Misinformation / Misconceptions

Kia ora koutou,

I realised that I hadn't posted for a while so here we go. This term's focus in class has been Smart Media, with part of this topic being misinformation. It was really good to clarify for students the difference between mis and disinformation:

I came up with a nice way of remembering this... MISinformation could be a MIStake i.e. the person spreading the information might not know it's false. DISinformation is DIShonest i.e. the person knows the information is false. Also, I'm sure someone else has come up with that before me so don't credit me with that!

So with that in mind, I thought I'd share some misconceptions that I've come across this year as my hunch is that these MISconceptions might be caused by some MISinformation being passed on.

I was going to make this post themed on the 12 days of Christmas but I don't think I'll be able to come up with 12 ideas!

Disclaimer: this is by no means a moan or a criticism of anyone in particular. It's more of a reflection on the systems we have in place and how we share information with each other.

1. Cybersmart does not = Kawa of Care 

Hearing some conversations and reading some comments, I sometimes wonder if everyone realises that Cybersmart has many strands, from Smart Learner to Smart Surfing and from Smart Relationships to Smart Money.

Yes, the Kawa of Care pops up in Smart Learner and is an important lesson to revisit termly and as needed, but it is only the tip of the Cybersmart iceberg! Just because a student can look after their device is does not necessarily mean that they are confident when making Cybersmart choices in different situations.

2. Cybersmart does not = Digital Skills 

Yes, students do need to learn how to use their devices and familiarise themselves with new tools and apps. But I feel like it's selling the Cybersmart session short when I hear phrases like, "Phil is here to teach us some new digital skills." 

3. Cybersmart does not = Older students or 1:1 classes

I believe that if we wait until students are in the senior school or are in a 1:1 class to teach them about making Cybersmart choices then we're already too late. Many students are surrounded by devices, whether that's at home or at school, so not teaching them how to make smart choices online is an equity issue.

In fact some of the most fun and engaging content on our Cybersmart site can be found in the junior lessons. Sure, we use apps like Explain Everything and Scratch Jnr a lot but there are also offline activities for all our Cybersmart lessons.

4. In Class Facilitation does not = Cybersmart

Yes, as a facilitator I go into classes and teach the students Cybersmart lessons. But that is just the lens we use for in class facilitation. The real joy of the job comes from empowering teachers and ensuring they are confident to use devices effectively for teaching and learning and for their own workflows. 

This year for example, while students have been working away on their Cybersmart activities (being scaffolded by the rewindable resources for each lesson), I have worked with teachers on using Google Keep to organise their to-do lists, turbocharging lessons by moving beyond substitution on the SAMR model, exploring engaging activities like Genius Hour, integrating apps like Explain Everything into literacy and maths, ensuring students have an audience for their blogs using blog hops and creating animations for our film festival.

All these opportunities have relied on teachers understanding the purpose of in class facilitation and being vulnerable and honest about their current needs and goals.

And of course receiving in class support is only one piece of the puzzle in terms of the opportunities that are on offer to teachers who are part of the cluster...

5. In Class Facilitation does not = One year only

In Terms 3 and 4 I start to back off and hand the apron over to the class teacher to lead the sessions. This ensures that the following year, when they probably won't be receiving in class facilitation, they will be confident to implement everything they have learnt throughout the year.

Of course the facilitator will still be available to support as and when they can, but if all goes to plan the teacher will continue teaching Cybersmart, using an effective class site, integrating blogging and using tools like Hāpara Teacher Dashboard as part of their effective practice.

Fin

So there we go, some ideas to ponder over the summer. Please leave a comment if anything resonated with you or if you'd like to catch up to discuss any of the above ideas.

Ngā mihi nui.