Digital Citizenship in Schools

"A federal government discussion paper has proposed the creation of a children's e-safety commissioner to help protect children from cyber-bullying on social media. However not everyone agrees on the proposal, which opponents say is a slippery slope to government censorship, writes Damien Carrick."

"Researcher danah boyd is obsessed with how teenagers use the Internet. For the legions of adults who are worried about them, that's a good thing."

"When it comes to understanding how teens use social media, there's perhaps no one more clued in than Danah Boyd, except maybe teens themselves. An ethnographer with a Ph.D. in information from the University of California at Berkeley, she has spent the last eight years speaking with and observing teens from all walks of life."

Excellent ongoing resources and developments at this site. A free digital citizenship curriculum and eBooks

Data permanence and responsible use of technology - great themes in this article and the new book available called The New Digital Age.

"An interview with danah boyd, author of It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens."

"The latest social media application to stir up controversy among teens has prompted one Lincoln Park school to ask students to delete Yik Yak and parents to make sure their child doesn't reinstall it."

"Last November, a young man was ordered by a NSW court to pay A$105,000 in damages for defaming a teacher at his former school on Twitter. The decision, which only came to light earlier this week, should serve as a reminder to all users of the legal risks involved in using social media."

"What does privacy mean in an age of ongoing privacy breaches? With new privacy law coming online in Australia on March 12, our Privacy in Practice series explores the practical challenges facing Australian business and consumers in a world rethinking privacy."

"We are thrilled to announce the release of our entire Digital Literacy and Citizenship Curriculum as a set of eight interactive, multimedia iBooks Textbooks, available for free in the iBooks Store. As schools implement 1-to-1 programs, increasing student access to technology at school and at home, it's more important than ever to teach digital citizenship skills."

Some tools that may be useful for Assignment 1.

"If you've scratched your head over suggestions to manage your "digital footprint," you aren't the only one. A surprisingly large percentage of people have never even heard the phrase, let alone thought about how to manage theirs responsibly. Among students, the percentage is probably higher. We'll talk about ways you can help students understand and manage their digital footprints before they get themselves in trouble."

After reading this article, I asked my 10 year old if he knows what his 'digital footprint' is...I was surprised that he did. It is vital to teach people about their footprint at a younger age, so they have time to be thoughtful about their digital lives.

"There are days I just hate technology. Just when I think I'm ahead of my kids, up pops another ridiculously stupid app like Yik Yak. The latest app to make news, Yik Yak allows users to comment anonymously-because you know, who needs to take responsibility for their words, right? I've read a couple of blogs about it, too-great takes from Portrait of an Adoption,  Baby Sideburns and Tween Us. And then there's the schools, at least locally, trying to get the app disabled. Good luck with that. Because here's the thing. The app developers only care about one thing-and it's not your kid."

"What does privacy mean in an age of ongoing privacy breaches? With new privacy law coming online in Australia on March 12, our Privacy in Practice series explores the practical challenges facing Australian business and consumers in a world rethinking privacy."

My presentation from the recent OzeLive online conference

"The growing privacy industry isn't changing the fact that most people are products sold to advertisers - it's just changing the way they are sold."

Students in Gr 1 at Frederica Academy, Georgia USA introduce themselves to partners in the K-2 Building Bridges to Tomorrow, Flat Connections project http://flatconnections.com

"Subscribers should be cautious about using free wireless hotspots. In particular, you should avoid sending sensitive or personal information over these untrusted networks. Free wi-fi hotspots can be found in coffee shops and public establishments, offering convenient internet access over a wireless connection. You can connect to these hotspots using devices such as mobile phones or laptops with wireless capabilities. However, it is important to be aware that most of these hotspots are unsecured, meaning that all the information you send across them is vulnerable."