Tool # 10

Three things I want to make sure my students understand about being a good digital citizens:
1. It is important to include lessons of courtesy, respect, and privacy before students post - whether they are writing or chatting on-line.  Their written words cannot be taken back once posted.
2. Another important lesson is on the right to privacy.  This is a privilege we all have as citizens and as such this privilege should be protected.  We should treat people's privacy the way we want our privacy to be treated and respected.
3. Also, importance should be placed on discussions about using digital information safely and legally with regards to copyright and documenting sources to avoid plagiarism, whether on purpose or accidental.

I went on the Ed Tech webpage and checked out the chart on resources for digital citizenship.  I checked out the You Tube video for grades 3-5 and it led me to other You Tube videos about internet safety.  I embedded a video I think would be engaging for middle school students.

There are so many facets to cover in teaching digital citizenship to students.  I think my week of lessons would start with internet safety first.  How do students know they are on a safe and trusted site?  How do they not share personal information when setting up profiles for using while at school?  How do they keep their personal privacy safe?  Then I would do another lesson on cyberbullying - including what it is, what to do if you are a target of cyberbullying, and how to not become a cyberbully.  A third lesson would be on the SBISD Acceptable Use Policy and what all it entails including consequences for breaking those rules.  Next I would go into the Copyright and Fair Use Policies discussing and getting students to understand what happens if they plagiarize.  Finally, we would go into internet etiquette and talk about appropriate ways to respond to other people while on the internet.

As many of my colleagues have already mentioned in their posts, I would go over how we are going to use the internet for researching, responding, and blogging in my classroom.  I will share the Parent Pledge for Digital Citizenship with parents and the Child Pledge for Digital Citizenship with my students.  Both of these documents can be found at: http://digitalcitizenship.net/Home_Page.html.  I would also provide additional copies of the SBISD Acceptable Use Policy and collect signed copies for my classroom files.