EDU 520-Digitally Mediated Teaching and Learning

Unit 1
1. For the first discussion, talk about your feelings about digital literacy skills. How would
you rate yourself in digital literacy? Where do you feel you need to improve? Where are
you the strongest?

Digital literacy skills are absolutely necessary for success in the future. Digital literacy is
key for navigation and communication in the current tech savvy world. Students need
digital literacy skills in order to be successful in the future (University of Derby, 2014).
Therefore it is imperative that as educators we are competent digitally. This may mean
that educators may need to expect and prepare for changes in their teaching methods or
style. The Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship explains the huge importance of
educating students about the digital world. I specifically enjoyed the section that
discussed the importance of educators teaching digital etiquette (Ribble, 2011). I feel like
this is an area that children especially are lacking in understanding of. Children brought
up in the digital age must understand that there is particular set of etiquette rules that
apply to their use of technology.

I would rate myself in digital literacy fairly as adept. I certainly have not mastered digital
literacy but feel like I have a good understanding of it and can navigate it fairly well. I
definitely can improve with coding. I have NO idea about coding. My last class discussed
the importance of understanding this new language and I feel like I am a total novice!

2. For the second part of the discussion, what are your feelings about digital identity? What
was the most important thing you learned while reading this units materials? Why have
you chosen to highlight this particular idea?

Maintaining a positive digital identity is extremely important. What is placed on the

Internet about someone is a permanent record. It is especially important for children to
understand the severity of their actions online. Educators must help students understand
that there can be long term consequences with the long-term storage available on the Web
(Ribble, 2011).

When I think of digital literacy, I cant help but think of the Facebook page that I created
for the ultrasound clinic that I work at. I especially thought of it when reading the 6
Keys to a Positive Online Reputation. From a business prospective its essential to have
a positive online presence. More and More people are looking to the Web for reviews,
directions, social interactions, and much more (Zwilling, 2015). In the last few years that
I have maintained the business Facebook page, I have learned about the importance of
online maintenance and monitoring of our online reputation. An interesting online
situation happened over the summer that I feel pertains to the importance of monitoring
your digital identity. I received a notification (to my phone) from Google that someone
 had posted a VERY negative review of our company online. I read the review and in
doing some research found that the person (who posted the negative review) was the
high-school age daughter of a competing clinic and had never been to our office or had
been seen as a patient of ours. I responded back to the review accordingly and then we
contacted our lawyer to have the office contacted about the slanderous, false review this
girl had made. Long-story-short, the review was taken down within a few days. If I
hadnt had continuous monitoring of these reviews we potentially could have lost A LOT
of patients because of this negative comment.

References

Ribble, M. (2011). Digital Citizenship in Schools. Eugene, Or: International Society for
Technology in Education [ISTE].
University of Derby. (2014). Digital Literacy and Why it Matters. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2k3C-iB88w
Zwilling, M. (2015). 6 keys to a positive online presence and reputation.Entrepreneur

Unit 2
What tool did you decide to use for your PLE site and why did you select it?
I chose to use Weebly. I read a few different reviews online about Wordpress vs. Weebly
for ePortfolios and it seemed to me that Weebly was user-friendlier for the type of
projects that I would be working on.

What benefits do you see in creating a PLE for your program? Why are we using them as
assessment tools?
I think creating a personal learning environment is absolutely beneficial for my program!
Creating a PLE is an excellent way to accomplish the goals I have for my personal
development. I am excited to create a PLE that is individualized to my personal needs
from this program, control and organize my own learning process (Salinas et al, 2011). I
think having students create a PLE as an assessment tool allows Post University to help
students determine their personal learning goals based on their own circumstances and
reason(s) for getting their masters. We all have different backgrounds and reasons for
getting our masters, having students create a PLE allows Post to make the M. Ed.
Program formulated and personalized to each student. Its really the best way to help
students organize and achieve their own education goals!

What drawbacks, if any, do you foresee?

At this point in time I do not foresee any drawbacks to creating a PLE. I think it may be
difficult initially to organize all of the learning platforms that I will use and create an
online identity. In 3 Different steps some students expressed concerns of instability of
 tools and privacy. I agree with privacy concerns to some extent. I think that its important
to be aware of digital security and learning how to protect you rself online (Ribble, 2011)
Have you had any problems in getting started with your PLE? If so, please explain so we
can help!
Initially I was having some confusion on the difference between PLEs and ePortfolios. I
was thankful for the article, PLE-based ePortfolios: Towards Empowering Student
Teachers PLEs through ePortfolio Processes, because I felt like it really cleared up the
relationship between PLEs and ePortfolios and how they are related (Tur Ferre &
Ramrez, 2012).
How do you envision using a PLE-type project in your own professional context?
I will definitely have my students create their own PLEs when I am a professor. PLEs
should be an indispensable tool for professors today to help foster a student-centered
approach to learning.

