allenfromthetc

[allenfromthetc]

Blog Post 3: We are our own leaders- Teachings of Digital Citizenship and Leadership

The website, DigitalCitizenship, defines Digital Citizenship as “the continuously developing norms of appropriate, responsible, and empowered technology use”, and with those norms are nine themes separated into three easy to remember categories: Safe, Savvy, and Social (Ribble, Bailey, & Ross, 2004). These categories, as principles of Digital Citizenship, set the expectations and guidelines for how people should act while online; not only how they post, but also how to treat others, how to educate them and yourself, and how to stay safe and to keep others safe while using the internet. Common Media puts it quite simply: “to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly in our digital world” (Common Sense Media website, 2018). Think of it like the laws of the road, while you don’t necessarily have to follow them (obviously it's illegal not to and highly recommended to follow them), by doing so everyone can have an easier, accepting, and safer experience, and be able to do the things they need to do while online. 

Both digital citizenship and digital literacy have many commonalities: by being educated on both of them, users will be able to get more out of their experience while using the web while also being able to provide more for other people looking for information and content. However, there are certainly differences. Digital literacy focuses on the skill sets that allow users to be able to navigate, analyze, interpret, share, and create content on the internet. Being digitally literate allows people to be able to understand the information they are taking in, while also knowing how to find the information they want, how different trends affect the information that is out, and being able to make educated content and contribute to the education of others. On the other hand, digital citizenship is concerned with how people should behave and partake in activities while online- certainly also a skill set, but isn’t focused on how well a person can use and fine the information online, but rather the way in which people present what they say, and how they interact with others. The main concern, as mentioned before, is while online to be safe, savvy, and social. Respecting one another, keeping each other safe, and being able to educate are the skills and behaviors that are practiced as a digital citizen. 

At both universities I’ve attended, we’ve had seminars (either virtually or in person) regarding policies and how to approach drug use, drinking, safe sex, and keeping general safety while attending university. What isn’t covered adequately, I feel, is genuine internet safety and how to be appropriate and courtesies online. In an age where it’s too easy to amass a following on twitter or tiktok, find a potential partner with just one swipe right, or make purchases from people online, it’s important that people understand how the actions they can make online can impact their status with the university, or simply their lives in general. While some of these apps are strictly for recreational purposes, that doesn’t mean that digital citizenship can’t be practiced. In terms of safety, being able to recognize what may potentially be a computer virus, identifying what might be a scam or something that may threaten your safety, are all things that are only really learned through trial and error (and a lot of unfortunate moments online). Having an overall refresher course with direct examples of what to look out for online, as well as explanations for how to appropriately behave online (realistically of course!) A lot of our lives online can have drastic impacts on our employment, future education, and simply are a legacy of our lives, so knowing how to portray ourselves as well as how to respectfully treat others is important for how much time we spend online. 

 In the article, Are kids better than adults at teaching digital citizenship?, by Nicole Krueger, she explores the possibility that perhaps the current method of powerpoint and lecture isn’t necessarily the most effective way at teaching digital citizenship- though this is the primary method that is currently being used by adults to teach (Krueger, 2019). Pedro Aparicio, a teacher in Mexico City, decided that instead of talking at the students, he would create a club in which students could collaborate and teach each other. They explored different topics such as cyberbullying and online safety, and have found that peer to peer collaboration carries a different weight than being taught by someone like a teacher or older parent. Peer influence is a strong factor, and being able to break off and learn on their own before exchanging and sharing adds a certain responsibility to be taught and to teach each other's peers. Being able to implement this style to high school and college students would allow us to explore these topics at a more mature and more in depth level, and allow us to take charge of our own learning and make it relevant to our own experiences. 

This style of leading each other, and developing each other’s skills, is now on the forefront for preparing students to be more than just learners. Digital Leadership is an essential skill that students must know, in conjunction to Digital citizenship; being able to educate others is crucial to digital citizenship-  and leading others is only the natural step forward from that.  Andy Plemmons, a media specialist at David C. Barrow Elementary in Athens Georgia, provides education to students about digital citizenship by asking students to adopt digital tools for their projects and practice “their ability to collaborate and show respect for peers” (Friendman, 2020). He stresses that it doesn’t matter what career field they decide to enter, technology will always be an essential tool, and with that being able to have the skills to keep yourself safe and to be respectful online with others. Pushing students to not just be educated, but showing them how to be digital leaders and letting them practice will allow them to be more comfortable when engaging in discussion online in their own time. 

