Spotlighting Digital Citizenship Week
Online safety, netiquette, digital footprints, critical thinking, copyright and fair use – today, the phrase “tech skills” means so much more than your long-ago typing class. Technology is opening up many doors for educators, but there are downsides and risks associated with having so much of our lives – and lesson plans – taking place online. Protect your students from cyberbullying, privacy invasions, tech addiction and more by spotlighting Digital Citizenship Week in your school.
Taking place the third week of October every year, Digital Citizenship Week provides students and families with the tools needed to make safe, smart and ethical choices in our increasingly complex digital world. “We are in an age where technology and social media are ubiquitous in students’ lives, so it’s absolutely critical they receive digital citizenship instruction in order to thrive in the connected age,” said Liz Kline, vice president of education programs for Common Sense – a nonprofit that provides free digital citizenship curriculum used in more than 50,000 schools nationwide.
Free Online Resources to Spotlight Digital Citizenship
To help you create a program spotlighting Digital Citizenship Week in your school, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best free online resources:
Common Sense Media Digital Passport: This program is designed to teach students in third, fourth and fifth grade digital citizenship skills through fun, interactive web-based games, videos and modules.
Common Sense Media Digital Compass: Teach sixth, seventh and eighth graders how to make good choices online using this choose-your-own-adventure style game.
Digital Citizenship App: Designed for a wide range of ages starting with middle school students, this app includes videos, games and quizzes that teach online safety, address cyberbullying and highlight the ethical use of online content.
Global Digital Citizen Foundation: Created by a non-profit organization, this website features extensive free resources for educators.
Cyberwise: This online resource hub features lesson plans and resources on digital citizenship for teachers.
Webonauts Internet Academy: This website features an online game for elementary school-aged students from PBS Kids.
Trace My Shadow: Show students their digital footprints based on the devices they use and how they use them with this educational website.
BrainPOP: Digital Citizenship: This website offers interactive activities, videos, quizzes, games and more on a variety of digital citizenship topics.
“We are in an age where technology and social media are ubiquitous in students’ lives, so it’s absolutely critical they receive digital citizenship instruction in order to thrive in the connected age.” Liz Kline, Vice President of Education Programs for Common Sense
Bulletin Board Inspiration
Share helpful digital well-being tips with anyone walking your halls by sharing this information on your school’s bulletin boards.
Bulletin Board Idea #1:
Be Cautious
- Do not click on pop-ups, particularly ones that ask for personal info
- Be careful about posting personal info online, including location, plans and habits
- Use only secure computers and trusted Wi-Fi connections to access sensitive info, like bank and social media accounts
Be Proactive
- Keep security software up-to-date to protect against malware infections
- Avoid ransomware by backing up files regularly
- Create one-of-a-kind passwords and enable them on tablets and smartphones
Be Selective
- Set your social media profiles to “private”
- Don’t accept friend or follow requests from people you don’t know
- Remember: what you post online will be there forever
Bulletin Board Idea #2:
Netiquette
Definition: Etiquette for the net
Rule of Thumb: If you wouldn’t do or say something in real life, don’t do it online either.
No matter what you’re doing online, it’s important to be respectful, polite and knowledgeable. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Never:
- Write in ALL CAPS
- Misinform others
- Forward chain letters
- Use sarcasm or behave rudely
- Disrespect opinions that differ from your own
- Get cute with text colors and fonts
- Be untruthful
- Share another person’s professional or personal information
- Use profanity or participate in hostile interactions
- Badmouth others
Always:
- Use proper language, grammar and spelling
- Be explanatory and credit the ideas of others
- Remember you are not anonymous
- Be polite, like you would be in person
- Respect privacy and diversity
- Be brief
- Communicate tactfully
- Represent yourself well at all times
- Obey copyright laws
- Be forgiving
Celebrate All You’ve Learned!
At the end of the week, take the opportunity to bring your school community together to celebrate! You can print out digital citizenship pledges and have everyone – even parents and teachers – pledge to act critically, responsibly and professionally online at all times. Here are some of our top new releases to entertain everyone in attendance:
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