It's #dcmooc time! - Intro session

Introduction to #dcmooc. The digital citizenship massive open online course started this week. I missed the initial session but, thankfully, the moderators/facilitators/creators Alec Couros @courosa & Katia Hildebrandt @kbhildebrandt offer a second session.

 

The intro was informative, sharing about the overall goals of the massive open online class and the different learning environments available for the almost 800 digitial citizenship (dcMOOCers) such as google+ community, twitter #DCMOOC hashtag, the DCMOOC blog list, and the Blackboard Collaborate "formal" webinar sessions. The one thing I love about MOOCs is that it is a platform for personalized learning. I can do as much or as little participation in the formal calendar events. But, based on my participation in last year's educational technology MOOC (#etmooc) only by connecting and participating, one learns the most.

This course is interesting to me because as more and more of the population have access to online social media, communities and on-line learning, the social norms or "rights and responsibilities" of being an appropriate digital citizen continues to develop. I'm interested in hearing the perspectives of other educators from other countries what digital citizenship looks like to them, what makes sense to one culture may not necessarily make sense to another. And it's important for everyone to understand and empathize with different perspectives because once we're online - there are no global borders.

Understanding and reflecting on what makes a good digital citizen for adult learners will definitely resonate and trickle down to how we facilitate learning and digital citizenship for our students. I realized that connection between my own learning and how it connects to my students when reading the definition of the purpose of the dcmooc again. 
"A key component of Saskatchewan’s Action Plan to Address Bullying and Cyberbullying is the support and promotion of digital citizenship instruction for K-12 students in Saskatchewan schools."

With understanding of how we all can contribute positively  to an online community can only help our flexibility of thinking and become knowledgeable to provide reflective opportunities for our students to support each other and choose positive means to communicate with each other online. Also important is establishing an initial digital footprint, and have students understand that their digital dna / heritage will follow them throughout their lives. They need to be informed in order to make informed choices. 

I also love the fact that the idea of this mooc is connectivist - our group constructs collective knowledge and strengths of the community.Questions are encouraged!

Here are a couple of websites to share with you about our topic (more student-centred)
http://www.digizen.org/kids/
http://www.brainpop.com/spotlight/digitalcitizenship/

One recently good article posted by: @kathycassidy on twitter
http://www.gedb.org/blog/what-it-takes-to-be-a-good-digital-citizen/

A reflective piece posted by: @kwhobbes
http://kellychristopherson.ca/wp/?p=1489

And then a bookmark site: Diigo search posted by: +Phil Taylor  (@ptaylorsjr) on twitter - also a #dcmooc -erhttp://bit.ly/1gF99US

Gamification course done...#DCMOOC & Math AQ starting

It's been a month since I've blogged. Still loving learning and also working on some great projects as part of the AT team. Just a quick post to let you know I've successfully finished my #Gamification14 course - so much useful info that I can apply to education. (I'll post some of my game design work for a collaborative economy company next.) 

May 11th there's a new Massive Open Online Course headed by University of Saskatchewan educator Alec Couros @courosa . For more info check out: http://dcmooc.ca

For those who know me, know how much I absorb, read, learn and thrieve in a STEM environment. My background educational is Biochemistry & Genetic Engineering and I speak the language of Math. Still, there is always something new to learn. So, I'm taking yet another AQ course- so much to learn (hard to believe I know - but it will the official Math Part 1 course).

 In fact, one of my passions is to support Mathematics Education using #gamified systems and 21st century learning using Universal Design for Learning principles. No wonder I'm part of many of my departments Math initiatives including the Desire2Learn Math Mission - promoting math communication andcollaboration for special ed teachers and students at a Junior level. Maybe the future I'll have a Master's program of study..or even I've been looking at OCAD University's inclusive design Masters one day...

Have you heard about it? http://www.ocadu.ca/graduate-studies/programs/inclusive-desig

My lovely cousin Vanessa Pfaff is currently a student. There are educators, engineers, game designers and public relations people and more...
Sigh..one day. :)