What I believe that individuals can do for enacting digital citizenship online is first beginning within their own online social groups. People tend to have followers or friends on their accounts that they interact with the most, where they’re most comfortable talking to and exchanging different media. Talking to your peers about what is appropriate to be posting and how they can engage with each other in a respectful manner not only will allow people our age to get practice leading others and actually get experience working with peers in a realistic conversation, but by shifting how they communicate it will show others on their feeds or timelines people communicating respectfully and looking out for one another. 

https://www.iste.org/explore/Digital-citizenship/Are-kids-better-than-adults-at-teaching-digital-citizenship%3F

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-college-students-are-leveraging-online-study-groups

[allenfromthetc]

Blog post #4: We aren’t all fine with things online #DigitalGap

The Sage Encyclopedia defines the Digital Divide as “the disparity that exists among individuals and communities around the world with varying degrees of access to digitally mediated information and communication technologies (ICTs) and ability to benefit from digital resources”, or simply put, the gap between peoples on their availability to use digital resources and how they actually benefit from such technologies and information (Pazurek & Feyissa, 2015). This Digital Divide directly impacts the skillsets of digital literacy and the opportunities present in using these resources, such as collaborative communication, critical thinking skills, general knowledge and information, as well as having the skills to adapt and navigate through our constantly changing digital world (Radovanovic, 14 Dec 2011). In order to combat this growing divide, there is a strive for Digital Equity, defined as the assurance that “all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy”, through practices of Digital Inclusion, which are the activities and actions that must be done in order for even the most disadvantaged people to be able to access and use these technologies (The National Digital Inclusion Alliance, 2016). An example of this would be public libraries in communities, having access to free WiFi, and having mentors or instructors able to provide instruction on digital literacies who are accessible and open to the masses. Because our world is constantly becoming more dependant on communication and efficiency through technology, as well as having resources available through technology, the discussion of the Digital Divide is crucial to acknowledge; if technology continues to advance but we do not address how communities and individuals are not able to keep up or even provide basic access to the internet or technologies, then the divide will grow at both ends- advancing technologies and declining ability to provide. One example that is especially applicable to this class is the idea of Linkedin; while the traditional American mentality of finding a job is all about putting yourself out there and meeting up with employers in your area, that mentality has shifted quite a deal in the last 30 years. While it is still possible to get a job that way, having access to the internet and knowing the skills and format needed to create an online profile for yourself to market to future employers increases your visibility exponentially. Picture this: we have two people, both looking for a run of the mill office job. Person one, a good worker and personable, has not had much experience or education regarding how to market themselves online and doesn’t rely on websites such as LinkedIn. They search for their jobs based on word of mouth and knowing their location on what places they could potentially work for. Person two, on the other hand, who is also a good worker and personable, is able to broadcast his skill sets and resume all over the internet; they have targeted potential employers based on different filters in interests that they have set, and have been able to find contacts of current employees as well as what they are looking for prior to initiating any kind of interview or application. Even though both people are hard workers and nice to be around, Person Two’s ability to network, get background information, find employers actively looking to hire with specified qualifications, and being able to set a first impression without ever having to meet anyone based on the professional look of their profile, will have a much higher chance of being seen and being able to reach out to employers. Even if Person Two was less qualified or not as good of a worker, their ability to cast a wider net (so to speak) and have an appearance of someone who is up to date, will put them over the top compared to their less digital savvy competition. 

This Digital Divide is crucial to acknowledge in the face of the COVID-19 Pandemic, where our society has been forced to switch much of our educative and working lives to digital. Workplaces, Universities, and even the National Guard have all placed measures in order for work or school to continue, all the while following in accordance with social distancing practices. While certainly a solution, this transition to all digital tech poses a threat to those who are unable to access and participate in these changes due to a lack of resources and equipment. When speaking from personal experience, the Army has an expectation for things to be completed outside of the duty day, as well as being able to work and complete a task at a moments notice. The biggest problem regarding this mentality is that while sergeants and above, as well as officers, are expected to complete tasks digitally whenever possible, they are not guaranteed access to such technologies (or in many cases, never provided these technologies to have on their person for their own time). While the Army culture has made it clear that “improvise, adapt, overcome” is the way to go about not having all technologies afforded to them (as this isn’t entirely realistic in a combat zone), back on the homefront this high expectation to be available to work without having the equipment proves difficult for many soldiers. With COVID-19 now moving the National Guard drill weekends to online, even junior soldiers are now expected to have computers at their disposal- even though their own leaders aren’t always provided the resources to work online from their homes. This expectation becomes even more challenging due to the fact that many of the paperwork and other tasks that need to be completed are accomplished on government websites- which require a Common Access Card Reader to sign into these websites. These CAC readers are not guaranteed to be provided by the unit, providing another obstacle that must be dealt with at the personal level. Technical Sergeant Erich B. Smith of the National Guard Bureau, addresses this issue in the news article Guard Members use innovative ways to train, keep distance from the Army Times, by noting that “additional steps were taken to ensure Airmen could access that platform from a variety of locations and devices”, though this is a case by case basis and doesn’t address the needs of the Army (Smith, 2020).

