According to Dr. Barbara Brown from the University of Calgary, the foundation of a positive classroom environment is built upon positive teacher-student relationships (Zoom, July 8, 2020). Prior to this topic, I was unaware of the possibilities of fostering relationships with students through a digital platform. My only experience with online learning took place in high school where, unfortunately, there was little interaction with the teachers and it was simply up to the students to complete the work with little guidance. Since the pandemic, I have had the opportunity to learn more about online communication with students through my aunt who is a grade 3 teacher. However, the two readings we analyzed this week provided an insight into how to effectively support students and maintain healthy relationships.
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
In the first article by Dikkers (2018), the author highlights the necessity of having a “social presence in an online learning environment as “social interactions within online learning environments [are] key to learning” (p.509). She discusses the three types of interactions “learner-learner, learner-instructor, learner-content” which was proposed by Moore in 1989 which focuses on higher learning environments but can be directly applied to all ages (Dickers, 2018, p.511). Understanding the types of relationships that form in the classroom allows teachers to adapt to the need of the students. The article further continues discussing the evolution of the “Social Presence Model” developed by Whiteside, Dikkers, and Lewis which outlines five aspects supporting online learning which include the following: “affective association, community cohesion, instructor involvement, interaction intensity, knowledge and experience” (p.513). By considering these five areas, teachers can provide students opportunities by fostering relationships and creating a safe digital community.Â
Photo by Domenico Loia on Unsplash
In the second article by Regan and Jesse (2019), the authors look into the ethical concerns behind the use of data that is used to sort and track students. Before this article, I was completely unaware of how a computer can hold a bias against an individual and potentially discriminate against a student. The article states “there is a danger that passage of laws framed as protecting student privacy and addressing only some of the ethical concerns will give the public a false sense that there are no other ethical considerations” (Regan & Jesse, 2019, p.179). The six ethical concerns in this article are the following: “information privacy, anonymity, surveillance, autonomy, non-discrimination, and ownership of information” (Regan & Jesse, 2019, p.167). When using a digital platform, one must consider how a company uses this information. In BC schools, we must abide by FIPPA guidelines and ensure that whatever website or program we use meets the standards set out by the district. Furthermore, Regan and Jesse exemplify the importance of understanding how personalized learning is influenced by the information and data submitted by students (2019, p.168). The concerns date back to the 1950s where “student tracking… resulted in classrooms that were often divided by race, ethnicity, gender and class” (Regan & Jesse, 2019, p.168). This continues to occur through online platforms as personal learning programs may not provide an equal opportunity or support for all students.Â
After reflecting on this week, I hope to learn more about the ways in which we as educators can promote a positive social presence for primary students (K-3).Â
– Ms. G 🙂
ReferencesÂ
Garrett Dickers, A. (2018) Social Interaction in K-12 Online Learning. In R. Ferdig & K. Kennedy (Eds.), Handbook of research on K-12 online and blended learning (pp. 509-522 ). Pittsburgh, PA: Carnegie Mellon University ETC Press.
Regan, P., & Jesse, J. (2019). Ethical challenges of edtech, big data and personalized learning: Twenty-first century student sorting and tracking. Ethics and Information Technology, 21(3), 167-179. DOI: 10.1007/s10676-018-9492-2Â
alexamclean
Feedback for EDCI 339:
Your post did a good job of highlighting the main takeaways from each article. I like that you included both the different types of interaction and the five ways to support it for the Garret Dikkers article. I also like the connection to FIPPA, acceptable use, and the Regan and Jesse article. My only critique would be to allow more of your word count to go towards Garret Dikker’s article, as it applies more to answering the prompt. I would also try to tie in how the second paragraph helps build relationships in k-12 online learning space. I think that you had a well-researched post that reads smoothly. Great job!
laurenmclean
Feedback for EDCI 339:
I like how you were able to summarize both articles and tie them to the main idea of the question. I think you touched on the part of the question about student relationships well but could have used one more sentence in the third paragraph explicitly stating why this is a safety issue. The personal anecdote at the top was a great way of tying in the webinar and being true to your prior knowledge of building relationships in an online setting. One place that you could expand is defining the terms in the social presence model. Overall I really enjoyed your blog post and felt it displayed a good understanding about what the articles were talking about.
sarahbjelde
Hey Ms. G! This blog was so informative and provided me with lots of anecdotes that helped me understand your connection to the topics of privacy, EdTech, and classroom communities/relationships. I am sorry to hear that your highschool experience did not include many interactions and relationships with your teachers—this was a really important part of my K-12 education for sure. After co-teaching with you at our school visits in second year, I know that since you believe in the power of connections and relationships with students, you will definitely create an amazing community with your future learners. You wrote a very detailed yet succinct paragraph describing the Garrett Dikkers article, I enjoyed reading it because it cemented the important themes of the article in my mind. One thing I wish you delved into a bit more was the Regan & Jesse article because while you did briefly touch on it, I wanted to hear more of what you thought about it. I can’t wait to continue reading your fabulous blog posts!