I am currently attending the American Educational Research Association in Denver, Colorado to present some of my research on reflexivity as well as to learn more about current and emerging trends in science and environmental education.

Perusing the program, I noticed a session on digital media, and to my surprise, saw that Howard Gardner of Harvard University, and the famed multiple intelligences construct was presenting.  Below are some of the ideas presented as well as some of my impressions from the session.  My impressions, interpretations and elaborations are noted in parethesis.

Gardner discussed the ethical implications of youth involvement with social media.  He felt there were five issues that were involved for youth (followed by my interpretation and elaboration on some of his ideas):

• Sense of identity (Who am I? What is my role? Am I a different person online?)
• Privacy (Do I recognize that anything I post has the potential to be viewed by anyone?)
• Ownership and authorship (Do I recognize that I am responsible for the things I say?)
• Trustworthiness and credibility (Am I perceived as an honest, trustworthy person)
• Participating in a community (Where am I a member?)

Participating in a community underlies and connects all of the other issues.  The way children think about their membership in a community is important.  Their behaviors have consequences, both positive and negative.  However, the way they think and the way they behave while using social media varies greatly.  Gardner suggested three ways of thinking:

• Consequential thinking (what happens if I  . . . this is where most high school students are)
• Moral thinking (I belong to a “community.” If I violate the rules of my community, I am likely to get into trouble)
• Ethical thinking (What does it mean to be a member or a citizen? What are my rights and my responsibilities in this society?)

 So, as educators where do we go?  One of Gardner’s most significant points is that teens don’t have digital ethical role models.  How true!  They are often so much more inculcated into the digital society than adult leaders.  So what is the role for the role models?  Gardner summarized with the 5 “E”s.  My ideas below are “need-“ I know that’s a bit preachy, but these are really more food-for-thought ideas of where the teaching profession can evolve.

• Excellence (Educators need to know what we are doing well in digital social environments.  We need to be members of the community of practice.)
• Engaged (We need to participate in social media, but then develop effective ways of using social media to promote learning, both cognitive, and social-behavioral)
• Ethical (We need to be responsible for our actions, but we also need to communicate how to be responsible.  i.e., students can have discourse, but they should “respectfully disagree,” not assault and bully)
• Empathy (Compassion at any level is important, it’s a societal responsibility – teach it and live it!)
• Equity (We need to be fair-mindedness)