From an article in the New York Times, the number of absences nationwide for school attendance has dramatically increased since most education has been moved online, primarily students of a low income background who may not have access to computers or consistent internet. They report that some teachers have seen fewer than half of their students regularly participating in class, with many being unable to be reached due to living in rural areas or not being able to afford connectivity due to the economic impacts of the virus. (Golstein, Hannah-Jones & Popescu, 8 April 2020). While some districts may have school issued equipment, this isn’t the case overall nor does that help if kids are unable to have access to the internet due to this trying time. With the effects of this pandemic exposing the flaws to our current system and the things we must put in place to ensure that all students have the tools necessary to complete their education, surely it brings a call for Digital Equity. While I know that some internet providers have allowed for free internet access in some areas (during my quarantine in Fort Hood, Texas we were provided as such), there are many more obstacles that this event has brought into the light, and with that hopefully a call to providing so that everyone can work no matter their circumstances. 

https://www.army.mil/article/234394/guard_members_use_innovative_ways_to_train_keep_distance

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/coronavirus-schools-attendance-absent.html

[allenfromthetc]

Blog post #2: Participatory Culture

So, what is participation theory, anyway? I can’t speak for the rest of you, but I had never truly discussed this topic prior to entering this class, much less even hearing the phrase. However, that doesn’t mean I hadn’t thought of some of its concepts as I grew up in the digital world, specifically how our usage of social media isn’t simply a means of passing time, but rather is a shared collective experience in which we both contribute and take in other people’s work, opinions, and language. In our week 6 agenda, it is mentioned that participation is a part of our skill set for digital literacy, and through that being able to actively engage and be a part of our communities; the digital era has allowed us to not be restricted to our geographical location, and actively explore the communities we are involved in on a larger scale and explore things that can become a part of our identity. Henry Jenkins in Participatory Culture in a Networked Era, defines culture as as the “sum of total human experience”, and with that views participatory culture as “one which embraces the values of diversity and democracy through every aspect of our interactions with one another”, bringing up the idea that this culture may not be something completely dynamic or groundbreaking, but rather found in the things that we do everyday (Jenkins, ITo, & boyd, 2016, p.2). With constant tweets, snaps, emails, and instagram updates becoming the common place for how we interact with each other, our culture is heavily influenced by the digital interactions of our lives. With more and more people having access to social media and tailoring it to their social needs as opposed to professional, it has transitioned from a technological asset to now a mundane constant. I view participatory culture as people using social media in order to create, comment, and share content that is easily accessible and contributable with a purpose. One way in which I have seen social media trends be prime examples of participatory culture is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge of 2014In 2014, to raise awareness for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, people on social media would dump buckets full of ice on their head and tag people they know, under the condition that they either continue the trend of donate an amount of money to the ALS association. This swept through both Facebook and Instagram, becoming a common post to see with many of people's friends engaging in the conversation through comments or shares. A simple act, video taping someone dumping ice on themselves, yet because of its simplicity people were able to replicate, contribute traffic to the videos as well as funds, and with that able to support an association with a higher purpose. These types of videos are mentioned in chapter 4 of the book Participation and User Generated Content, in what is referred to as User Created Content, or UCC. The section brings up the fact that high quality cameras and the ever improving smartphones continue to become a more commonplace item, and with that the ability to produce media. This has paved the way for “vernacular creativity”, or creativity that is easily accessible and more concurrent with the everyday things of our lives (Hinton & Hjorth, 2013) With TikTok becoming one of the most popular social media sites, solely based on video creation, it exemplifies easily accessible and connected culture. TikTok provides music, “sounds”, audio sound effects, and filters to allow anyone with a smartphone to easily customize and create content. One of the most popular features of TikTok is their “sounds”, which is audio created by one user which can be used for anyone else’s videos, allowing people to replicate and put their own twist on trends. This has allowed a wave of dance trends, workouts, and other activities that people can watch and recreate- specifically in the movement #Flattenthecurve. This movement is dedicated to encouraging people to stay inside and practice social distancing, all the while having fun and being enjoyable to the average users. Even something as simple as a hashtag can advocate for the good of society, while still being accessible and recreational. 

In Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century, they mention that scholars “suggest potential benefits of these forms of participatory culture”, in the same way that connected learning allows for an education separate from the traditional institutions; that is, peer to peer communication, development of skills, and collaboration (Jenkins, Puroshotma, Clinton, Weigel, & Robison, 2009). While our technology is advancing and becoming more accessible, it doesn’t mean that everyone has the same access to it or the same experience and exposure. They acknowledge that as a Participation Gap, and I have seen that firsthand. While studying at University, unrelated to studies people are connected and communicating through social media and experiencing culture through information, memes, and videos- and while this might be commonplace there, this isn’t the same in all places where technology and staying up to date with pop culture is not the forefront. Though it may not be imperative to living, smaller communities or less advantage don’t experience or use them in the same way, and may not have a full grasp of how much social media affects the world as a whole. 

