With the use of technology and the Internet in the classroom comes a certain level of social responsibility. Just as we should be good citizens in our society in general, we should be good citizens in the digital sphere and teach our students how to be good citizens as well. This involves many aspects, from proper etiquette in social media and how to handle cyber-bullying, to protecting one’s identifying information and passwords online, to recognizing false news and invalid media, to being responsible about what is shared online when the Internet never forgets. One of the most important lessons students can learn is how to manage their technology use with other pursuits to create a healthy life balance. In my pre-clinical experience, I observed how difficult it was for some secondary students to refrain from using social media on their phones during class, even when such use was prohibited by the teacher. This interfered with their learning and will continue to interfere as they move forward into a career unless they learn to better manage the use of technology. Thus, it is important for students to learn not only this skill but other digital citizenship skills that will enable them to function in a healthy way online and protect them from the darker aspects of the Internet.

Purpose

The purpose of this site is to demonstrate the effective use of technology in the classroom for engaging students and improving academic outcomes in addition to providing technology resources for instructional practices.