By Jackie White Ed Technology, short for educational technology, needs to be your friend over the next few months as most of us are schooling virtually. When you become familiar with Ed Technology you will be infinitely more capable of handling your child’s schooling at home. This Ain’t Your Mama’s Filmstrip Friday Gone are the days of the AV (Audio Visual) Guy who came into the classroom to set up a film strip. Instead, today we have become almost inseparable with technology and classrooms are no exception. Funny thing though, the classroom has now landed in the middle of your dining room and you feel like you have just been dropped into a reality you didn’t sign up for. Don’t Worry, Ed Tech Has Gotchu! Actually, my friend and and most excellent ed technology teacher, Julia Xistris and her co-worker Kiley Ogodogu have been so kind to help us out with navigating the world of virtual schooling from a technological standpoint. Good Ol’ Ed Technology Brings You the BasicsDevices Many school districts provide devices to the students. Julia and Kiley say that if your child is more comfortable using another device that should be fine, but this should be communicated to the teacher so they know the platform needs. Ensure your child charges their device each night. Ed’s Tough Love Tip: If they are using a device not issued by school make sure your little angel isn’t sneaking onto games or other sites during the school day. Connectivity Make sure your internet connections are stable. If they are not it will wreak havoc with your child’s daily activities. Decide if a new router or an internet booster may help your stabilization of connection. Ed’s Tough Love Tip: Disney Circle has a device that can control connectivity of all of your home’s devices. This might be helpful if you have a game system like XBox because you can block access during school hours. Your child will think this blasphemy. The Importance of Digital Citizenship Digital citizenship refers to the responsible use of technology by anyone who uses computers, the Internet, and digital devices to engage with society on any level. It is not something that should be a new concept to your children or students if they are utilizing online platforms of any sort. Parents should take an active role in overseeing their child’s digital life. CommonSenseMedia.org has helpful information on digital citizenship as well as reviews and recommendations on games, movies, videos and other media topics. Ed’s Tough Love Tip: You are in charge and have not only the right but the duty to check your child’s devices. Make sure to set up restrictions to block certain sites or content on the devices your child has access to. The honor system is hard to stick to when temptation is one click away. Platforms There are several platforms that your child’s schooling can be delivered on. Common platforms include Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas or Inkling. Find out which one your child is using and get familiar with it and stay in communication with your child’s teacher on how you can best utilize it in your role. Google Classroom is widely used and is likely the platform you may be working with. Ed’s Tough Love Tip: Don’t skip the step on understanding how to navigate the platform your child’s school is using. Your role will require you to ensure that your child is doing their work and knowledge of the platform’s functionality will be necessary. This is something you can’t fake your way through. The Checklist of Success Strategies for |
AuthorsErika Fehrenbach Prell is passionate about inspiring and educating, others on their path to complete wellness-mind,body, and soul. This desire led Erika to the helping profession of nursing, and she obtained her Master's Degree as a Nurse Practitioner in 2007. Erika specialized in cardiac surgery, largely influenced by her personal experience with heart disease. While she loved working with this population, her heart's desire has always been to impact lives on a larger scale and from a proactive, not reactive, place. The universe answered when her path crossed with Jackie and SoulShine was born. Erika finally feels she is walking in her purpose and is excited for this journey to unfold. Archives
January 2021
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