It has become a responsibility of educators, parents, guardians, and our greater community to protect our children from the Internet. The world-wide web is a powerful tool with limitless potential. The challenge facing all of us is to lead by example and partake in safe Internet practices.

I follow a number of websites that I recommend to anyone studying the topic. Check out, Common Sense Media and CyberTip.ca to get started.

When tasked with the challenge to produce a constructivist e-lesson in ETEC 530, Constructivist Strategies for E-Learning, I decided to create a project based lesson targeting Grade 11 media art students, entitled “Don’t Be A Victim”.

Constructivism is a learning theory which states that people construct their understanding based on experience and reflection. I believe that knowledge is constructed, and place value in constructivist learning strategies that are project, product, or problem based. I find these types of learning activities to be more meaningful for students. I have found that when the learning activity is personally relevant (as it often is in a constructivist lesson), and a student is genuinely interested, then the learning outcomes will inevitable improve.

You can click on the concept map that I produced using Cmap Software  that defines constructivism for me. To enlarge the image and to better familiarize yourself with the learning theory simply click on the icon below.

In the lesson, students create a web advertisements to protect young people from online predators and/or cyberbullying. The students work in teams to produce the advertisement and individually write a letter formally pitching their advertisement to the Internet Safety Coalition to review their understanding. Students are afforded the opportunity to reflect on the entire unit of study in a cumulative group activity. Please follow this link to visit the e-lesson, Don’t Be A Victim.

References

Avenia, T. (2012). Constructivist concept map [Masters project]. The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Avenia, T. (2012). Don’t be a victim: A constructivist lesson in grade 11 media arts [website]. Retrieved from http://blogs.ubc.ca/surfsafe/