Author: tmmd

Digital Literacy

On 12 October 2023

In today’s technology-driven society, digital literacy is an essential ability. Digital literacy refers to a new form of becoming literate that does not rely on books and printed materials but instead on digital materials.

Digital literacy “literally” means a new way of being literate – not with books and printed materials, but now with digital materials.
UBC, on digital literacy

Digital literacy should be understood as the development of the basic skills or abilities to use computers confidently, safely, and effectively, including the ability to use office software such as word processors, email, and presentation software, the ability to create and edit images, audio, and video, and the ability to use a web browser and internet search engines (2). As an analogy to being able to read and write, these are the skills that secondary school instructors should be able to presume their students have. According to the Government of British Columbia’s Digital Literacy Framework, six characteristics make up digital literacy (3 & 4).

Research ad Information Literacy
- Learners are expected to apply digital tools in order to gather, evaluate and utilise information.
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making
- Learners are expected to use critical thinking skills in order to plan and complete research, solve problems, manage projects and make informed decisions using the appropriate digital tools and resources.
Creativity and Innovation
- Learners are expected to demonstrate creativity in their thinking, construct knowledge and develop innovative products and processes through the use of technology.
Digital Citizanship
- Learners are expected to understand cultural, human and societal issues related to technology and practice behaviours that are legal and ethical.
Communication and Collaboration
- Learners are expected to utilise digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively to support their individual learning and contribute to others learning.
Technology Operations and Concepts
- Learners are expected to demonstrate an understanding of technological concepts, operations and systems

Why does this matter to me as a Teacher and Learner?

Digital literacy is very important for teachers and learners alike as it prepares them with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the world, which is becoming increasingly digital. It prepares students for their continued education and/or their future careers, for “Children’s schooling social welfare, and future job opportunities may depend on how well they understand the digital world” (5). Digital literacy allows one to access, evaluate and utilise the vast online resources; while enhancing communication, helping educated citizens to connect, collaborate and engage.

Please feel free to watch this informative video made by Amanda Brace on what Digital Literacy is and how to understand it!

Sources:

“Digital Literacy | UBC Scarfe Digital Sandbox,” n.d. https://scarfedigitalsandbox.teach.educ.ubc.ca/digital-literacy/.
Law, Nancy, David Woo, Jimmy de la Torre, and Gary Wong. “A Global Framework of Reference on Digital Literacy Skills for Indicator 4.4.2.” UNESCO Digital Library, 2018. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265403.locale=en.
“Digital Literacy – Province of British Columbia,” March 15, 2022. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/teach/resources-for-teachers/digital-literacy.
Government of British Columbia. “BC’s Digital Literacy Framework.” Accessed October 19, 2023. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teaching-tools/digital-literacy-framework.pdf.
UNICEF Office of Global Insight & Policy. “Digital Literacy for Children — 10 Things to Know,” n.d. https://www.unicef.org/globalinsight/documents/digital-literacy-children-10-things-know#:~:text=Digital%20literacy%20goes%20beyond%20technical,and%20learning%20through%20digital%20technologies.
Amanda Brace. “My Digital Literacy Adventure.” YouTube, February 23, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCo2z3TJ3Ws.

Digital Footprint

by tmmd

On 12 October 2023

In Internet Safety

What is a digital footprint?

A digital footprint is made up of the trail of your online data that you create when using the internet (1). This trail is built up of your emails, your recent searches, your online purchases, and all information you submit and/or download from the internet (ibid). According to the Government of Canada, there are two distinct categories of a digital footprint: Active and Passive. An ‘Active’ footprint is made up of data that is left from intentional actions such as form filling, social media posts and comments and whenever you agree to allow browser cookies (we really should read through the cookie guidelines before accepting, but who really ever does that?) (ibid). Passive footprints are those actions which we have committed online unintentionally and unknowingly- such as the logging of our activities, tracking our location or installing cookies on our devices without notifying us. The saving of your search history on your device, while it is a handy feature, is a prime example of your passive digital footprint, where your computer is actively tracking your searches for your ‘personal ease’ if you wish to go back to them in the future.

What are the risks?

Despite being somewhat helpful to us, an unmanaged digital footprint can pose significant risks to us in a manner of ways. Your online activity can be monitored by current and potential employers, hackers and your educational institutions. Searches of inappropriate and or controversial content can have significant effects on an individual’s professional, academic and social reputation (2). Other risks include the risk of identity theft, cyberbullying, phishing, tailgating, and other forms of online harassment and assaults (ibid). Most importantly your digital footprint can compromise your personal privacy as your information may be collected and sold to third parties and or used for targeted adverts without the user’s consent (ibid).

