their lap or under the desk and text or message away. I have caught students doing this. Its akin to passing notes in the old days from student to student, except it is now done electronically.

But for the article to say that cyberbullying is not as prevalent as it seems because 16 % have reported being bullied electronically as opposed to 39 % who might be bullied offline bemuses me.

16 % of students being cyberbullied is still a very high number.

There is no way that cyberbullying is overrated at all.

The article does not mention what percentage of students have been bullied either physically or verbally. There is also silent bullying (excluded from peer groups, not invited to social outings, being delibrately ignored by peers etc). And I will also add that a small percentage of students are bullied by their teachers. I was actually subject to bullying by a teacher when I was in Year 10. As one of my peers said it was done because in that teachers view that I "needed to be a man". If you were to break the offline bullying into the categories that I have mentioned, I think you will be amazed at how common cyberbullying is compared to other forms of bullying.

Web 2.0 Course - My Learning Journey

It has been a very exciting journey for me. I was motivated to do this course for the following reasons:

• My university studies (particularly undergraduate) placed little emphasis on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT's) in the Classroom. I graduated with little knowledge in this area.
• Eagerness to integrate more Web 2.0 tools into my classroom teaching.
• Become better informed on latest teaching developments.
• Highly relevant to my career as a Teacher Librarian and my role as a manager of information. I also would have to lead classroom teachers in incorporating online technologies such as Web 2.0 Tools into teaching and learning programs.
• Allowed me to build up my knowledge of ICT's in the classroom from my Master of Education (Teacher Librarian) Course.

I come to the end of this course and I have embraced the opportunities that have been provided to immerse myself in Web 2.0 tools and experimented with how I could use them in the classroom as a classroom teacher.

Some highlights from my learning journey include:

• Creating pages through IGoogle & Google Reader that allow me to centralise the flow of information from sources that I regularly visit, instead of going to each site individually. The internet experience becomes much more simplified and centralised. With so much information around us, we need a location where we can view the information that is important to us.
• Google Docs - Out of the tools that I have used in this course I have found this to be most useful resource for classroom learning. It allows for groups to collaborate in real time and removes the barriers associated with machines and emailing. It makes learning more productive and even better, students don't have to be in the classroom to learn.
• How to engage in Digital Storytelling - It encourages creativity and expression. Even though I may question the features of online tools compared to offline tools, I think its a great method for students to learn but also to communicate their information in multiple forms. Students love their technology and digital storytelling responds to their interests. Even I get excited and I have ideas in my head about some stories I want to share. 
• Prezi - Adds a new dimension to the presentation of information and goes beyond the functions of Powerpoint. It encouraged me to be more creative in presenting factual information and summaries. Anything that is brief does not require Powerpoint slides. I think students will love it especially in subjects like history where creativity might stimulate interest. I'd still use Powerpoint for presenting information that more abstract or detailed. In fact I think both can go hand in hand like embedding Prezi into a Powerpoint slide. 
• Bubbl.us - An excellent tool for mindmapping which is no longer limited by the size of the paper. 
• Using Twitter as part of professional networking.
• Consolidating my knowledge with Web 2.0 tools such as Blogs, Social Network sites and Photohosting websites and reflecting on their potential use in the classroom.

I've started to share with students some of the tools that are available to them and many of them have been amazed at the fact that Web 2.0 tools are easily accessible especially Google Docs. I filled in for a Year 11 Economics Class at one school recently and I explained to the students how they can use Google Docs to share notes with their peers as some of them share their notes via "old" methods online such as Email.

Hopefully as I get full time work as a teacher librarian, I can share my knowledge and experience of using Web 2.0 tools with other teachers, especially those that may be reluctant to use them and suggest strategies in how they can be incorporated into their teaching even if they have to start with something very simple and basic. I found that taking small steps does make a difference. The students I feel will welcome any use of technology even if it starts with something simple. Then I can work on teaching more complex tools and strategies. Rushing does not help.

If I do end up in a classroom role, this course gives me the scope to become more creative in my teaching. I'm lucky that I have a background in expressing myself creatively (photography) and I need to capitalise on it and use it to provide positive and engaging learning experiences.

