End of a Chapter, but not the Book

Even though DCMOOC is wrapping up and coming to a close, it doesn’t mean that I will stop sharing, connecting, and being creative online. Digital citizenship means having a positive online presence and footprint!

This was my first time taking part in a massive open online course, but I know it won’t be my last. When the digital citizenship course started, I had no idea what to expect, but I was soon pleasantly surprised by the outcomes.

I was amazed at how the course involved people from all around the world- my connections were limitless. I was able to learn from fellow teachers and educators who realize the importance of technology and who make an effort to teach others about digital citizenship while becoming more familiar with it themselves.

I am now a part of an online community who value and take time to contribute to the wellbeing of others digitally.

DCMOOC gave me the opportunity to:

1. Go Back to the Basics:
I was able to learn about the fundamentals of digital citizenship. Through the weekly online sessions, I was reminded that digital citizenship is about “building safe spaces and communities, understanding how to manage personal information, and about being internet savvy” (Digizen)

2. Expand my Digital Footprint:
Throughout the course, I was motivated to reflect and respond to other people’s thoughts and ideas. I made an effort to blog about what I was learning and was able to showcase my learning and growth. It was very cool to see proof of my digital footprint by how quickly people shared my blog posts with others or responded to my posts through comments or tweets. By creating these blog posts, or sharing on twitter or Google Plus, other people are able to see who I am as an educator and take part in my digital journey.

3. Connect with Others:
DCMOOC reminded me how powerful technology can be! The ability for me to connect with fellow educators from around the world and learn from their innovative ideas is incredible. Twitter allowed me to read about other people’s experiences in education and it showed me what other people were learning through DCMOOC with a simple hashtag. By viewing other teacher’s blogs I learned about helpful teaching strategies, activities, and even iPad apps to implement into my classroom. By taking part in the Google Plus community page, I was constantly exposed to articles and links that helped me grow in my knowledge about digital citizenship. I was also introduced to useful tools and websites to use as a teacher and to integrate into my classroom.

DCMOOC has helped me realize that it is my role as an educator and a digital citizen to show others the importance of “using your online presence to grow and shape your world in a safe, creative way, and inspiring others to do the same” (Digizen). It is evident to me that giving students the opportunities to learn how to demonstrate digital citizenship is crucial, and it is even more important that I stay digitally fluent myself.

I have learned so much from DCMOOC, but I know that this course was just the first chapter of many because I still have a lot to learn. I will continue to connect, share and be a positive voice online so that I can also help others move in the same direction. I can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds!

-Amanda

Leave a Reply