Manaiakalani Staff PD - Cybersmart

This afternoon, we had our Staff PD with Manaiakalani facilitator Fiona Grant reminding us of incorporating 'Being Cybersmart' ethos within our teaching practice.  Manaiakalani celebrates its 10 years + of implementing and growing 'CyberSmart' in a 'Learn, create, share' context.  Outstanding!

As our schools are evolving and interchanging with covid-19 disruptions and hybrid learning, still with 21st Century skills (critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication) alongside 'cyber-smart' learning, this practice at an early stage in our learners education journey, will help develop and manage themselves as effective digital citizens. 

Manaiakalani have outlined 10 'smart' goals to assist our learners to manage or grow themselves in student engagement and agency.  Some of the Cybersmart learning such as 'Smart learners, smart media, smart relationships etc' can stand alone or integrate.

Within my class context, we have a tendency to  reinforce keeping a 'smart learner & smart footprint', as well as 'smart surfing'.  This prompt reminds the learner that they're using their google surfing for educational purposes/research, as well as locating appropriate authentic websites that will provide a genuine answers for their work.  Next it will inform all our learners that they're not invisible onsite and creating a classroom environment for 'smart learners'.  

Cybersmart online platforms

We have the few learners who deter away from staying focus on their work online.  A positive from 'cybersmart learning' is our learners watch out for each other, and gently prompt the other learners to be on the 'right place' site.

Most of our learners have been given choice to research topics of their own accord.  They've started to write/record sites that they've used to find their information.  This is reinforced that all information onsite must be 'attributed' or referenced for others to use the site.  

As of next year - will incorporate Cybersmart learning in my planning and take a look at other cybersmart ideas that will grow our learners not just in the classroom but in their own context.  

I wonder what the next 10 years will look like for our Cybersmart learners?