References

Ribble, M. (2011). Digital Citizenship in Schools. Eugene, Or: International Society for
Technology in Education [ISTE].

Salinas J., Marin V. Escandell C. (2011). A Case of an Institutional PLE: Integrating

VLEs and E-Portfolios for Students. The University of the Balearic Islands
Tur Ferre, G. & Urbina Ramrez, S. (2012). PLE-based ePortfolios: Towards
Empowering Student Teachers PLEs through ePortfolio Processes. The
University of the Balearic Islands.

Unit 3
Your first project is due at the end of this week by Sunday night. As explained in the initial instructions,
you are being given the opportunity to share your rough draft of your project with your peers for feedback
before submitting it. So, for this discussion, please post a rough draft of Project 2 as an attachment to this
discussion forum. Then respond to the following questions:

1. What are your thoughts on the value of this assignment?

This assignment has given me a new outlook of online presence. I think it has been very eye-opening and
extremely valuable! As I dug into social media and online presences for my selected educators, I found that
what was mostly online about both of the individuals was professional topics that they had added or
focused on. One of the teachers I chose is a 7th grade English teacher who has won multiple awards for
connecting with his students in The Bronx. He has regular twitter updates that are all education related and
I found a Sound Cloud podcast that he recorded in August from a series called Teachers on the Street.
The 2nd individual I chose is Sal Khan from the Khan academy. Although Sal has a very large online
presence, it is entirely a professional one.
2. What things surprised you about your findings so far?
Honestly, I found it surprising, but refreshing how private the individuals I chose were of their personal
lives. I was thinking that I would find public social media accounts with family photos and vacation blogs.
However, both of the individuals were highly professional and kept their personal lives private. Which I
think is very important.
3. What has been your greatest challenge with this assignment?
When I was first choosing which individuals to assess, I picked a lady that I thought was a rock star. I
watched a TedTalks presentation of hers on socio-learning and was very impressed! I researched all of her
history and then when I started to look for things that she had regularly added to the web, the most recent
was an interview she gave to a news station in July. I decided to scrap her all together because I knew it
would be easier to find a new person then try and scrape by with the little she offered in form of an online
presence.
4. What is the most important thing you have learned by doing this assignment?
I am definitely learning what a professional online presence looks like. I think it is so important to HAVE
an online presence but make sure to keep your professional life and personal life separate. I definitely
notice that with the professionals that I have chosen.

BLOG POST

In this unit you learned some things about blogging: what it is, different applications,
how to be a reflective blogger. This may very well be your first attempt at blogging. If it
is, then take this opportunity to try out your new blogging voice!
For this next blogging assignment, you will:
1. Reflect on what you have learned so far in this course and write your thoughts about the
topics.

Well here it goes, my first attempt at blogging!

As I finish the 3rd week of the EDU 520 class, my perception of online identities
has changed drastically from what it was a short 3 weeks ago. After finishing up Project
2, detailing what professional online identities look like, I find myself thinking a lot about
the professional online identity that I will form and the important components I want
portrayed about myself. I want to form an online identity that demonstrates clear goals, is
professional, while still relatable. I fully recognize the importance of forming an online
identity and how crucial it is in the current, tech savvy world.

Im also looking forward to creating my personal learning environment. I love the

concept of having all of the learning tools that have benefited me in an organized place.
While reading and researching personal learning environments, I came across the image
below that I thought clearly depicted all that a personal learning environment entails. Im
excited to form my online identity and create a unique, one-of-a-kind personal learning
environment.
(Morrison, 2012)

