Digital Citizenship in Schools

You may already have come across this link on the OZTL_Net. I'm adding this short video to my Digital Citizenship teaching program. It's simple and informative.

No! You can't just take it! No! You can't take it, because you found it on Google! No! You can't just right click>save>use, just because you can! No! You can't just pretend that you created it! No! You can't make money off my work that I shared FREELY under certain conditions! No! You can't just take it…even in the name of education! No! You can't just take it… even if AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE you are a teacher!

"Online privacy is a big issue, and the increasing popularity of social networks have only aided in adding fuel to the fire of this debate. But whether you're running a business online and don't want your accounts being hacked or you simply enjoy being active online and don't want your personal information or banking details being stolen, there are steps you can take to protect your privacy and more effectively secure your accounts."

"A study last year revealed that nearly half of parents believe their teens tell them everything they do online, while 70 percent of teens revealed they have ways to avoid parental monitoring. In this fact lies the irony. Teens trick their parents in the following ways:"

"The folks in Common Sense Media have designed this beautiful poster for you to print and use in your classroom. The poster is an excellent guide for students to help them make the right informed decisions when it comes to photo sharing."

A range of digital citizenship resouces - provided by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

School systems are still being far too reactive in their social media policies (some do not even have one). Outside of schools, students are 'on and connected' to virtual environments and social networks. Teachers must embrace these technologies inside and outside of the classroom to have a meaningful connection with their students and promote collaboration amongst students. Too many improprieties are occurring because the rules of collaboration are unclear and the power of online collaboration and communication goes untapped. Parents, teachers, and school leaders have a responsibility to guide students through understanding the characteristics of a global digital citizenship. "

"Here is a handy cheat sheet made particularly for those of you who think they are not tech-savvy enough to carry out internet control safety planning for their kids. Check it out and share with us what you think of it. Enjoy"

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has launched a guide to being positive about digital engagement'' rather than being a wary Internet user. The Guide facilitates confident online engagement by citizens through identifying three principles which reflect the required values, skills and knowledge: Engage positively: exercise your rights and responsibilities as a digital citizen Know your online world: learn new skills and digital technologies Choose consciously: take charge of how you interact online.

"I'm pretty sure that we're all aware of computer hackers. The real shocker comes with just how easy it is for hackers to steal your information. Today's infographic lets us regular folk know just how easy it is for our information to be tracked and potentially stolen. I have personally been guilty of being too trusting of public routers.  Since I don't have internet at home, I'll spend HOURS surfing the net, and getting personal things done at Mcdonalds, where the internet is free for the public to use. But not after reading today's infographic! It's crazy to realize that this entire time someone could have been cyber stalking my information! I'm going to have to beef up my antivirus and keep my internet time to a minimum. Seriously, for your personal and financial safety, read today's infographic and be protect your computer. The facts in today's infographic are too scary to ignore!"

"It's Not Paranoia: The Internet Knows More Than You Think"

"Protecting kids online is no easy job, especially since the best way to keep them safe is to lessen the protectionist urge and empower them to explore at will."

"LETTERBOX has been looking into the effects that the digital age is having on younger minds and has generated the fascinating infographic below that's teeming with interesting details. For example, did you know that there are more than 5 million users below the age of ten on Facebook, despite the minimum age requirement being 13? Of these users, over 200,000 of them are aged six or younger. These statistics and others listed below all point to the incredible fact that the average age for a child to start regularly consuming online media is now only 8-years-old."

"Individuals who are not digitally literate are at a disadvantage when it comes to interacting with others and being employed in the 21st century.  But ignorance of the appropriate use of digital technologies can cause serious personal problems as well."

This is an interesting post on how teachers and students can evaluate their technology use using the SAMR model of Dr Ruben Puentedura. The goal is to be using technology to create new ways of learning rather than just as a replacement for older ways of learning, researching, creating and sharing.

"People complain that they want privacy, and then they put all their information up on Facebook. Thus, hacking is ultra-easy. I have seen teenagers post pictures of their first credit card, then a month later their new college student I.D. These kids are so excited to have signs of growing up, but as we grow up our lives need to be more private to guard from hackers. Now I am a culprit of being very relaxed about my online privacy, meaning, I have the same password for multiple sites, I use my high school name as my clue, and the name of my high school is on Facebook somewhere. So hack away, I look forward to meeting the person who decides to take up my identity!"