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Last Chapter of the Text Book

Posted by mosert on April 26, 2019 in Class Post, Gen2108, Sustainable Development, Tech Ed |

The semester is coming to a close, which means the days of writing for specific class assignments are done and this is my last blog post for Web Tools for Global Learning. I have learned a lot during the semester about networking and building a PLN. I believe I have a network of teachers that […]

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A Virtual Trip to Paris

Posted by mosert on April 22, 2019 in Class Post, Gen2108, Tech Ed |

This week, we were asked to write a blog post on using Google’s VR Suite in the classroom. It was important to me to find a way to relate it to teaching French, so I set out to find a French lesson plan. I found “À Paris – French Culture using a Virtual Field Trip” […]

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Norms of Global Collaboration

Posted by mosert on March 25, 2019 in Class Post, Gen2108 |

This week, we learned about norms of global collaboration, and according to our text, there are eight norms that educators should be working towards as they strive to be global educators and good global citizens. The first norm is to be prepared. This includes things like knowing how to use your Personal Learning Network (PLN) […]

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Goal 10

Posted by mosert on February 18, 2019 @ 2:18 pm
in Class Post, Gen2108, Sustainable Development |

As teachers, I believe that one of our primary goals should be to make the world a better place, one student at a time! Part of that needs to be supporting the United Nations efforts on sustainable development goals because these goals all aim to make the world a better place. I have chosen this week to write on one of these goals in specific, and that is goal 10, “reducing inequalities within and among countries.” It is important to realize that this goal is so much more than income equality. This is the measurable proof that we need to close inequalities in age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, and religion in order to close the overwhelming inequality in income.

According to a 2015 study, the richest 1% of the world hold more wealth than the other 99% of the world population. These numbers are staggering; I am not saying that the 1% should be forced to give their money to others, but I am saying that it is important to make sure their accrual of wealth does not infringe on the opportunities of others to accrue wealth. Today, with the many biases and inequalities, both between countries as well as within them, these opportunities are not being granted. In the United States, for example, there is a large percent of the population that, despite working full-time jobs, struggles to move above the poverty line.

Growing up, my mother often said, “there are starving people in Africa who would love that food”. As a culture, we fail to see that there are people right here in the United States and Canada who are living in extreme poverty conditions, people who despite working full-time jobs can’t afford rent on a one-bedroom apartment, can’t afford to eat, can’t afford childcare or the growing technological needs society is placing on them.  We pretend that these inequalities don’t exist here to the extent that a google search of “free to use images depicting extreme poverty in the United States” gave more images for poverty in Africa and US humanitarian services to combat them than images of poverty within our borders. We need to work with Congress to help make these gaps more visible but also to find sustainable ways to close them.

(this photo is from Detroit)

Now there is truth in what my mother said – there are huge income gaps between countries worldwide. Some of the countries that hurt the most are the ones that are underdeveloped; they have a hard time competing on the global stage as far as what they can offer the world and often end up being used by corrupt leaders so that they never have the opportunity to grow. Like the poor in the United States, they are often underpaid for their work and end up making just enough money to continue to barely get by. We need to make sure that these countries are treated equally and given what they need to support their people and grow their infrastructure.

(poverty map in the world I would like to say the US is only as high as it is because the poverty line is not where it should be)

What can we, as individuals, do to help close these gaps? First check out the Microsoft class in Sustainable Development Goals, connect with teachers and lessons worldwide that have already started working on these goals and look for more info on how to bring all of these goals to your classroom. Here are links to some of the websites I used to help find information:

https://www.earth-changers.com/purpose/equality

https://www.globalgoals.org/10-reduced-inequalities

http://worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org/global-goals/reduced-inequalities/

How do you apply these goals in your classroom? If you don’t what is your biggest obstacle to doing so? leave me a shout out here or on Twitter @AllieM41296798 !

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Education Technology Tools in the Class Room

Posted by mosert on February 11, 2019 in Class Management, Class Post, Gen2108, Tech Ed |

I chose to do my post on Padlet.  In my research on their website, I discovered many ways to use this technology in the classroom and I can think of many additional ways to use it in my future classroom! From the first day of class, using it for icebreaker tools like “Two Truths and […]

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How Not to Get Fired for Using Technology

Posted by mosert on February 4, 2019 in Class Post, Gen2108, Tech Ed |

The internet is a minefield of controversy, and one of the bigger issues that always seems to creep up is the interaction between teachers and social media. Back in 2010, the NEA (National Education Association) had already begun to record a list of teachers who had been fired for their social media choices and a short list of related cases that went to federal court and the teachers lost. Often times, the courts are not in favor of the teachers and the first amendment is not really going to protect you.

