The Winter Challenge

Another big cheer for social media! I was nominated for the Winter Challenge! What is the Winter Challenge you ask? The Winter Challenge was started by two First Nations teens from Vancouver Island and works through a series of nominations. It has since gone viral across North America. Those nominated must demonstrate their "appreciation" for winter, usually by rolling around in fresh snow or jumping into a cold river, lake or ocean. Once completed, they too get to nominate another person or group, and so on and so forth. The Winter Challenge was started as a positive and healthier response to a recent social media drinking game called Neknomination which is responsible for at least five alcohol-related youth deaths. Many have used the Winter Challenge as a platform to talk about current issues and to spread change. 

This is just one more reason why social media can be so powerful in connecting people. This challenge and it's message has spread across the continent, and thousands have participated. Just think of the potential for this kind of human connection - it's no longer just a technology thing - people are getting out and loving nature and talking about what's important to them. While we all know that social media can have potential negative effects, it's moments like this that my hope is renewed. The Winter Challenge brought me closer to my cohort, and pushed my boundaries - and it was pretty fun too! Let's figure out how to use this platform to spread more good in the world! 

“Shake it Baby”: Review of a Dutch study on adolescents’ relationship with media.

The incorporation of technology in education had been my personal inquiry project for almost a year now. Throughout this time, I have certainly fielded some hard-hitting questions and concerns from many sceptics. I have found that the biggest worry seems to revolve around the impact that technology, namely the internet, has on adolescents and their developing lifestyles. In pursuit of more information on this concern, I came across an interesting study based in the Netherlands called “Shake it Baby, Shake it”: Media Preferences, Sexual Attitudes and Gender Stereotypes Among Adolescents written by Tom F. M. ter Bogt, Rutger C. M. Engels, Sanne Bogers, and Monique Kloosterman. Theirs is one of the many studies investigating the relationship between media and, as some would say, the apparent over-sexualisation of teenagers. This study sets out to discover the link between the adolescent media exposure and preferences and corresponding sexual attitudes and gender stereotypes. As I am reviewing this study for my adolescent psychology course, I will not go into too much detail; however, I found the need to share the somewhat unanticipated research results.

As it turns out, the study surprisingly did not find a strong enough correlation between the amount of media exposure adolescents were getting and an increase in permissive sexual attitudes and gender stereotypes. So the hours they seem to spend on the internet and their smart phones does not, in this study, seem to impact them a great deal in this regard. Another result did find a link between hip-hop and hard-house music and adolescent ideas that women should be sexy and that men should be tough and cool – big surprise there. Preferences for these types of music also correlated with permissive sexual attitudes in adolescents. This comes as no surprise to anyone who has actually listened to the lyrics of some of these genres.

There was one result, however, that was quite concerning. The study showed that there was a significant correlation between adolescent preferences for explicit erotic internet content and potentially harmful attitudes about sex and gender stereotypes. The link itself is not so surprising, but more so the fact that the study isolated this media marker as being the single most important indicator of these attitudes. Now we all know, and have experienced once, the period of sexual curiosity that all adolescents navigate. However; the prevalence and ease of access to pornography via the internet could be fundamentally throwing a wrench into the natural sexual development of teens. The image of sex being endorsed by this content is often highly idealized and contains possible violent or sexist undertones, all of which can be accessed with a smartphone anytime anywhere. Fifteen years ago most families only had one computer, which was often placed in a public area of the house. Now, most youth have their own computers AND their own smartphones, giving them complete and total access to whatever curiosity they might follow, including sexual curiosity.

Now as I’ve stated inexhaustibly in other blog posts, the only solution to this issue is more youth education about the internet, pornography and sex. It may be an uncomfortable subject, but if we don’t address it, we will be faced with an entire generation of youth who have skewed views of healthy sexual relationships and lifestyles.     

Ter Bogt, Tom, Rutger C. M. Engels, Sanne Bogers, & Monique Kloosterman. "'Shake it Baby, Shake it': Media Preferences, Sexual Attitudes and Gender Stereotypes Among Adolescents." Sex Roles 63.11 (2010): 844-859. EBSCO. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.  

 

Why QR Code Technology is Awesome!

One of the major benefits of using QR (Quick Response) codes in education is that it is one of the quickest and easiest ways to promote mobile and open learning outside of the traditional brick and mortar classroom. Most students will carry their smartphone with them where ever they go; therefore allowing the opportunity for learning to expand far past the constraints of the “institution” – plus your students will probably think you’re really cool!. Here are a few ideas on the various ways that QR codes can be incorporated into any classroom:

1)      On printed worksheets to provides students extra help  and resources

2)      In a language class to allow students to access videos and media files in the target language on the go or at home

3)      Posting around the school during a parent-teacher night to give parents information about the school and its departments/facilities as they tour it (could even have the students create the videos!)

4)      Filming science experiments and posted the QR codes on a bulletin board so others can scan and enjoy

5)      Having students create book reviews and sticking the qr code to the copy of the book in the library so that other students can scan it for information.

6)      Playing the “envelope” game but with qr codes showing videos, posing questions, or presenting problems to be solved.