Phishing attacks or website spoofing are common techniques. By clicking on a link, downloading an attachment, or sharing sensitive information, you are making your digital footprint more accessible to threat actors.
Government of Canada on DIGITAL FOOTPRINT 2022

Why does this matter to me as a Teacher and Learner?

Cybersecurity is essential in any situation, but it is especially important in education, for education is the industry which is most at risk of cyberattacks. Cyberattacks jeopardize not only the safety and security of instructors and school administrators but also the privacy of pupils, especially minors in K-12 schools (3). As a Learner cybersecurity is important because it is a safeguard to all data protecting me against theft and loss. Being cyber-aware will protect me as a teacher and as a student from sites, sources and information that may be damaging to both my professional and personal life.

Due to a lack of self-control and overall understanding among internet users, incidences of online fraud, cyberbullying, racial abuse, gambling, and pornography have surged in recent years (4). As a result, there is a need to increase cybersecurity knowledge and training in schools to safeguard teachers and our pupils from cyberbullying, online fraud, prejudice and misinformation.

How should we go about Protecting our Privacy?

Be careful with your Social Media platforms: check your privacy settings, monitor your friends/followers lists, and be careful with what you like and comment on – everything you say and do can be followed by others!
Set up your Ad Preferences to your preferences!
Purchasing/downloading a well-reviewed and recommended Ad Blocker and Anti Virus program is always something to consider
Be Careful with what you Stream!- If you are ‘illegally’ pirating and/or streaming media such as films and television you are putting yourself at risk of viruses amongst other risks. Be careful of what sites you are using, and if you can try not to illegally stream! (Ad Blockers are highly recommended if you do decide to risk it)
Monitor what you are tagged in, on some apps you can set up tags to be approved only- limiting what others see as your tags.
Schools and Companies can block websites which they think are risky to them- if a website is blocked there’s probably a good reason for it
Disable Cookies if possible- Even if you aren’t actively sharing information on apps and websites, your data can still be tracked back to your device, IP address, and network.
Read the Privacy Policies and Terms of Use before downloading, or entering a web domain or application – make sure you are clear on what data they are collecting and the ways in which it can be used.
Take a Cyber Security training course! – Companies often will take the time to train their staff on cyber security, but all people should have this knowledge!

Things to consider:

Just because you’ve deleted a post doesn’t mean it’s truly gone! You don’t know who took pictures of your post or where else your post was shared!
Don’t research/purchase/post/or message inappropriate or controversial topics on computers/phones/tablets that are supplied to you by your workplace, or on the VPN of your workplace! – what you may think is private property and ok for you to search/send could come back to haunt you!
Installing an Anti-virus software and firewall to your devices
Make all accounts private and only permit access to those you know well or those with a need-to-know level of security
As a Teacher, your media accounts should not be open to your students unless pre-approved by your school and carefully monitored and designed!

Sources:

(1) Government of Canada, Canadian Centre For Cyber Security. “Digital Footprint (ITSAP.00.133) – Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.” Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, January 13, 2022. https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/digital-footprint-itsap00133.

(2) Athanasiou, Christina. “Is Your Digital Footprint Dangerous? How to Protect Yourself.” GreekReporter.com, July 27, 2023. https://greekreporter.com/2023/07/27/digital-footprint-how-protect-yourself/#:~:text=The%20Dangers%20of%20a%20Digital%20Footprint&text=Online%20activity%20can%20be%20monitored,harassment%20(source%3A%20NCBI).

(3) U.S. Department of Education. “Cybersecurity Best Practices for Schools and Districts.” YouTube, October 27, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy9X2ywj44o.

(4) Amankwa, Eric. “Relevance of Cybersecurity Education at Pedagogy Levels in Schools.” Journal of information security. Scientific Research Publishing, January 1, 2021. https://doi.org/10.4236/jis.2021.124013.

Reflection: UNHBC Drummers

by tmmd

On 11 October 2023

In Reflections

On September 28, 2023, we as a cohort were given the opportunity to meet and play with the UNHBC drummers around UNBC’s firepit. Four members came, bringing with them extra drums and shakers, to meet with us and teach us traditional songs and songs from across Canada from nations outside of Lheidli T’enneh. It was a beautiful experience, and I am so incredibly thankful that I was given the ability to share this experience with my cohort.

Playing music and singing amongst our peers felt very grounding and really allowed us all to connect with one another in a new and beautiful way while also learning more about a culture that was distinct from our own (well, at least from mine).

I was especially inspired by the meanings of each song, and how moving the songs were. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the titles of any of the songs, but that of the Eagle Song; However, I did record some of our performances to share with friends and family that I will attach below.

