Included in the Digital Tips Advent Calendar and part of the Effective Technology Integration category
“We all need someone who inspires us to do better than we know how.” ~ Anonymous
Technology has changed the way we interact with the world and each other. Our students are participating in rituals that are vastly different than our experiences. Being connected and sharing information about their personal lives is a part of their social exchanges and norms. They are expected to be connected and they are expected to share and they are sharing more than in the past. According to a Pew Study, published in 2013, 91% of teens reported posting a photo of themselves on social networks, 71% had posted their school name, and 71% had posted the city or town where they live (Madden, Lenhart, Cortesi, Gasser, et. al., 2013).
Unfortunately, many schools worldwide do not allow learners to bring their devices or participate in social networks. Many schools ban access to Youtube, Facebook, and other social networks. Additionally, most curricula does not include teaching digital literacy or online safety. This means many of our learners have not learned how to properly communicate or behave online, which has lead to cyberbullying, sexting, etc. Below are a few ideas and resources to help you teach your learners about digital safety.
- Hands-on digital literacy projects by Andy Marcinek- This is an entire curriculum with engaging projects for students to learn to be good digital citizens.
- A Platform for Good has free flash cards to spark conversation and reflection. My favorite resource is their Digital Citizenship cards and coupons for parents that helps reinforce what they learn in class.
- Brain Pop Jr. Internet Safety- a short animated video that could be used as a discussion starter about cyber-safety.
- Common Sense with Phineas and Ferb- another short video about cyber-safety.
- Generation Safe- Have access to an entire curriculum for teaching cyber-safety and digital literacy.
- Facebook posting reflection poster
- Digital Safety Infographic about Posting Photos
- That’s Not Cool Two Sided Story Videos
- That’s Not Cool website
- E-Safety resources by Simon Finch
- E-Saftey Through ELT recorded presentation by Sophia Mavridi
- Manners Matter Infographic
- Digital Citizenship Flashcards
- Webonauts Academy- As new recruits to the Webonauts Internet Academy‚ on a satellite space station‚ players are sent on a training mission on planet Bambu. While there‚ they encounter a mysterious enemy‚ The Great Static‚ who is set on stealing the Bamdudes’ cookie recipe (they are the best cookie makers in the Universe). During the course of the game‚ players receive on-the-job training and help the Bamdudes and save their cookie recipe!
- Netsmartz Kids- Various adventure games to teach Internet safety
- Safety Land- As Captain Broadband you must rid the town of a villain who is spamming people with messages. Seek out the villain, answer quiz questions, and earn points.
- A list of more cyber-safety games