7)      Students go on a fact-finding mission at the museum (many of which use qr codes in their exhibits) and return with their findings or complete a questionnaire

8)      QR codes that will take students to quizzes while in the “field”

9)      Posted on bulletin boards and flyers to give teachers and students more information about school events.

10)   Linking to private screen cast projects URLs (such as Show Me) – and posting around the school or sending home to parents.

11)   Many nature trails now have QR codes places along them explaining various aspects of the ecosystem and identifying plant and animal species – an excellent excursion for a biology class!

Ideas from the BBC Active, Edudemic, and Online QR Lab sites

The list could go on and on! Get away from the traditional antiquated textbook every once in a while and give your students a fun way to interact with the content – here, there, everywhere!

 

Other Resources and Tips:

How to Create a QR Code in 4 Quick Steps:

Five Reasons Why I Love Using QR Codes in My Classroom

Online QR Lab

BBC Active: QR Codes in Education

Edudemic: 7 Fun Ways to use QR Codes in Education

The QR code generator that I recommend:

https://www.the-qrcode-generator.com/

The scanner for Androids that works well : QR Droid:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=la.droid.qr&hl=en

The “Art” of Incorporating Technology in Education

I recently had the opportunity to attend an event at the newly opened Robert Bateman Centre, located in Victoria, B.C., for their first “Educator’s Night”. At first I had my reservations and, honestly, I only agreed to go for the free food and to be able to get close and personal with the work of the legendary Robert Bateman without having to pay a bloated admission fee.  I walked in expecting the usual promotion of student/school tours and the advocating of the particular academic draws of the facility; however, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that all my preconceived notions were promptly dashed upon entering.  Not only was the centre beautiful, it was unpretentious, welcoming, and accessible. But perhaps the most notable feature of this centre is its seamless blend of art, education, nature and … technology, the last feature being an unusual surprise.

Robert Bateman has long been known for both his art, and his promotion for the inclusion of nature as a fundamental element in both education and learning. Throughout his career he has strived to call our attention to the plight of the natural world, and the benefits of protecting and preserving it. As guests at his Educator’s Night, we were also privileged by a talk from Mr. Bateman himself – in fact it was the same talk that he was using for his upcoming Ted Talk. One of the topics he addressed happened to be the effect of modern media consumption by adolescents and its impact on the integrity and sense of social responsibility of this “coming-of-age” generation. He went on to condemn TV shows and movies featuring vampires, werewolves, walking-dead and other fantastical elements which he claimed have no grounding in reality and which succeed only in alienating youth from “real” nature and the existing social environment. Mr. Bateman also called attention to the increasing reliance on smart phones and the “addiction” that adolescents appear to have to such devices – simultaneously pulling up a cartoon depiction of the teenage couch-potato surrounded by junk food glued to his TV, his smart phone firmly cemented in his hand. I’ll admit, at this point in the evening I may have been rolling my eyes. It appeared to be another “the trouble with kids these days” rant from the senior generation clinging to technology’s downfalls rather than grasping the educational potential of mobile devices and social media. However, to believe that Mr. Bateman is firmly rooted in this stance would be a glaring misconception. In fact, just as quickly as I had jumped to this assumption, I was pleasantly surprised when the conversation turned in a new direction which, to my delight, including discussing the many opportunities that technology affords us – making lemonade from lemons.

I was impressed, given my initial opinion, with the open-minded spirit of Mr. Bateman as he conceded that technology can and should be used to promote learning, and, surprisingly, to promote the integration of the natural world within educational institutions where it is not easily accessible – such as inner-city schools. The Robert Bateman Centre reflects its namesake’s stance by placing QR codes under each painting that, once scanned, will bring visitors to online videos where Mr. Bateman explains in depth the story and natural elements behind the particular artwork. He also discussed another project where QR codes are being placed along nature paths to identify specific vegetation and its role within the eco-system, bringing meaning and education to a simple walk in the forest. It is this use of technology, he stresses, which will promote learning in a mobile and modern way. He discussed the Centre’s promotional plan of action which will rely heavily on social media and the internet, providing access to students and patrons who may be unable to see the Centre in person, but will still be able to reap the benefits of Mr. Bateman’s message which he discusses in depth in his essay Reasons for Hope (also available on the Centre’s website):

The frightening thing in the cacophony of narcissism that our electronic revolution has produced is that the great mass of population is engaged with amusing itself to death. As Aldous Huxley predicted in Brave New World we are being controlled by pleasure, and truth is being drowned in a sea of irrelevance. It is hard to compete for public attention in this cacophony […] I hope that the role of the Robert Bateman Foundation will be to sound a clarion call about the seriousness of this issue and to make known all of the exciting efforts that are actually underway. The hope is that a critical mass of people will become engaged and join the movement to change our ways for the good of humanity and all the other living things.

