Running head: ETHICAL PRACTICES

Ethical Practices of Technology Usage Dana Borowiec EDU697: Capstone: A Project Approach Dr. Keith Pressey April 28, 2013

ETHICAL PRACTICES Ethical Practices of Technology Usage The transition from a read-only web to a read-write web marked a turning-point in

history, creating life-changing experiences for all. Blogs, wikis, and social communities offer new ways for individuals to publish work, as well as interact through platforms for teaching and learning. In addition, online collaboration continues to create new professions and new methods to present information to a changing world. Blogs and wikis offer creative tools to design a basic theme and can allow freedom of movement for instructors, allowing for updates and new assignments. They provide an opportunity for reflection and learning, offer ways to collaborate with fellow-students, and contain support which manifests in the form of feedback from peers and instructors (Richardson, 2010, p. 10). Students standards heighten with the realization of their work being viewed by the public and blogs, wikis, and social communities offer new ways for individuals to publish work, as well as interact through platforms for teaching and learning. The prior MATLT Program course activity that demonstrates attainment of Program Learning Outcome 5 to exemplify ethical practices of technology usage is reflected through the EDU651 class: Collaboration and Learning in a Virtual Environment. One of the assignments was to create a blog or wiki; I chose to do both, linking both of them together, but focused more on the blog for the sake of this assignment. The link: http://danasblog4class.blogspot.com/ The wiki was already shown to the class in the Introduction and the wiki activity was detailed, revolving around To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1962). The blog is something that I created a year ago and chose to periodically update as I moved through this degree program. The last entry had been made in October 2012; however, I posted a blog this morning explaining the lapse of entries.

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The blog is designed to provide a glimpse into this program but I have used it for more than once class. My video that I created for EDU652 is also posted, although I uploaded the video to You Tube, as well. The actual blog is the redesigned activity. I changed my profile to reflect my new position with Department of Defense; my profile previously reflected my position with Fort Huachuca and the Department of the Army. My Masters program blog is not my first or only blog. Writing for pleasure is something I have not had much time to do as I maintain balance between work and classes. Many changes have taken place and those changes are in the subtleties of tone, sentence-structure, logic, and fine-tuning a design that others may not see. My inclination is to remove my video because of the length and lack of synchronicity in a few places. However, the blog details a journey with every entry and to remove evidence of that journey may infringe on the ethical practices which dictate this assignment. The integrity lies in knowing when to stop revising, at times. Online communities continue to grow, some outlive others, but the evolution of this type of collaboration continues. Businesses and schools are utilizing it. In fact, a trend of providing free materials for online education exists. I have learned more about wikis and blogs, and I realize that some discomfort of discovery is to be expected. Wikis and blogs can provide tools for projects and a collaborative work space to enhance the learning process through active learning, social interaction, and the construction of knowledge . . . [and] is dependent on a rich and relevant context (West and West, 2009, pp. 21-22). The Constructivist theory perpetuates this idea when merging an enriched lesson plan through context and content (p. 22). In addition, Learners build personal interpretation of the world based on experiences and interactions (Dabbagh, 2006). If the instructor assumes the role of provider for the context in which learning

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can occur, then the application of content through a wiki, blog, or any other means, will naturally promote the learning process. The structure of the lesson plan can easily reflect through a digital commons. According to West and West (2009), contextual learning takes place as readily through a wiki as anywhere else, if the educator considers four key behaviors: Being open, Peering, Sharing, and Acting Globally (p. 23). The openness to receive feedback from others, releasing the ego, realizing diversity and alternative approaches should be welcomed by each student. Receiving the peers, a willingness to work with teams, yet be self-motivated enough to work outside the classroom are essential for any type of success (p. 23). The exchange of ideas, goals, and rewards should be embraced, and remembering the global boundary of the wiki classroom brings responsibility even pride to complete a polished product (p. 23, pp. 27-29). These behaviors and skills promote integrity and trust between peers, and between educators and students. Remembering Blooms Taxonomy when creating a successful wiki project will enable the educator to create a project within those boundaries. Exhibit 2.1 of, Using wikis for online collaboration: The power of the read-write web (West and West, 2009, p. 33) provides a thorough table of reference that combines Knowledge Construction, Critical Thinking, and Contextual Application. When defining a wiki projects desired outcome, the objective can contextually apply knowledge that has either been gathered individually or provided through the wiki. Either a direct or indirect outcome can articulate expectations to students; using a wiki can support the structure (p. 37). Using wikis will enhance and support both the educator and the student. Blogs and wikis offer creative tools to design a basic theme and can allow freedom of movement for instructors, allowing for updates and new assignments. They provide an

ETHICAL PRACTICES opportunity for reflection and learning, offer ways to collaborate with fellow-students, and

contain support which manifests in the form of feedback from peers and instructors (Richardson, 2010, p. 10). Students standards heighten with the realization of their work being viewed by the public and blogs, wikis, and social communities offer new ways for individuals to publish work, as well as interact through platforms for teaching and learning.

ETHICAL PRACTICES References Dabbagh, N. (2006). Instructional design knowledge base. Retrieved from http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/IDKB/models_theories.htm Danas Blog. (2013). Retrieved from http://danasblog4class.blogspot.com/ Danas Wiki. (2013). Retrieved from http://danasmuse.pbworks.com/

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press. West, J. A. & West, M. L. (2009). Using wikis for online collaboration: The power of the readwrite web. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.