Module 10 (Web 2.0) - Learning Communities, Constructing Knowledge Together in Wikis

Wiki's have proven to be quite popular for accessing information whether you are a student or a teacher. I try to avoid them because I question the accuracy of the information contained within them but I will often access a wiki such as Wikipedia to get a background on a topic of interest to me, and then head off to other well established websites or print resources.

They do have one advantage - the fact that you don't need any skills in web publishing and this works fine with many people who more than likely cannot be bothered learning the skills needed to make a website.

The focus is on the presentation of the information itself which is what people want to focus on when presenting their information. I like the fact you can update a wiki at any time from any location on any machine and that it can occur in real time. Groups of students can collaborate together to present information as it is sought and allow for input.

If I had to choose between students creating a web page/site or a wiki for a learning task, I'd favour the wiki. The focus should be on the presentation of the information as opposed to the layout of the site. Students don't need to get into the nitty gritty associated with creating web pages.


However the concern with Wiki's is that other students may "hack" into the wiki and wreck other students work. It might mean backup versions of text may have to be kept just in case the worst happens. Everyday on Wikipedia there are trolls that wreak havoc by changing information to cause trouble. I remember a Wikipedia entry for Ballina several years ago was changed to say that only one person lived there and that they were a "tool". The data and facts for the town had been removed. In fact according to the altered entry it was settled by the Balinese.

As for creating websites, I think they come in more handy where information may have to be presented in a variety of formats such as photographs or video. Websites are more personal as well. I'd use them where the task needs to be done individually and requires multiple formats to be used.

Being a casual teacher, I have found it quite challenging to engage as a member of a professional network because it is harder to meet and get to know other teachers. I feel encouraged by sites such as Ning that allow me to meet other teachers and share my ideas and thoughts on issues affecting the profession but also be informed on the latest happenings in teaching practice.

Module 9 (Web 2.0) - Networks on the web – professional and social

Like many others in Generation Y, online social networking has become a significant part of our lives. I think the challenge for me as a professional is to move beyond the social use of social networking and take advantage of the educational and professional opportunities that it has to offer.

I'll comment on each of the tools explored in Module 9 individually in terms of their educational use and how they can be used to enhance learning inside and outside of the classroom.


Scootle

I think it is a fantastic tool for teachers because it allows resources to be easily shared amongst teachers but also with students through the one site.

Exploring the History section of the site allowed me to access many resources that would otherwise not be accessible either online or in hard copy formats.

I like the fact that I can create Learning Paths containing resources from the database that are most relevant to student learning and make that accessible to students.  I also provide learning activities through Scootle.

I was also impressed that students can upload and host their own content provided it is their own work of course.
Facebook

In my Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) Degree, I did an elective on ICT use in the classroom. As part of our studies, we were required to engage in discussion via a Facebook group created specifically for the subject.

Our lecturer Lyn Hay made a very good point about its educational use which I did not pick up. I was interacting with other Facebook users yet I was not their friend.

You don't need to be a persons friend to interact with them on Facebook.

There was alot of discussion going on in the group on our learning experiences as well. I thought it was nice that were learning and using a social networking site as a means to learn.

Lyn was also the administrator for the group and only let those study the subject access the group and contribute to discussions.

So lets shift towards the classroom.

I think Facebook does have educational use in the classroom given my experience of using the site provided that the teacher can control the activity that goes on within the group. Obviously I would have not "friend" any of them for professional reasons. I didn't "friend" my lecturer in my studies nor did she with me.

My concern is that restricting access to sites such as Facebook can actually do little in terms of encouraging responsible use of the internet and develop appropriate digital citizenship within our students. If a site is blocked they are more likely to use the alternate sites to break the firewalls of the servers especially with Facebook. I think it also prevents students from exploring alternative uses for Social Networking, which can help them in their tertiary studies or careers.

I think within the next few years, restrictions on Facebook etc will have to be lifted. Social Networking has become a crucial part of life in our society and it is inevitable that this will have to happen.

In the meantime, I have to accept restrictions placed by educational authorities and explore alternative sites that cater to school students.

LinkedIn

I signed up with LinkedIn earlier this year and in a professional sense I think its a great way to promote myself as a professional. If you are to look at my account, I've been able to virtually make my CV available in electronic form. If professionals want to know about my work history etc, they can access it. There is also scope to engage in professional discussions by joining various groups that exist online.