- See more at: http://collections.batemancentre.org/artist/reasons-hope#sthash.WQXWOM1D.dpuf

I will finish by saying that I was truly inspired by Mr. Bateman’s talk and his contemporary insights on the issue of youth’s addiction to technology the overload of social media: let’s harness this potential and turn a negative into a positive. Through the use of technology, our students are now able to digitally explore the Amazon rainforest, or the Gobi desert, or the Himalayas. Youth restricted to a concrete jungle can search different species of plants and animals, studying ecosystems both close to home and abroad. Technology affords us possibility – the possibility for change and the ability to spread a message faster than ever before. What matters most? It’s all in the content of the message.   

The Digital Divide - Fact or Fiction?

Despite its long standing status as a buzzword and one of the primary arguments against the incorporation of technology in education, it may finally be time to re-evaluate the applicableness of the “Digital Divide” within the context of modern society. This term, describing the gap between those who have regular access to technology and the internet and those who do not, has long been a source of contention between educators advocating for and against Internet use to promote mobile learning – the idea being that not all students have access to mobile devices due to lower socio-economic status and/or the lack of infrastructure to support these devices.

The question inherently becomes: How much of the “Digital Divide” is based on antiquated assumptions and how much is based in actual fact? Is the severity of this issue in fact less then what we perceive it to be? Lloyd Morrisett, the man responsible for coining the term, writes: “[the] perceived gaps are closing among various ethnic, racial and geographical groups in access to the Internet” in his forward for The Digital Divide: Facing a Crisis Or Creating a Myth? He goes on to list the “two factors [that] account for the rapid diffusion of Internet technology: steadily decreasing costs of use, and steadily increasing ease of use.” In addition to Morrisett’s argument, our very own BC ED Plan states that “B.C. leads the country on internet connectivity – 85% of British Columbians use the internet on a regular basis” (7).

 As internet access and mobile devices become cheaper and more pervasive, we are likely to see widespread integration of technology in almost all aspects of daily life. What was once unattainable for some is now becoming accessible to all. Ben Compaine, in the preface to the book mentioned above, reflects on the past evolution of technology: “when it came to gaps related to technology, they tended to be relatively transient. Television sets went from zero to universality in about a decade. VCRs likewise, as their prices went from thousands of dollars to a few hundred.”

Programs such as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) have long been criticized for their exclusion of students without the means of purchasing these products. However, some schools in the U.S. have been effectively implementing new BYOD (Buy Your Own Device) programs with great success. Schools purchase large quantities of devices, receiving both large order and educational discounts which are then passed on to students. Students pay a low monthly fee in order to use the devices which they will then own by the end of the school year.

It is becoming increasingly evident that internet and mobile device use will play a substantial role in our immediate future. Furthermore, as the Digital Divide is rapidly shrinking, the arguments against mobile learning and the integration of technology in education are beginning to lose steam. It is for this reason that perhaps as responsible educators we should be looking at what our students need and how to accomplish that, rather than focusing our energy on road blocks that may or may not stand in their way.     

The Digital Divide: Facing a Crisis Or Creating a Myth?

Is Facebook the new Bathroom Wall?

In light of the recent events surrounding a hallmark case involving teenage sexting and cyber bullying, I feel it pertinent to focus this blog on addressing a serious question: Is Facebook the new bathroom wall?

If so, then we have a lot to think about when it comes to how we decide to educate our youth on the appropriate and responsible use of social media and mobile devices. It is my humble opinion that the avoidance rule and scare tactics commonly used in the past are not the answer. This incident, ultimately ending with a teen being charged with distribution of child pornography for posting an intimate photo of another teen on Facebook, has rattled many of us in the education system and perhaps forced us re-evaluate some of our approaches to media education.

We can all remember a time when we too were in the passionate throes of youth, seemingly without consequence or repercussion. Love triangles, gossip, drama and bullying were present, as they always are, but never seemed to go past the bathroom wall or hallway. I remember stumbling upon a note written by a girl, who I thought was my friend, and discovering that her and some others were secretly mocking me. This was devastating. Now, the notes that were being passed in the good ol’ days are taking the form of text messages, and the “bathroom wall” is now the wall on Facebook. So the question remains: How have we adapted our methods in light of these advances in technology and youth communication?

What was once a nearly invisible offence, lurking in the background of every elementary, middle and high school, is now an act that has become extremely visible, not to mention permanent. Unfortunately, the word “permanent” is not a concept that many adolescents can easily grasp. Combined with the fact that they are biologically inclined towards risk-taking behavior and lacking in empathy, logic and reasoning skills, teenagers can seem like ticking time bombs. So what do we do? Do we take away the devices? Do we ban Facebook in schools?

I believe that there are other solutions out there, even if I am not 100% certain what they are. Currently, there seems to be a vacuum where digital education should be – let’s fill it with positivity and opportunity. As I have stated in past blog posts, I think that we should start with holistic, integrated and vigorous education in social media use and the responsibility of digital citizenship. I think that we should be instructing our youth in ways they can empower themselves by building positive online brands. I also think that we need to recognize that incidents such as the one mentioned above will continue to happen and it is up to us to find new and appropriate ways of dealing with them. Mobile technology has incredible connective and collaborative potential with in new and exciting implications for education – we just need to teach it.