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What is Copyright?
What is Copyright?
A Definition...
In simplist terms, the Canadian Copyright Act was implemented to protect the origional ideas and works of others. In other words, Copyright is a law that gives the owner or creator of a paticular work the right to determine how others are able to use (or not use) their ideas. For example, consider an individual (a celebrity singer perhaps) who has written and owns certain song lyrics. The owner of the lyrics is the only person who can freely use/copy those particular lyrics, or permiss others to do so.An Educator's Responsibility...
As educators, we are constantly researching and gaining access to others' work, in an attempt to integrate new ideas and methodologies into our classrooms. As a result of this, educators hold a unique and critical responsibility in that we must set a good example in complying with the Canadian Copyright Act as we constantly have the eyes of many eager learners on us. It is important to continue to stress the importance in citing corrently and not plagerizing, as well as teaching the value in origional ideas. In a classroom environment the importance of respecting Copyright can easily be conveyed through leading by example. Simply voicing where your ideas have come from and where the citations/references are located can go a long way! Teaching learners how to properly research, paraphrase, and site are three easy steps to interrupting the cycle of accidentally plagiarizing.
San José Public Library. Coding. (September 15, 2019). Retrieved from: https://ccsearch.creativecommons.org/photos/fed7cd25-11e8-4b90-8e97-9c9e1aa8d992
Cyber Safety
Cyber Safety
Teaching Cyber Safety in the Classroom...
In an age where technoligy and internet-based activity is rapidly developing and becoming more relevant, it is important for learners of all ages to know how to navigate and utilize these resources safely. Teaching learners from an early age to be aware of the risks and dangers associated with cyber activity, as well as being conscious of their personal digital footprint has the potential to create a generation of safe(er) cyber users.
The following resource: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-internet-safety-games-kids-cyber-smart/ is a great way to teach learners about the risks associated with cyberspace, and how to navigate through this space effectively, respectfully, and safely. This resource uses a series of fun online games to educate learners, making it easy to implement into classrooms and various lesson plans, as well as catch the interest of potentially uninterested students. Based on the age selected, the games teach learners how to interact with other online users in a safe and respectful manner. This is a very useful tool, as online communication has become one of the most efficient and recognizable methods of communication today!
Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship
Using 'Spoof Sites' to Teach...
Spoof sites are a great way to conduct lessons about cyber safety and using critical thinking. A potential way to implement this into the classroom would be to introduce the topic of cyber safety and digital citizenship at the begining of the week. Then, later on in the week, once some time has passed, ask learners to conduct a small research paper, gathering information using a spoof site proveded by the teacher. Once the papers are handed in, the teacher can use prompts and questions asking the learners what they thought of the website and if they found anything 'weird' about the site. Eventually, the teacher can reveal that the site contained false informtaion, and continue the conversation from earlier in the week about cyber safety - really stressing the importance of critical thinking and recognizing false information. The teacher can then use the research papers to assess who was using their critical thinking skills and who was not. The activity could be concluded by having learners write a reflection about why they thought the site was a reliable source, and what they have learned from their experience.
Digital Citizenship Rules...
When it comes to rules about online behaviour, the list is seemingly endless. However, the three rules I have listed below are ones that I will likely make my learners mindful of in my classroom.
1. ALWAYS respect other online users using proper nettiquite skills, and immediately tell a trusted adult if you see online behaviour that makes you uncomfortable.
2. NEVER give out personal information online to strangers, or even friends! A username is just a username, and you likely have close friends' phone numbers - so stick to texting or phone conversations when discussing personal information!
3. ALWAYS be mindful and think twice about the content you post, comment, like etc. As soon as you interact with content online, the data is out there forever, so be mindful of how your actions may affect you in the future - near and far.
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