Communicate

Online communication happens quickly and easily using digital tools. A social media post can be created, shared and archived in seconds. A benefit to online sharing is the basis of connected learning (Ito, 2013). Connected learning is social in nature and involves individuals creating and sharing knowledge through platforms on Web 2.0. Connected learning allows for users to fully participate and share their ideas on a global stage (Cea & Rimington, 2017). However, a negative aspect of social learning is that each post shared becomes a permanent record. Educators in their professional capacity must communicate using responsible and respectful language and content. They must filter their posts through the eyes of administrators, students and parents. 

Educators must consider if and how they will communicate electronically with students and parents. The school board procedure recommends that electronic communication only happens between 8 am and 4 pm, during regular school day hours. The Ontario College of Teacher outlines expectation of professional conduct and includes the following:

• Use professional language when communicating online in digital spaces.
• Practice reflection to determine if the post reflects poorly on the educator as a professional.
• Educators must model the behaviour that is expected from students.

Adhering to communication recommendations ensures that educators are following guidelines from the professional governing body. 

Communicating online in a learning management system also requires educators to consider fair use, copyright and creative commons license. Educators must know how to identify online resources that are reliable and fact-check online resources to ensure accuracy (Stripling, 2010). Educators must understand the guidelines outlined by these licencing agreements and practice ethical instructional methods. Each country has different guidelines and sets of rules, it is important to know where to access these resources and refer to them when questions arise. The country of Canada has a website to find information regarding copyright law. 

Educators have the right to use content under Fair Dealings Guidelines. Fair Dealings allow for exceptions under the Canadian Copyright laws. It allows educators to share copyrighted material for classroom teaching without the owner’s permission or payment (Center for Media and Social Impact, n.d.). Fair dealings can be claimed when the cultural or social benefits of the content use are predominant. Whenever possible, educators must cite the resources they use to provide instruction. Proper attribution of work models digital citizenship practices for students. Fair dealings do have restrictions, the clause allows for educators to use copyrighted material for face-to-face teaching activities, in a publicly funded school, in a classroom or similar learning space for instructional purposes. 

Creative Commons licence knowledge awareness is important to 21st-century teaching and learning. Creative Commons licences are the best place to start searching for resources (Morris, 2020). Under a Creative Commons licence, materials can be shared online to be reused, remixed and reused. It allows information to freely flow on the internet and benefits learning and teaching using Web 2.0 (Fitzgerald & Hooper, 2013). There are six different Creative Commons licences and over 50 countries are participating and there are four conditions for licencing – attribution, share like, noncommercial and no derivative works (Johnson, 2009). Educators need to know about Creative Commons licences as 21 st century teachers and learners. Awareness of copyright rules and regulations is the first step in modelling the behaviour of students.