Journal 3 (NETS-T IV) “Students Need a Digital Driver’s License Before They Start Their Engines"

              Swan, Gerry, P. M. (2013). Students need a digital driver’s license before they start their engines. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-leading/digitaledition/digital-edition-march-april-2013

               

                 The article “Students Need a Digital Driver’s License Before They Start Their Engines,” by by Gerry Swan and Marty Park addresses a hot topic in education today. How can we as educators teach our students about internet safety, proper use, and digital citizenship? This article informs educators about a great free to use internet resource that will instruct students on how to conduct themselves online. The resource is called Digital Driver’s License or DDL. DDL is an online program that teachers’ students through what they call “cases.” There are five cases which include instruction on topics like communication, etiquette, and security. The focus group of DDL is currently high school students but they are working on adjusting the program to be appropriate for the lower grades as well. I like that the program includes practice and testing components. They call the practice work “practice-its” and the testing work “prove-its,” I think these names are clever and amusing. Overall I think this is a very useful and practical tool to use in the classroom.

Would you use this in your classroom and why?

                -Yes I would use this in my classroom because living in this age of great technological advancement it is important for students to understand how to properly interact with the online community. In particular, since I will be teaching English I want my students to know how to properly identify a scholarly source. I also take all forms of bullying very seriously and would want my students to be taught about the dangers of cyber bullying. A free, easy to use, program like DDL seems like the perfect tool to accomplish these goals.

Why is it important for students to learn about online etiquette?

                -It is important for students to learn about online etiquette for the same reasons we teach them how to write a business letter. Most of the business communication our students will be working with as adults will be in an online form. Like a business letter there are certain ways you must address people respectfully and professionally online.