Civility & Tone
in Digital Communications
Presented by
Jon Oestreich, Wisconsin Virtual School
John Englander, The Virtual High School
Kirsten Wilson, Virtual Arkansas
Candice McPherson, Virtual Arkansas
Civil Discourse Padlet URL:
Civil Discourse Padlet QR Code
Session Description and Objectives:
Civil digital communication with appropriate tone can be taught and reinforced through learning management system tools such as discussion boards, blogs, wikis or Twitter-like features.
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Learning Targets:
Session Learning Objective #1
Session Learning Objective #2
Session Learning Objective #3
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Warning
The next slide may internally trigger an emotional response.
The emotional response may result in a behavioral response or sound.
Yet, this is reality.
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Consider this image as we discuss the next slides
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(Quan, 2016)
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So…
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Standardize your practice
I am considering placement of this slide. Is this the answer to previou discussion point about why it’s important? Should we trade this with the slides toward the bottom that deal with the specific standard?
General Standard 3: Assessment and Measurement
Assessments are integral to the learning process and are designed to evaluate learner progress in achieving the stated learning objectives and mastering the competencies..
Overview Statement:
Assessment is implemented in a manner that corresponds to the course learning objectives or competencies and not only allows the instructor a broad perspective on the learners mastery of content but also allows learners to track their learning progress throughout the course.
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Rubric based assessment to teach behavior?
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Analogy-
Specific Review Standard 3.1 Annotation Excerpt:
Assessments allow for evidence to confirm student mastery of the learning objectives or competencies. The breadth, depth and rigor of formative and summative assessments provide scaffolding and evidence of student mastery of objectives or competencies. learning.
Here are examples of objective/assessment alignment:
Assessments are paced to give learners adequate time to demonstrate mastery and complete work in a thoughtful manner.
Alignment Specific Review Standard.. Applies to K-12 & K-12 Publisher
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What is Civil Discourse?
Why is it important?
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Think before you react, then react
with honesty, clarity, and respect.
Instead of habitual, automatic reactions, . . .. We are led to express ourselves with honesty and clarity, while simultaneously paying others a respectful and empathetic attention.
-Marshall B. Rosenberg, PhD
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life
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“
Text
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(Dold, 2013)
Demonstrate the behavior you expect
Standard 3.1 Annotation:
Online interactions show evidence of civil discourse and being a good digital citizen.
What do you think?
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Scaffold assessments to allow behavior, instructive feedback, and learner learner modification.
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Rubric measures behavior
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Considerations:
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Learner’s civility towards other perspectives:
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Learner’s tone towards peers:
Discussion board prompt:
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Learner’s tone is considerate of others beliefs:
Learn demonstrates civil peer interaction:
Discussion board prompt:
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Putting it to the test!
Our Journey
“Vygotsky (1962) suggested that thinking develops into words in a number of phases, moving from imaging to inner speech to inner speaking to speech. Tracing this idea backward, speech—talk—is the representation of thinking. As such, it seems reasonable to suggest that classrooms should be filled with talk, given that we want them filled with thinking!”
(Fisher, 2008.)
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Taking Risks and Sharing
Changes to Policy
We must formally change from a locked down communication structure to more open student to student interactions with certain boundaries. We also must move our focus on prevention of issues to practice of Digital Citizenship.
Implementation
We want to provide professional development to incorporate depth of knowledge and academic discourse with an emphasis on modeling positive student/student interaction.
We plan to incorporate rubrics for civil discourse.
Next Steps
Have teams create rubrics.
Revise policy statements.
Incorporate DC in student orientation module.
Provide PD for teachers and staff.
Prepare to support admin with response to issues.
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Tools that can be built/utilized
Through what specific tools will we implement civil discourse?
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Reflection
Text and interactive (mentimeter?)
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Resources
The following slides provide resources to think through and engage in more civil discourse in your program.
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Quality Matters Specific Review Standard 3.1:
The types of assessments in the course measure the stated learning objectives or competencies, and are consistent with course activities and resources.
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Meet and Greet Discussion Board & Rubric
Additional text
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Sample #1
Meet and Greet Discussion Board & Rubric
Scaffold
Additional text
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Sample #2
General rubric categories to diverse set of question prompts:
Additional text
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Sample #3�Categories are similar yet, point value modified
Additional text
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Discussion board prompt:
Additional text
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Civil Discourse Padlet URL:
Civil Discourse Padlet QR Code
Cited Sources
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Quan, D. (2016, September 28). Clinton and Trump, beyond words: What the handshakes, smiles, grimaces, pointing and sniffles revealed. Retrieved December 31, 2018, from https://nationalpost.com/news/world/clinton-and-trump-beyond-words-what-the-handshakes-smiles-grimaces-finger-pointing-and-sniffles-revealed
Civil discourse. (2017, December 13). Retrieved November 9, 2018, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_discourse#cite_note-2
Dold, J. (2013, February 15). Discussion Board Etiquette. Retrieved December 31, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVqWcrMPxfY&feature=youtu.be
Rosenberg, M. (2015). Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life (3rd ed.). Puddle Dancer Press.
Fisher, Douglas, et al. “Chapter 1. Why Talk Is Important in Classrooms.” How Student Progress Monitoring Improves Instruction - Educational Leadership, ASCD, 2008, www.ascd.org/publications/books/108035/chapters/Why-Talk-Is-Important-in-Classrooms.aspx.
Thanks!
Please connect with us:
Jon Oestreich joestreich@cesa9.org @wiwdlc
John Englander jenglander@VHSLearning.org @goVHS
Kirsten Wilson kirsten.wilson@virtualarkansas.org @teachkiwi
Candice McPherson candice.mcpherson@virtualarkansas.org @VirtualArkansas
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Sample learner-learner interaction:
Additional text
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Sample learner-learner interaction
in context:
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Sample learner-learner interaction:
Additional text
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The relative importance for Civil Discourse spans history and discipline(s)
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The language of dispassionate objectivity
Kenneth J. Gergen describes civil discourse as "the language of dispassionate objectivity", and suggests that it requires respect of the other participants, such as the reader. It neither diminishes the other's moral worth, nor questions their good judgment; it avoids hostility, direct antagonism, or excessive persuasion; it requires modesty and an appreciation for the other participant's experiences.
(Civil discourse, 2017.)
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Civil vs. Philosophical
In Book III of An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690), John Locke contrasts between civil and philosophical discourse (or rhetorical discourse) with the former being for the benefit of the reader, and the public good:
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“First, By, their civil use, I mean such a communication of thoughts and ideas by words, as may serve for the upholding common conversation and commerce, about the ordinary affairs and conveniences of civil life, in the societies of men, one amongst another.”
“Secondly, By the philosophical use of words, I mean such a use of them as may serve to convey the precise notions of things, and to express in general propositions certain and undoubted truths, which the mind may rest upon and be satisfied with in its search after true knowledge. These two uses are very distinct; and a great deal less exactness will serve in the one than in the other, as we shall see in what follows.”
(Civil discourse, 2017)
In summary civil discourse is:
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