The internet is a great resource for students, and it is necessary for students to feel at ease with new components of the internet. However, with new technology comes unintended outcomes. This is why internet safety is a cornerstone in productive internet navigation.
Internet Safety Framework from the educator's point of view:
- Limiting information that students submit.
- Sounds easy enough, but most students do not realize how much information about themselves that they are publishing on the internet. Students should look at other models online, of what information is appropriate to publish online. ENCOURAGE students to have a discussion about the dangers of sharing personal information online. Would they share the same information to a person on the street?
- Knowing who your online friends are.
- This is not so simple. Connecting with new people and sharing ideas is a great way to start innovative thinking. However, making sure this person is not a potential threat is key to establishing trust in this online relationship. Remember, if the former guideline is followed then you are safe. However, if someone online asks you about personal information or inappropriate questions, then you should report this person immediately.
- How to curb negativity online.
- As educators, we have to model good behavior in and outside the classroom. By modeling a positive environment, we can help our students understand how to engage in constructive criticism. Let the students take charge. Assign students to find cases of where students were bullied online. Then have them discuss the events and how they feel about the both the person being bullied and the person instigating the bullying. ASK them if they see this happening at their school, and if so how they could put a stop to it.
Here are some stories to share with students, so that they can be informed about the potential outcomes of their actions in the online environment.
Here are some great tips for students who might be encountering online bullying! As found on Connect Safely
- Don't respond
- Don't retaliate
- Save the evidence
- Block the bully
- Reach for help
- Use reporting tools
- Be civil
- Don't become a bully
I particularly like your suggestion for curbing negativity online by having the students do the research to lay the groundwork for a class discussion.
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