Something that I have been doing to involve myself in online communities both to enrich my personal identity and reach out to others that share similar experiences with me is actively following Filipino tik tokers and other minority creators, as well as joining multiple Facebook groups (namely, Subtle Asian Traits, Subtle Filipino Traits, and Subtle Asian Veterans). Though I have yet to create my own content for Tik Tok, being able to see other people that look like me and have experienced similar upbringings create humor based upon their own upbringing in the culture or post content (music, dancing) that is trending within these communities has allowed me to have that exposure that I hadn’t had while overseas or as much experience while I was at University. Instead of having to rely on visiting family or meeting up with members of the Phillipine Student Association on campus, I can instead turn to the internet and still feel engaged with my heritage and people my age. Though it’s important to have these real life communities and in the case of PSA, it’s important to congregate in real life- however, being able to participate and engage with a community that would otherwise be a niche subculture in certain locations, allows people to contribute more and have more connectivity. And this certainly doesn’t mean that real life groups can’t use social media, it’s quite the opposite in fact. Having social media linked to groups and using it to promote, communicate, and coordinate, allows for culture to grow outside of meetings. It can promote and enhance friendships, and be a place where culture can cultivate and thrive. I have been able to laugh at memes that I wouldn’t find in “mainstream” social media streams, as well as have viewpoints tailored more to my experience; while opinions differ, as a collective I am able to relate more and discuss topics with people who have a better understanding about the Asian-American/Asian/Minority Experience. 

I also joined the Subtle Asian Veterans group, due to me recently serving overseas and feeling as if I was the only Asian a part of the group I had been serving with. While there aren’t quite that many Asian/Asian Americans serving in the Armed Forces, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist- and with that meaning that I wasn’t quite so alone, after all. I participate in discussions often; as a new soldier I often ask for advice on career planning and people’s experiences with their service, as well as networking and finding out how to use my benefits and experience back into the civilian world. Currently on the page, people are posting different T-Shirt and Hoodie designs that are customized with the flags of both our heritage, as well as the country we currently serve or have served. I’m currently in the works of my own design, as the proceeds of all the designs will be going to a charity supporting the healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only has their group allowed me to connect culturally in both humor and professional development, but has allowed us to contribute to something bigger than ourselves, and show our support for healthcare workers in this time. 

[allenfromthetc]

Blog post #1- additional thoughts

Personally, I think that the implementation and integration of social media in our lives is all for the better. Being able to get instantaneous updates and constantly being able to be in contact with our family, friends, and peers-while clearly having drawbacks- has made the world all the bit smaller for us. And that’s okay. While sometimes it may put pressure on the image that people have in their physical life, the ability to find people interested in the things that you are or are passionate about a certain thing transcending physical and proximal limits is truly a gift. For people that may never feel like they belong in whatever kind of community they’re in, being able to see representation and even a sense of self in others is completely life changing.

I’ve spoken a bit on the popularity of Twitter and Snapchat in the age group of 18-24, but what I find most interesting is the amount of information that both of these social media applications allow users to consume. Though Twitter can be used for interaction between people and their friends and acquaintances, it has also been a very popular means of accessing news. With Twitter being well-known for its trending topics, which groups together the most popular topics being tweeted about around the world into one feed, it has also provided a specific section for trending news happening both recently and even providing live updates. Due to the limited characters allowed on tweets, they are written to the point and get the most description necessary out of an event for people to understand. Any follow-on statements or information can be added by replying to or quoting the previous tweet. Alongside this, being able to add a gif, video, or photo to enhance the news and paint a visual picture makes it easier for people to follow and track information quicker. While full news articles and more in depth sources can be linked,I feel as if these shorter snippets of news are easier to process and take interest for people who are constantly on the go or shifting through apps. Similarly, Snapchat’s format can be set to send photos that only appear for a few seconds, or send messages that disappear unless saved or settings are adjusted so they don’t. These formalities and customs create an expectation for communication to be quick and not require much effort to interpret or plan. In this sense, people don’t feel as inclined to writing up and putting in much thought to what they need to say, simply what is needed or wanted to be said in that moment. These quick updates allow us to process information with ease, relay something back just as fast, and keep a line of communication present that can be turned into something more organized, but not required to do so. 

[allenfromthetc]

Blog post #1. pt2 07FEB20

[allenfromthetc]

Blog post 1 pt 1.

07FEB2019