I have noticed too that people have actually viewed my profile that are curious to find more about who I am professionally. These people are usually listed on my page. Its good overall.

Twitter

I find that Twitter is quite limited in how one can express themselves. 140 characters is quite limited to express yourself. The curriculum requires students to engage in critical thinking and Twitter sadly does not allow this. I would not use it in this format.

However I do like Twitter as a form of communication to remind students of upcoming assessment tasks, posting useful links etc. It can also be used for lesson reviews e.g "List one thing that you learn't today". For learning it can be good for keeping records of events happening at a moment in time e.g. "What is the temperature at home?" or to report on findings.

In professional contexts as a teacher, I am trying to explore it as a tool of communication with members of the profession whether it may be sharing items with other professionals or contributing to professional discussions. This was after being encouraged by this article published in The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday (click below to read):

http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/teachers-unlock-tweet-smell-of-success-20121109-292zz.html

I would love to get in touch with other teachers not just in my area of expertise, but also other areas.

You can follow me on Twitter at @FabianAmuso1.

Second Life

I've always been curious about Second Life and what it offers. I have never considered its educational use at all. I like the fact that you can provide a virtual experience of the world and how it works whether it may be viewing artworks, experiencing life in Ancient Rome or visiting a village marketplace to understand how business transactions may take place.

The question I have to ask is - How can I use Second Life in the classroom?

Here are several methods in which I could apply Second Life. 

• Role Playing exercises. Kids love to role play in the physical world, but the big challenge is that they have to do it with no props. You can do that in the virtual world with props. In fact you enter a virtual society and you can immerse yourself, whether it is the world of the 21st century or ancient Rome. 
• You can experience the world as another person sees it through custom built environments and gain insights into how they experience life or even enter an object and explore its functions.
• Its impossible to take people back in time. Second Life can allow the students to explore the world at a certain point in time.
• Scavenger Hunts - locating information relating to a concept or topic. This might be locating definitions, key people or creating a timeline. In a subject like Ancient History, Second Life allows students to locate objects from the historical period that they are engaged in study at that point in time e.g. Ancient Rome. 
• Creating 3D objects relating to their unit of work.

The big challenge in applying Second Life is that this is the time needed to engage in such a experience. As teachers we already have to spend alot of time to cater for set up and pack up. Periods can be short as 40 minutes at some schools - not really much time to get much done.

Glogster

Finally, Glogster got it's act together and I was able to create my glog to show my ideas of Web 2.0 in classroom learning. I enjoyed this because it allows for more creativity and for students, they would make great summaries of what they have learn't in the classroom. Need to play around it a little more to see how much further I can go with it.

Module 8 (Web 2.0) - Managing your flow of information on the Internet

I've heard for sometime about RSS Feeds but was too lazy too to even try it.

A day after joining Google Reader, I realise how easy it is to access feeds from the internet.

I have a friend that is currently living in Chile and I find her blog a useful way of keeping in touch with us here in Australia.

I went into Google Reader this morning and walla, a new blog entry from her. I am now right up to date. I was even able to go to her blog and provide a comment.

Its so handy to have news sent to the one page.

Classroom usage - I think it would be handy in any KLA to keep a list of common news sites like The Sydney Morning Herald because from time to time in different subjects, students may be required to collect suitable articles. Through an application like Google Reader, they can easily locate articles that are suitable to their learning. This allows them to bookmark articles on delicious etc or print it out to keep on file.

I think they are also useful extensions to bookmarking sites as well.

Module 7 (Web 2.0) - Buiding Online communities

I've had the chance to play around with Delicious and had little difficulty uploading bookmarks from my computer onto my account. Finding other people is very tough on it especially if you want to follow your friends and colleagues and their use.

I find that there isn't much that you can do with it, apart from it being a central database of all your bookmarked sites. You cannot even organise your bookmarks into folders etc to make locating websites easy. I think you would need folders if you want to maximise its use in the classroom given that certain websites would be relevant to certain subjects. Having it one just one list would make it harder.

Given the limitations, I wouldn't recommend it for classroom use at this point in time.