Introduction
In a report of the Online Safety and Technology Working Group the internet environment for our children is described as part of the fabric of their world. “To youth, social media and technologies are not something extra added on to their lives; they’re embedded in their lives. Their offline and online lives have converged into one life. They are socializing in various environments, using various digital and real-life “tools,” from face-to-face gatherings to cell phones to social network sites, to name justa few (Youth Safety on a Living Internet).
Washington state’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) provides a list of various curriculum and websites to assist schools in helping students use the internet responsibly.
The Internet offers a wealth of resources and material for education. Accessed through a variety of electronic devices, it also allows for rich and diverse opportunities for 21st century communications. These devices are becoming ever more diverse and ubiquitous. They raise issues of digital / Internet safety and digital citizenship. Along with ensuring that our young people have the technological skills to effectively use digital devices, platforms, and resources for educational purposes, we also have the responsibility to teach them how to be safe and productive digital citizens of the 21st century (more on Digital/Internet Safety).
Check out the District Digital Literacy site
Ted Talk: “Filter Bubbles” (video)
Digital Citizenship: Using Technology Appropriately updated on 10-30-12
OSPI Sources
- Link here for curriculum resources. (PDF) Common Sense Media
- More form Common Sense Media http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/curriculum/9-12
- GetNetWise – links on privacy (website)