This excerpt from NEA shows why…

“Until they acquire tenure, most beginning teachers can be nonrenewed for no reason at all. They’re not entitled to know why or to have a due process hearing. The only caveat is that they can’t be let go for a discriminatory reason or in retaliation for free speech activities.

Without going into the gory details, teacher free speech rights are fairly limited: their speech is protected only if they speak out as citizens on “matters of public concern” and their speech doesn’t disrupt the school.

In the seminal Pickering v. Board of Education case, the Supreme Court held that it’s not a First Amendment violation to dismiss probationary teachers for what they say or write, if their speech involves merely personal things (i.e. doesn’t address broader social/political issues of the day), or if the speech might disturb the workplace.”

 

We are a slightly different generation than the teachers who came before us. We are digital natives who have grown up in this digital world.  It is important to bring this knowledge and understanding to the classroom and help our students understand the dangers we learned from being the first generation to grow up “on the internet”. The question is: how do we do this safely and in a way that we keep our jobs safe?

First, be wary of social media. Learn how to protect yourself and remember there is no such thing as privacy on the internet – even with all the security and protections, you still need to be careful what you post. Here are some tips to get you started:

  • Go through all your social media sites and make sure the content (even what is just shared with friends) is what you still want seen or are proud of (remember that deleting it doesn’t completely get rid of it but it’s a step).
  • Next, review the security on your social media sites. Let students know that its not acceptable to send you a friend request or follow you on personal accounts until after graduation.
    • Keep an eye on twitter followers – you may have to block students 
    • Make sure all private posts on Facebook are set to “friends only” and all of your personal information is hidden away
    • Keep your Snapchat handle out of your students hands and remember taking a screen shot of a snap is easy.
    • Keep your personal Instagram set to private, so that no one can see you without your permission (insert hyperlink)
  • Know your state and county guidelines – here are the ones from New Jersey
  • Keep your profile picture presentable. Even with maximum privacy settings that, and any one you have ever used, remains public.

Secondly, we want to use our knowledge to help keep our students safer in this digital age. Teach them ways to be creative without exploiting themselves.  There is more to social media than selfies! Use apps to reach out to your students, go to them on their level.

  • Use apps like Remind to notify students of upcoming quizzes, assignments and due dates but remember never use these to reach out to a student privately.
  • Talk to your students about what happens to posts on the internet – use real world examples to show your students why they should think before they post.
  • Encourage students to use their social media platforms as a place to explore their creativity or passions rather then a stream of endless selfies.
  • Never post pictures of students on your own social media pages.

Lastly, while you are using your new-found knowledge to keep your self and your job safe and secure, don’t forget you are still allowed to enjoy these platforms – just do it smartly.

  • Follow other people in your profession. Look for people you like and respect; use them to help evolve your classroom and make it great.
  • Post things you are proud of that speak positively about yourself and your profession.
  • Don’t post during school hours.
  • Don’t talk badly about your job, parents or students.

 

Tell me what you think? what are more safety tips for teachers and social media?

and follow me on twitter at @AllieM41296798

 

 

http://www.nea.org/home/38324.htm

https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/block-someone-twitter

https://www.njsba.org/news-publications/press-releases/n-j-school-boards-association-issues-model-social-networking-policy/

http://neatoday.org/2016/05/10/teacher-student-texting-pro-con/?_ga=2.215944277.350011770.1549152600-791931405.1548968326

https://www.weareteachers.com/dos-donts-social-media-for-teachers/

https://www.americanboard.org/blog/10-social-media-rules-for-teachers/

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Examining Behavior Charts in Class Rooms

Posted by mosert on January 27, 2019 in Behavior Charts, Class Management, Class Post, Gen2108, Tech Ed |

This week’s assignment was to find an Educational Technology or Global Collaboration article on Twitter and respond to it on my blog. There has been a lot of buzz lately about behavior charts in the class room and the good, the bad and the ugly that come with them. In this post I am specifically […]

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