Technology is rapidly changing how students learn, how they communicate, how they interact with the world, and how they work, yet schools are lagging behind in implementing technology in the classroom. Schools are not only struggling to keep up, but they also frequently focus on the possible misuse and abuse of digital communication and collaboration, such as bullying and plagiarism. How can teachers help students become responsible digital citizens? If teachers use digital communication in the classroom, they help students develop the workforce skills and industry-standard software proficiency they need to succeed in higher education or on the job. The use of digital communication and collaboration technology, often referred to as Web 2.0 technology, is well documented as an important learning tool for students of all ages (Richardson, 2006).
Here are some of the Digital Communication tools that can be used in the classroom:
- Video Conferencing
- Instant Messaging
- Text Messaging
- Blogs
- Wikis
Here are some examples of inappropriate digital communication
- Students use text messaging to cheat on test
- Students don’t use correct English when using instant messaging
Here are some examples of appropriate digital communication
- Blogging to discuss classroom topics
- Blogging to contact parents of class activities
- Instant messaging for students to communicate with teacher and classmates about assignments
- Video conferencing to bring teach outside of the classroom
Reference:
Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Tools for
Classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press
