Good [and bad] news travels fast online, and without some forethought, kids can find themselves in tricky situations that have lasting consequences. The solve? Learning how to share with those they know and those they don’t.
- Encourage thoughtful sharing by treating online communication like face-to-face communication; if it isn’t right to say, it isn’t right to post.
- Create guidelines about what kind of communication is [and isn’t] appropriate.
- Keep personal details about family and friends private.
It’s important to help kids become aware that people and situations online aren’t always as they seem. Discerning between what’s real and what’s fake is a very real lesson in online safety.
- If statements about “winning” or getting something for “free” feel too good to be true, they most likely are.
- Fair exchanges shouldn’t involve giving away any personal information.
- Always think critically before acting online and learn to trust your intuition. Be on guard for phishing attempts—efforts to steal information like login or account details by pretending to be a trusted contact in an email, text, or other online communication.
Personal privacy and security are just as important online as they are offline. Safeguarding valuable information helps kids avoid damaging their devices, reputations, and relationships.
- Make it memorable, but avoid using personal information like names or birthdays.
- Use a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers.
- R3pl@ce le++ers wit# sYmb0ls & n^mb3rs 1ike Thi$.
- Do not use the same password on multiple sites.
- Create a few different variations of the same password for different accounts.
The Internet is a powerful amplifier that can be used to spread positivity or negativity. Kids can take the high road by applying the concept of “treat others as you would like to be treated” to their actions online, creating positive impact for others and disempowering bullying behavior.
- Use the power of the Internet to spread positivity.
- Stop the spread of harmful or untrue messages by not passing them on to others.
- Respect others’ differences.
- Block mean-spirited or inappropriate behavior online.
- Make an effort to provide support to those being bullied.
- Encourage kids to speak up against and report online bullying.
One lesson that applies to any and all encounters of the digital kind: When kids come across something questionable, they should feel comfortable talking to a trusted adult. Adults can support this behavior by fostering open communication at home and in the classroom.
- Be clear about family or classroom rules and expectations around technology, as well as consequences for inappropriate use.
- Keep the dialogue going by checking in frequently and encouraging kids to ask questions.
- Extend the conversation to other trusted adults like teachers, coaches, counselors, friends, and relatives.
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The 9 elements of digital citizenship your students need to know
The online environment should be a safe space in which everyone feels protected. Since education is at the heart of society, students should be taught to use technology in a responsible manner, ensuring the safety of the online environment for generations to come.
In their book, Digital Citizenship in Schools, Mike Ribble and Gerald Bailey talk about how technology influences the way people interact and the concept of digital citizenship in the classroom. The authors define nine elements of digital citizenship, related to technology usage inside and outside the school environment:
Digital access
Although we live in a digital era, not everyone has access to technology. As teachers, we should be aware of this digital divide. Not all students can afford a computer, a smartphone and Internet access. That’s why educators need to provide suitable alternatives for each student's needs.
Digital commerce
Digital commerce highlights the necessity to tackle safety issues related to using money in the digital world. Technology is also used in the classroom to teach students about the various career paths that they could choose in the future. Understanding how e-commerce works is a must, both as consumers and as potential entrepreneurs.
Digital communication
Online communication has become so common that students forget they are doing so in a virtual space, where miscommunication happens often. The Internet has given a voice to anyone who needs it. In turn, this requires empathy and appropriate reactions from its users.
Digital literacy
Digital literacy also includes the ability to differentiate between real and fake content, which can have a negative impact on the lives of your students. They need to learn which content is good for them and what they should avoid in order to lead a balanced life.
Digital etiquette
We should teach students to become “digitally fluent”. Digital etiquette shapes their online behavior to respond positively to online content. In this way, their online attitude is reflected in the real world and vice versa.
Digital law
The online environment has room for both positive and negative interactions. Digital law deals with legal rights and restrictions governing technology usage. To prevent any kind of online crime, no matter how serious, students as digital citizens need to know the law and how it applies to them in particular.
Digital rights and responsibilities
The online world has its regulations and a user has rights and responsibilities. The Internet can also be used for harmful purposes and anyone needs protection against cyberbullying, for instance. Schools should approach this subject in classrooms, hold students accountable for their actions and also report any misconduct in the virtual environment.
Digital health and wellness
Students should be taught to protect themselves and others from potential harm and ask for help if they need it. Making use of online resources is a plus, but everyone should be aware of the dangers as well.
Digital security
Security in the online world is important. When using devices at school or at home, students should be aware of potential malware attacks. Teachers should explain how to prevent them from happening and how to protect their devices as much as possible.
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