Ad4dcss/Digital Citizenship

Security pros cringe as their users download software for personal use, turn off firewalls to speed up a connection, or leave their passwords stuck to their laptops.Wouldn't it be nice if you could give end users a list of the most dangerous things they do online every day, and then tell them why those activities are particularly risky? The following is our list of "The Ten Most Dangerous Things Users Do Online," along with some explanation of the risks - and solutions - associated with each.

Gives students the real facts about their digital rights and responsibilities to fight against the entertainment industry's intimidation curriculum that frightens students into believing that making copies is wrong.

This curriculum, from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, is designed to give teachers a comprehensive set of tools to educate students about copyright while incorporating activities that exercise a variety of learning skills. Lesson topics include: the history of copyright law; the relationship between copyright and innovation; fair use and its relationship to remix culture; peer-to-peer file sharing; and the interests of the stakeholders that ultimately affect how copyright is interpreted by copyright owners, consumers, courts, lawmakers, and technology innovators.

Cox Communications commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a survey among U.S. teens ages 13-18. Key objectives of this study were to: *Examine teen's online and cell phone behavior, specifically regarding: * Sending sexually suggestive text messages ore emails * Bullying others online or by text message *Understand the relationship between teens and their parents regarding parental controls for the Internet *Uncover how and why teens go online on their cell phone
Download the complete 60-page report.

An Internet safety study (PDF) just released by Cox Communications shows that teens may be a bit more safety conscious than previously thought. The survey, which was done by Harris Interactive, asked 655 13- to 18-year-olds about their online and cell phone behavior, specifically addressing issues of cyberbullying and sexting. The study was in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and "America's Most Wanted Host" John Walsh.

A new survey on kids in cyberspace finds that one in five teens have "sexted" - sent or received sexually suggestive, nude or nearly nude photos through cellphone text messages or e-mail. Most teens who sexted sent the photos to girlfriends or boyfriends, but 11% sent them to strangers, according to the study made public today by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Cox Communications. Of teens who sext, 80% are under 18, the survey found.

A new survey on kids in cyberspace finds that one in five teens have "sexted" - sent or received sexually suggestive, nude or nearly nude photos through cellphone text messages or e-mail.Most teens who sexted sent the photos to girlfriends or boyfriends, but 11% sent them to strangers, according to the study made public today by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Cox Communications. Of teens who sext, 80% are under 18, the survey found.

If you're attending NECC and have an interest in Digital Citizenship topics, here are some workshops and sessions you'll want to attend:

Caught part of this on WBEZ yesterday morning and thought it might be a useful resource.

One problem that faces children today takes place not in school, but in cyberspace. Writer Kathe Telingator has this tale of dealing with an anonymous bully.\n

One problem that faces children today takes place not in school, but in cyberspace. Writer Kathe Telingator has this tale of dealing with an anonymous bully.

In April 2008, Gov. Steve Beshear signed House Bill 91, often referred to as "The Golden Rule Act." The measure is aimed at protecting Kentucky's students by requiring "bullying" policies in the state's public schools. "This legislation hits home for many children, teens and their parents," said Gov. Beshear. "By prohibiting bullying and harassment among students, The Golden Rule Act will help protect Kentucky's most valuable resource, our children."

A bill passed earlier this year makes it mandatory for Pennsylvania school districts to have a written anti-bullying policy in place beginning next year.

CoSN Receives MacArthur Grant: Exploring Policy and Leadership Barriers to Effective Use of Web 2.0 in Schools
The $450,000 grant began July 1st and over the coming year CoSN will focus on the following key objectives:
1.Identify findings from existing empirical research relevant to the use of new media in schools and the barriers to their adoption and scalability.
2. Assess the awareness, understanding, and perspectives of U.S. educational leaders (superintendents, district curriculum and technology directors/CTOs) and policymaker's on the role, problems, and benefits of new media in schools within a participatory culture context.
3. Investigate and document the organizational and policy issues that are critical obstacles for the effective deployment of new media.
4. Develop a concise report of findings and construct an action plan for intervention.

How To Get Around Blocked Web Sites at School or Work: A Newbie Guide.. Site provides information on how to get around blocked filters at school.

Learn how to turn on Google's SAFE SEARCH filtering.

Revised federal archiving rules raise legal, logistical challenges.

Congress has authorized a new federal research center that will be charged with helping to develop innovative ways to use digital technology at schools and in universities. The National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies was included as part of the latest reauthorization Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader of the Higher Education Act, approved last month. President Bush signed the law on Aug. 14. The center will be charged with supporting research and development of new education technologies, including internet-based technologies. It will also help adapt techniques already widely used in other sectors, such as advertising and the military, to classroom instruction.

The effects of bullying go beyond the school yard. For you as a parent, here's what to watch for, what you can do, and where you can go to get help. From the Ministry of Education [Ontario, Canada]

In 2002, The No Child Left Behind Act said that students should be technologically literate by the end of the 8th grade. Texas developed a long list of specific technology skills students should know, but nobody has required that students learn them. "We have a difficult time finding the time for the students to be taught these technology skills since teachers have to focus on preparing students for the TAKS test," said Mark Gabehart, AISD's technology chief.

One of the most anticipated days in the history of social networking site Facebook has finally come: the company announced today that it has begun making status messages, photos and videos visible to the public at large by default instead of being visible only to a user's approved friends.

What are the characteristics we would expect to see in a successful 21st century educator? Well, we know they are student-centric, holistic, and they're teaching about how to learn as much as teaching about the subject area. We know, too, that they must be 21st century learners as well.

The results of a survey showing that 35 percent of middle school and high school students with cell phones have used them to cheat at school is indeed alarming. And perhaps more alarming is the finding that nearly a quarter of the students don't even think it's cheating. Cheating is cheating regardless of whether you use technology or old-fashioned paper notes. I'm appalled that kids may be using technology to cheat in school, but I'm just as appalled at how schools are cheating kids when it comes to technology.