Week 9 Practicing Digital Responsibility

VoiceThread has demonstrated a new way of communicating as it allows learners to response to threads via text, voice message and video. I had a very positive learning experience in learning VoiceThread and I think it support learning by promoting engagement and motivation. Especially nowadays, technology involved in almost everything in our lives, computer apps are fast and fun, when using VoivceThread, students are not limited in using text, they can speak or even act in front of the screen, and their recording can store in the thread and can be shared whenever others log in to the website.

On the other hand, digital tool such as VoiceThread has also changed the way of teaching. It changed the tradition lecture based classroom into an active learning environment. From the posting of Avery, on Apr7,2011, on the Teacher Challenge. edublogs, “We’re always looking to foster discussion and break down the barriers of the typical classroom walls”, it showed how important it is to  engage students and VoiceThread allows spaces for thinking and students gain different perspectives from each other.

Digital media has given the freedom of access on the internet; however, it creates some potential risks to user’s safety and wellbeing. “we are also one click away from making a public gaffe, mistakenly sharing information not intended for a wider audience, in the form of an email, a wall post, text or chat message.” (Levinson, 2012)

One digital citizenship that I have learned in week 9 is the Digital Literacy. “one of the most important aspects of technology is understanding how that technology works so that it  can be used in the most appropriate manner.” (Ribble, 2011, p.26). VoiceThread is easy to operate and can be a powerful learning tool but it would become a big issue if students use it with a wrong sense such as recording and posting inappropriate comments, images, audios or videos. As a cyber-learner, I wish Digital media will become a positive educational tool and I believe, it is the educator’s work to encourage such professional development, but it is also the user’s responsibility to practise the digital citizenship.  

I develop my PLE at the beginning of this course as a mean to support my individual and professional learning. Online course is a challenge for me; learning does not happen in a “click” on the mouse, but involves communicating with others. Sharing is the one of the main ideas in my PLE and VoiceThread is probably another powerful thing to make my PLE works. This new tool allows me to collaborate, develop and grow with my colleagues and I am looking forward to explore this visual rich technology with everyone again.

Sources

http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/2011/04/07/free-tools-challenge-13-voicethreads-multimedia-slideshows-with-videoaudio-comments/

Matt Levinson, 2012, Mau 31, Think before you click: Internet safety tips for parents. http://www.edutopia.org/blog/internet-safety-tips-parents-matt-levinson