Introduction - What We Are Trying To Achieve...

So, last Friday, I set my senior photography class a challenge; to create a meaningful blog about their work that could either replace their visual diaries or be a companion to them. The first student to do it well, gets lunch. Appealing to their stomachs and a short term goal. Our school is currently involved in the BeL initiative which is blended e-learning. I am seeing these blogs as being assessable for their NCEA requirements for 21, 2.2 and 2.3. I, however, don't know a heck of a lot about how to make one, so now I am doing the same thing, ABOUT the process of setting up volunteers in my class to take on this challenge and how I manage with BeL. This is fast becoming an inquiry-based learning project for me.

I have 11 students who are so far willing to take on the challenge. All are in Year 12/13 here at Hornby High School. All have made a good or impressive start to their body of work so far;

Danielle, Terence, Samuel, Hazel, Brooke, Reubin, Raquel, Marissa, Dayna, Ailine, Katie. As they progress, I will figure out how to link their blogs to this site.

I have also written up something of a digital protocol that I am yet to run past the students. It has been written in a way that links in with our school values; CARR - Commitment, Achievement, Resilience and Respect. I took some inspiration from www.digitalcitizenship.net but I am at pains to state that it is not in any way plagiarised. This is a very good site to learn from though. This is them so far...possibly too wordy, but fits neatly onto an A4 page. We have an internet agreement that has been in place for a long time, however, I don't feel that it covers how students post their own material as this is a newer way of facilitating the students learning.

Commitment, Achievement, Resilience, Respect

The School Values apply to how you express yourselves digitally also. You need to care about being good digital citizens. Every post you make, on ALL forms of digital media is traceable (includes facebook). It will reflect on you in time to come. It is NOT like the spoken word that, unrecorded could be forgotten. Your digital shadow is something that can linger for a long time.

Commitment: Be learning ready online too, prepared, positive and to the point.

It is your responsibility to act positively. In doing that, you will encourage others to do the same.

- Consider the intention of your comments that are digitally created. They should be always thought through before you make them. What is your point? Is it learning focused, productive, meaningful? Are you going to make your life better? The lives of others better? You are now responsible for the health and well-being of others, when you include them in posts and comments. How much of this responsibility do you want to hold, if you are not being positive?

Achievement Be the best that you can be online too.

- Aiming high with your intentions and outcomes online is just as important as anywhere else in your life. Except that online, there is a permanent memory of your intentions and outcomes. Again you become responsible for the health and well-being of others through online comments. You want to have a digital legacy that shows the world what a great person you are.

Resilience - have the confidence to try; connect with others on a similar journey.

- Putting yourself out there digitally IS scary and it is open to the world. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a go. 95% of what is online is uploaded by everyday people, who are not attached to a corporation of any kind. A lot is misinformation. If you are using these tools appropriately, you are expressing your own learning journey and potentially inspiring others to do the same. Educate yourself and connect with others doing the same things.

Respect – people, places, property, beliefs, access, welfare, security

- Other people’s websites are their PROPERTY. They may not have a physical nature, but you cannot rip them off. Other people will express views online that you may not agree with. It is not your place as a student to begin a full-scale online war with that person that becomes personal. Move on. Take care with your security settings and ensure they are appropriate. It is not a fun game to deliberately set about seeing if you can deceive and undermine the security of others online. All you are doing is undermining your own core values of being a good person. It is a serious legal breach to do this and can be followed up on.