Secondly, I have begun consciously practicing digital citizenship in my day-to-

day life. For those who havent heard of digital citizenship, it means that while using
the web you practice digital etiquette, digital literacy, know your digital responsibilities,
and are aware of digital health and wellness (Ribble, 2011). Practicing digital citizenship
isnt hard; in fact, fine-tuning the small things is what makes the biggest difference! For
example, when Im in the middle of a conversation and my cell phone rings, I silence it
and let it go to voicemail. Ill call the person back after Im finished with the
conversation. Or, when Im out to dinner with a friend, Ill leave my cell phone in the car
or in my purse and wont place it on the table where it could be distracting. I actually
found an interesting article that suggests that the mere presence of a cellphone could be
detrimental to interpersonal connections (Lin, 2012). This article describes a study that
was conducted by the University of Essex and details the impacts of cellphones on
relationships and genuinely connecting with those who are right in front of you! I
certainly dont want to miss out on connecting in relationships because Im on my phone.
If you have difficulty putting your phone away out of sight and connecting with those
who you are face to face with, consider disconnecting completely for a short time and
traveling somewhere that doesnt have cell service! This is an aspect of digital citizenship
that is so important: digital health and wellness. Its so important to recognize if
technology is negatively impacting your relationships. Ive added a picture of my friend
Margaret and I hiking way out in the boonies of Montana where theres definitely no
cell service!
 References

Lin, H.L. (2012). How your cellphone hurts your relationships. Scientific American.
Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-your-cell-phone-
hurts-your-relationships/

Morrison, D. (2012). How to create a personal learning environment to stay relevant

in 2013. Online learning insights. Retrieved from
https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2013/01/05/how-to-create-a-
personal-learning-environment-to-stay-relevant-in-2013/
Ribble, M. (2011). Digital Citizenship in Schools. Eugene, Or: International Society for

Technology in Education [ISTE].

Unit 4
In this unit you will begin the process of working in a collaborative group project. For this discussion,
review the unit materials and discuss reasons why it is important to build community and encourage
collaboration in an online learning environment. In your response, suggest some additional ways in
which you might work to build a sense of community and collaboration in your educational environment.

Collaborative learning is a highly successful way to teach and learn. There are so many
reasons why collaborative learning is essential for students: it enhances student learning,
understanding, and engagement (Rutherford, 2014). Working and learning
collaboratively allows you to learn from others and see things from a different
perspective than your own. It provides different problem solving viewpoints and
interpretations. In fact, collaboration is essential for learners to exceed their current level
of understanding (Rutherford, 2014). Collaborative learning also goes beyond the 4 walls
of a classroom and allows students to interact with each other from across town, the
country, or even the world! Students can unite around learning new concepts, or
advancing their knowledge on a subject, while integrating web-based resources that will
expand their learning (Adams Becker et. al, 2016).

To specifically address community and collaborative online learning, I have envisioned a

social media aspect to teaching students when I form my ultrasound program curriculum.
Students today view social media as an interactive part of their lives, not just a hobby or
past time. By using collaborative learning through a social media position, students can
connect the interactive part of their lives to their learning (Riedel, 2014). I would like to
form a web-based social media platform for my students to engage on during their time in
school and after they graduate. This social media plat form world be a place of learning
through experiences with patients and doctors, and to discuss interesting cases that
students encounter. It would also be a place for veteran ultrasound techs to chime in with
words of wisdom or recommendations. I believe this will be an excellent online
environment fostering the ultrasound community and collaborative learning.

References

Adams Becker, S., Freeman, A., Giesinger Hall, C., Cummins, M., and Yuhnke, B.
(2016). NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2016 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New
Media Consortium.

Riedel, C., (February 3, 2014) 10 Major Technology Trends in Education.

Rutherford, S. (2014). Collaborative Learning : Theory, Strategies, and Educational

Benefits. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
 Unit 5
This discussion has two parts.
1. First, present some of the concerns that individuals seem to have with regard to public vs.
private information. How would you respond to these concerns?

With increased use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the new
tech savvy generation, personal privacy is definitely an evolving topic. I was surprised
when reading Reagan's (2013), Generational Views of Information Privacy, to find that
privacy concerns can be linked to generational upbringing and the cultural, social and
political events they have encountered in their life. It makes sense that Baby Boomers
would be more concerned about trusting the government with wiretapping because of
their experience in times of political unrest and distrust of the government and authority.
I also found it interesting that women are overall more concerned with privacy than men.
There is a span of concerns that individuals have regarding public vs. private information
and the web. Some believe that owning a computer alone, risks ones privacy. With
search engines recording your keystrokes, web cameras, and microphones, theres little
that is private if you are using the web at all. I was actually talking with a friend earlier
this week about how interesting it is that my social media ads directly correlate to what I
have been searching or viewing on my home or work computer. My husband and I are
looking to buy a new car and, sure enough, my Facebook ads are all the types of cars
weve been searching on our home computers.

Beyond personal privacy issues, as described in Ramseys (2012) article, Copyright for
Academics in the Digital Age, educators are running into problems with posting their
syllabi publically online because it uncovers a whole complex avenue for ownership
rights and facility intellectual property. In another incident, professors were upset to
discover that students were selling the professors slide shows and notes from previous
classes to current students.

