Digital Citizenship – Family Guide
- Zachary Blazier
- Jun 8, 2019
- 2 min read
Westfield Washington Schools’ district strategic plan includes five district priorities. One of the priority areas is Student Learning and Achievement. The goal of this area is to provide a rigorous and engaging learning environment. We will do this by developing innovative thinkers, providing eLearning opportunities, and focusing on the 21st Century skills. The 21st century skills are 12 abilities that today’s students need to succeed in their careers during the Information Age.
The 21st Century skills are critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, information literacy, media literacy, technology literacy, flexibility, leadership, initiative, productivity, and social skills. Another priority of the district’s plan is Safe and Healthy Environment. As students increase their use of the Internet and interactive collaboratively through digital tools, we want them to be safe in this technology environment also. The K-6 Innovation Specialists (formerly our known as our Media Specialists) have made this one of their focus areas as they implement our WWS Technology Standards which incorporate the Indiana Academic Computer Science Standards.
To aide in the work, the Innovation Specialists are using Google’s Be Internet Awesome. Google’s goal of the goal of the curriculum ”To make the most of the Internet, kids need to be prepared to make smart decisions. Be Internet Awesome teaches kids the fundamentals of digital citizenship and safety so they can explore the online world with confidence.”
The curriculum focuses on 5 areas of being internet safe: Be Smart, Be Alert, Be Strong, Be Kind, and Be Brave. Each month, our K-6 Innovation Specialists, focus on one area of the Be Internet Awesome curriculum by leading students through the reading of picture books, lessons, and online activities focused on the monthly area.
Don’t Fall For Fake!
This month’s focus is BE INTERNET ALERT or Don’t Fall for Fake. It’s important to help our students 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. Key points for this month:
How to know?
Know the Signs of a Potential Scam
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.
Google also has a Family Guide available to download.
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