Reflection: Niigan Sinclair Pro-D discussion

by tmmd

On 4 October 2023

In Reflections

I am so thankful that I was able to attend Niigan Sinclair’s panel hosted for SD57’s Indigenous Day of Learning on September 18th. There are multiple points in which the speaker presented that I felt were especially effective, but today I will discuss the three points which drew my attention the most.

First was the topic of appropriation and the need for self-education as represented through Niigan’s story of his production of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ during his first year of teaching. The story goes that in Niigan’s first year of teaching, he was a drama teacher at a secondary school located in a prominent Jewish neighbourhood. He was tasked to organize the musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ for his winter production and had little to no knowledge of Judaism and Jewish culture. This lack of knowledge was especially problematic as he assumed that the 1971 film production was a trustworthy representative source of Jewish culture. It was not until his students of Jewish faith pointed out his misrepresentation of their culture did he adapted his play in a way which appropriately represented and presented Jewish culture. I enjoyed this story as it was very relatable, and represented the need for relationships with the community(s) in which you are teaching/presenting the culture to others. It is impossible to accurately depict a culture, religion or belief system with which you have no true understanding of or experience. In my opinion, this directly relates to Indigenous education in the Canadian Education system. You can practice aspects of Indigenous education, such as hands-on social learning, but you cannot teach language, culture or beliefs without a relation to the people present, or a previous understanding and experience with the topics at hand.

The second point of interest for me was the First Nations diagram of learning in which a tree and its roots are depicted. The roots were said to represent the learning we do from our homes and away from academia. Niigan discussed how many Indigenous students are removed from their roots due to government initiatives (ie. Residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, enforced religions), and how it is important now more than ever for educators to their students as much as they can to encourage their success. Subjects would include basic Indigenous language instruction, territorial acknowledgments and histories of the landscapes and clan/band systems. The branches of the tree represent those things that can be learned in school (I understood this to represent the topics of importance in Western education). I do wonder if the instruction of cultural ‘roots’ by instructors would count as branches as well or if that would relate to the tree roots in this metaphor or not. I am unclear.

The final point of interest I will reflect on is that of the “Four Means for Student Success”. Of the four means, the first means represents relationships. What relationships have been formed, and how do these relationships shape your understanding of communities and cultures? Do all participants feel comfortable and heard in the relationships? If not how can you make it so that there is clear equity between members? The second means was relevance. Relevance such as what do the communities and Indigenous peoples need and want in terms of education, laws and understanding? The third means is Respect and it refers to how safe and acknowledged Indigenous individuals and communities feel in their relationships with you. Are they able to safely thrive? Finally, the means of responsibility. Responsibility relates to what you must do to achieve community-centred success through your relationships with your students, their families and their communities.

Overall, I learned a lot from Niigan’s presentation and am so very grateful that I was invited to attend.

Reflection: Meeting Artist Clayton Gauthier

by tmmd

On 1 October 2023

In Reflections

Who are you? How do you identify with yourself? With your peers? With the world around you? These are some of the questions that I have been pondering, upon meeting with Clayton Gauthier at the fire circle hosted at UNBC on September 28, 2023.

Despite the windy and slightly rainy weather, Gauthier met with our cohort Friday morning to discuss his experiences growing up and his own personal Truths. He discussed how standardized education was not beneficial to his education experience as it separated him from the land, and disregarded his cultural identity isolating him further from his peers. His major discussion points revolved around the importance of understanding culture and identity – with his being an artist of Cree/Dakelh background. Gauthier is very connected to the natural world and states that he speaks to the trees on a daily basis as a way to ground himself and connect to his identity. He then asked us how we define love, how we practice self-care and how we plan to be true to ourselves. Your self-identity is everything that makes you who you are. It is a synthesis of all of your physical characteristics, personality traits, and interests. My identity, like all identities, is complex but revolves around my family, my love of horse riding, and music.

Now, how can this discussion translate into the teaching practice? As a teacher, I will not be looking to change a student’s identity, but helping them discover what they identify with in an inclusive environment that is safe and secure. Through the inclusion of outdoor coursework to develop student connection to the land, the introduction and discussion of world holidays/religions, as well as the provision of resources and safe spaces for those who have experienced exclusion, hostility and disrespect (including members of the LGBTQ+, P.O.C communities, neurodivergence and those who live with disabilities).

This meeting made me realize the further need for decolonization within our educational system. We can practice decolonization through the recognition that colonial values hurt our communities and that through the acceptance and respect of various other ways of living (culture/religion/beliefs/FPPL), we can coexist with each other respectfully with mutual benefits.

In my classrooms, I want to create a culture of acceptance and wonder, one that is open to outside identities and values. However, I am still a learner and I will need time and further thought and study to develop a true understanding and practice of decolonization within my life, my community and my teaching practice.

All Photos taken by teacher candidate Talia