Public and privacy with web use will continue to be an issue as the use of ICTs increases.
I would encourage those with concerns about privacy issues to educate themselves on
what they are posting and who has access to it. Internet technologies are here to stay, as
educators, we must be familiar with the rights we have of our personal work and protect
it. For example, when we offer online access to our lectures, notes, and slides shows we
use a password-protected platform that prevents students from downloading what youve
created. There are plenty of ways to protect your privacy while using the web, it takes
vigilance and being up-to-date on the ever-changing internet.

2. Next, provide some resources you have found where you could access and use OERs for
your projects. Provide the URL for these resources and give a brief summary of what will
be found at the site.
 The link provided in the materials: https://www.oercommons.org is a great
resource of a plethora of open educational resources. It has a search tab where you can
literally plug in the themes of content needed for digital citizenship and other search
filters to narrow the specificity of content youre wanting to obtain.

One of the videos in the materials listed a great website for OERs:
http://search.creativecommons.org. It lists a whole group of OERs that you can search
materials from. One of which is Flickr, which has creative commons access to photos!
(Blyth, 2014).

Lastly, Wikispaces is a great resource for OER resources:

http://www.wikispaces.com.
It has a search tab, videos, and an area for feedback to the original author.
 References

Blyth, C. (2014). Open educational resources (OER): digital materials for todays

knowledge ecology. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfWW3NvKTF8

Ramsey, C., & McCaughey, M. (2012). Copyright for academics in the digital

age. Academe, 98(5), 10-17.

Regan, P. M., FitzGerald, G., & Balint, P. (2013). Generational views of information

privacy?. Innovation: The European Journal Of Social Sciences, 26(1/2), 81-99.

doi:10.1080/13511610.2013.747650

Unit 6

Unit 7
In this unit you have examined ways in which working professionals incorporate social networking into
their digital personas.

Discuss the importance of being present in professional social networks. Talk about
some of the ways in which you might use professional social networks for teaching
and learning. Finally, provide links to at least two of your own profile pages on
professional social networking sites.

Being present in professional social networks is absolutely a necessity in our

increasingly tech-savvy world. Social networking, from a professional standpoint,

allows us to connect and collaborate. Why reinvent the wheel when it comes to

teaching, (or any other profession for that matter)? Connecting with others through

social networking allows us to collaboratively learn from one another! Technology

has taken collaboration to a whole other level that we as educators can take

advantage of. The Internet, and more specifically, social networking, have allowed

educators to share insight from all over the world. As a professional, engaging in

multiple social networks of all kinds has immense benefits (Rainie & Wellman,

2012). The bigger and more diverse networks we engage in, the more advantage we

have to obtain information, support, and advice from various sources. Collaborative

learning allows us to learn from each other and our peers regardless of physical

location

As discussed in the video offered in our units materials, Connected Educators, Tom

Whitby says, Being connected enables anyone to be a life-long-learner (Whitby,

2014). It is imperative that as educators we are life-long learners and staying

connected with other professionals is a huge part of that.

Students today view social media as an interactive part of their lives, not just a

hobby or past time (Riedel, 2014). In order to connect with students we must

understand where they are coming from. Being engaged in social media allows

teachers to bridge students online social activity to their learning.

Within my profession today specifically, Facebook and the Society of Diagnostic

Medical Sonographers (SDMS) has become a huge resource for professional

development. Facebook makes connecting with peers easy and I am affiliated with

many private Facebook groups that share interesting case studies, Im also in a

group of alumni from my undergrad program in ultrasound that allows me to stay

connected with my fellow grads and share information. SDMS is a national-based

platform for sonographers to glean inside on many different pathologies/case

studies. It is more formal than some of the Facebook groups I am apart of.

Professionally, I manage my businesses Facebook page here is the link. (I do use my

personal Facebook for some professional networking also.)

https://www.facebook.com/SoundHealthImaging/

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-klein-9408307a/

My PLE is nowhere close to being complete but you can check it out too!
http://mrsmelissaklein.weebly.com/

References

Rainie, H., & Wellman, B. (2012). Networked : The New Social Operating System.

Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.

Riedel, C., (February 3, 2014). 10 Major Technology Trends in Education.

Whitby, T. (March 2, 2014). Connected educators. The brainwaves video anthology.

Retrieved from:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwDSZLwfQvDwmdPbnf30yOw