Ad4dcss/Digital Citizenship

GR 5-8 students will develop media literacy skills as they learn about the techniques of propaganda in sales commercials. They will brainstorm a new product and use Frames4 (animation and digital storytelling software) to create a 30-second commercial using at least two propaganda techniques.

Purdue University's Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance & Security (CERIAS) offers over a dozen classroom lesson plans and activities for K-12 students around topics related to digital security.

Four ideas for using Twitter with Students.

Although written to a corporate audience, there's much to be learned here on what information is/is not private on the internet. It would be a good class exercise for students to sleuth what information is known about their classmates and themselves.

A blogger recounts the story of a woman's search for a housekeeper. After checking the work resumes of the most promising candidates, she googled each person's name. The results illustrate the need to manage your personal identity online and could be used as a good teaching example for kids.

A California appeals court ruled that Internet threats posted on a 15-year-old boy's Web site are not protected free speech in what may be the state's first case to examine the boundaries between free expression and cyber-bullying. The appeals court majority ruled that the case can return to a lower court for trial because the Internet postings revealed a harmful intent that is not protected by the right of free speech.

The following articles originally appeared in one of ISTE's publications: our flagship magazine, Learning & Leading with Technology (L&L), the Journal of Research on Technology in Education, or the Journal of Research in Computing Education. This sampling of articles dealing with digital citizenship and related issues will be available to the general public for a limited time.

The author illustrates how he went about authenticating whether a Twitter plea for help (buried under rubble in Chile) was for real or a hoax. Great teachable moment not to believe everything you read. This story could be used to launch a classroom discussion.

Based on common sense and good judgment, cyberethics also includes obeying laws that apply to online behavior. When you practice cyberethics, you are more likely to have a safer and enjoyable Internet experience.

You're on the Web all the time: updating profiles, blogging, texting, downloading, gaming and shopping. You've heard, read or seen things about cyberbullying, sexting, scams, spam and posting stuff you shouldn't. And maybe you've learned a thing or two about how to be online and be safe and responsible while you're there. Share your story with Trend Micro. Your video could be worth $10,000!

Conventional wisdom about young people's use of digital technology often equates generational identity with technology identity: today's teens seem constantly plugged in to video games, social networks sites, and text messaging. Yet there is little actual research that investigates the intricate dynamics of youth's social and recreational use of digital media. Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out fills this gap, reporting on an ambitious three-year ethnographic investigation into how young people are living and learning with new media in varied settings-at home, in after school programs, and in online spaces.

being a citizen in today's society has very different issues and challenges, presented to the next generation at increasingly younger ages. "The ability to participate in a responsible way online is part of what kids have to learn about becoming responsible members of the public."

During today's SXSW keynote, social media research Danah Boyd, who works for Microsoft Research New England and is a fellow at Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, talked about online privacy. Specifically, she focused on how users can navigate issues around online privacy and how developers can help them to do so.

With the proliferation of cell phones in our society and the onslaught of new ways to use your cell phones, consumers are becoming increasingly confused about setting boundaries. We hope our guidelines will help people better avoid and recognize "cell phone faux-pas". The guidelines are based on comprehensive annual surveys on cell phone etiquette and behavior dating back to 2000.

Student handouts and support materials for teachers on cyberbullying from the Anti Defamation League.

Cyberethics curriculum and lesson plan created for elementary and middle school teachers by the Department of Justice

From the Business Software Alliance (BSA.) Computers make it easy to make copies of computer software, pictures, words, movies and songs. But copyright laws make it illegal to copy the creative work without the owner's permission. Making copies of a work protected by copyright is just like stealing. The B4UCopy educational curriculum program, available for free download, has a goal of raising awareness of copyright laws and reinforce responsible behavior online.