May is Digital Ethics Month in California

Common Sense Media continues to shine in the ethics field. Their main link

Their media is top drawer.  Here are new media resources

From the Principals Office: BYOD

From the Principal's Office: Ideas for Establishing & Revising Your School or District's BYOD Policies

Principal J. Robinson says: "A Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy is a necessity in a 21st century school. I am not sure deciding whether or not to provide wireless Internet access to students is even optional anymore. With more and more of our students getting technological devices with WiFi capabilities, they come to our schools with the expectation that they are going to be connected. Add the fact that municipalities like our own hometown of Newton, North Carolina are working to set up city-wide WiFi, and lower costs of cellular hotspots, educational leaders are quickly finding it difficult keeping schools a "WiFi dead-zone."

BYOT Network-"One Teacher's Journey"

The BYOT Network is a blog complete with a Twitter feed that posts information about Bring Your Own Technology.  A good "regular" visit for stakeholders in the digital device movement.

Included is a current article by a teacher "in the trenches"... "I was petrified.  A year ago I didn’t know how to use any of these devices.  But, my students did. That’s all that mattered. My students couldn’t wait for the opportunity to use their device in class. "
http://byotnetwork.com/

New Pew Internet study looks at use of digital devices at home and at school.

• 73% of AP and NWP teachers say that they and/or their students use their mobile phones in the classroom or to complete assignments
• 45% report they or their students use e-readers and 43% use tablet computers in the classroom or to complete assignments

Some more interesting numbers:

• 92% "say the internet has a 'major impact' on their ability to access content, resources, and materials for their teaching," but 41% say that "major impact" means it requires more work for them to be an effective teacher, 69% say the “major impact” is on their ability to share ideas with other teachers, 67% say that impact is on their ability to interact with parents, and 57% say it the impact is on enabling their interaction with students. 
• 79% have their students access assignments online and 76% have students submit assignments online. 
• 62% of the teachers surveyed "feel their school does a 'good job' supporting teachers’ efforts to bring digital tools into the learning process, and 68% say their school provides formal training in this area." 
• 85% of teachers "seek out their own opportunities to learn new ways to effectively incorporate these tools into their teaching."

"From the Frontline" - Holiday 2012 Edition (highlights)

Internet Safety and Digital Ethics
News briefs for students, parents and professionals living, learning and teaching in the digital world.

Happy Holidays to all and a shout out to my VSTE/Edmodo friends @ http://www.vsteconference.org/.

This edition starts with an important opportunity to give input on the new Virginia Computer Technology Standards of Learning.  At the November 2012 Virginia Board of Education meeting, VDOE was authorized to proceed with the K-12 Computer Technology Standards of Learning review process. The new 2012 standards are available for public comment from November 29th to December 2nd.

Twitter, new research, FBI tools, new digital ethics page links and more in this edition of The Frontline.

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1.  Virginia Dept. of Education released "Computer Technology SOLs" DRAFT 
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/computer_technology/2012/index.shtml

3.  Smishing Scams: Sorry, You Did Not Win a $1,000 Target Gift Card - "Smishing is similar to "phishing," in which you receive an email that seems to be from a reputable source, asking for your credit card data, password, or other private information. Only instead of an email, smishing takes place through the SMS text messages you receive on your cell phone."
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/05/30/smishing-scams-sorry-you-did-not-win-a-1-000-target-gift-card/

VSTE & BYOD Luncheon

VSTE Conference links and musings....
http://www.vsteconference.org/

Educational Technology Luncheon on BYOD...

Va Beach's BYOD policy link
http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/byod/guidelines.asp

VA Beach's BYOD FAQ
http://www.vbschools.com/curriculum/byod/index.asp

VA Beach Cellphone Policy
Virginia Beach School Board amends cell phone policy

Rockingham County Cellphone/Digital Device Policy
http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/PolicyManual/JZK.htm

VA Beach session back channel at VSTE
http://todaysmeet.com/BYOD2012

York County Public Schools BYOD Story/FAQ/video
http://www.edline.net/pages/YCSD/General_Info/BYOT/default

Quote from Steve Dembo...keynote... "cellphone is NOT a distraction if it's required to be on the desk."

New Directions on Digital Citizenship

Anne Collier from Netfamilynews.org is a leader in the field of internet safety and digital citizenship.  Her work is both on the mark and up to the moment.  This slideshare presentation "Digital Citizenship, briefly" gives stakeholders in the industry new insights.

RePost: 11 Reasons Teachers Aren't Using Technology

11 Reasons Teachers Aren't Using Technology

Posted by John Spencer http://www.educationrethink.com/2012/07/11-reasons-teachers-arent-using.html

I know that all tools are technically technology. However, for the purpose of this post, I'm thinking computers, tablets and mobile devices. This is not a comprehensive list and I admit that it's limited entirely to my own experiences and my own local context:

1. Fear: Implementing new technology can be frightening on so many levels. Whether it's a fear of letting go of control or a sense that one doesn't have the right skills or a concern about digital footprint, privacy or cyber-bullying, many teachers are simply scared. 

Get Everyone in the Box!

In our introductory faculty meetings, we're demonstrating the BYOT concept and our new cellphone policy.  Our mindset is to not think outside the box... rather, make the box so large EVERYONE can be in it!
We're doing some introductory activities in the 30 minute meeting using QR code readers, Socrative quiz app, and even ChaCha for those with flip phones and non-smartphones.

Links on the topic of BYOT...

• Info graphic on Personalized Learning in 2012
  - "Today’s K-12 students tap into a wide range of tech tools for personalized learning— both in and out of school. Parents support digital learning to prepare their children for the future. See how technology enables new and customized learning that is socially- based, un-tethered and digitally-rich."

Get Ready for Some Great Video Content

We're into the school year and are promoting and educating our new digital devices in the classroom policy (otherwise known as "the cellphone policy")...

Here's a great start with these youtube clips.

• Cell Phones in the Classroom : Learning Tools for the 21st Century
• Cellphones as Learning Tools
• Using Cell Phones To Engage Students in the Classroom
• Social Media in the Classroom
• Teacher welcomes texting in class
• 5 Myths about Mobile Learning(with video)