Lesson: Creating Netiquette Rules

Details

Subject: Information Technology Systems
Grade: 11
Tools: YouTube, AnswerGarden, Google Docs, tricider
Focus Question: What is appropriate on-line?

The Lesson

The lesson started watching Beaker's Ballard on YouTube.

We then used AnswerGarden to garner students' experience about inappropriate behaviour on the web.

The concept of Netiquette was introduced by introduce by Will (he's a high school junior) via Youtube. This was expanded on by "The Core Rules of Netiquette" provided by Albion.

The class was then challenged to collaboratively summarise this into a "Netiquette 10 Commandments". Originally this was done using typewith.me, but now I would choose to create a Google Document.

Finally, the video "How to Follow Proper Netiquette Rules" showed the students how generalised 'commandments' can be distilled down to very specific rules. The students were then asked to create specific rules and post them to tricider.

Follow up

For homework students were asked to check over the rules that had been posted on tricider, and vote on them.

Just another technology

"Low-tech Texting..." by Jon Mott (licensed CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The introduction of new technologies into the classroom always presents new challenges in behaviour management, but maybe the adjustment is not as big as it first seems.

Technology may continuously change, but student behaviour remains constant. Therefore, use the skill you have developed over the years to address the behaviour not the technology. This frame of mind enables you to approach ICT use in your classroom with your normal classroom management techniques.

Draw Parallels

The way I apply this methodology is is to draw parallels between the ICT behaviour and the non-ICT behaviour. Since I was far from a model student, I may have the advantage of personal familiarity with the non-ICT behaviours, but I'm sure that you will recognise them from your time in front of the class. Below are some examples.

• Texting - Passing notes
• Online chatting - Passing notes
• Playing computer games - Playing tic-tac-toe or dots-and-dashes
• Watching YouTube - Staring out the window
• Surfing the web - Reading a book
• Cyber-bullying - Bullying

Once, the parallel has been draw between the behaviours, then it's a short step to applying your classroom management techniques.