Photo by Josh Rose on Unsplash

Last week Jesse Miller of Mediated Reality gave a guest lecture on online identity and responsibility. The talk generated discussion among our cohort later, including critiques and pushback. Here, however, are my takeaways – things that resonated with me.

  1. Kids don’t check their phones while playing soccer. This was an anecdote at the beginning of the talk. My takeaway is that when we are really engaged in in-person, offline activities, then yes, we don’t have the urge to check our phones. In small classes with authentic conversations, presentations, or activities, yes, I feel the same. For example, in my teaching art class of 10 people, I never check my phone during class. But what about big classes? It’s hard to engage a huge group.
  2. Classrooms are an ideal place to engage with questions about online activity. This ties into another takeaway, that expectations and boundaries can empower students. I think we all want to know what is expected of us, and what we can expect from others. Choosing norms and culture around phones and social media, for example, can help support the social “container” of the classroom.
  3. Engagement and entertainment are very different. If students are going online to entertain themselves, especially during our classes, something is missing. If students are going online with intention, to use tools, communicate, share, research, etc., then they are developing themselves. I can feel that difference myself. Entertainment can feel good, but not all the time.
  4. Understand school expectations to avoid being broadsided. This is an ongoing lesson that is coming up in multiple classes – err on the side of clarity. Find out what your district, school, and fellow teachers expect in terms of online behaviour, communication, and communication with parents, and ask for permission from admin and parents when doing new things. This will mean that as teachers we can avoid being broadsided by an unexpected reaction.