How to Stay Safe in a Digital World

It is true that the world is changing in every way, and at every moment. The trees grow dead, and cry red tears of sadness. Buildings are made then destroyed, people are dying, and countries are falling. It is true that the world is changing in every way. So what of the digital world one may ask? Well, that too is changing. Every day our digital world and its’ devices are growing more complex. What was once believed to have been a safe way to communicate/study is now an ever increasing danger for our children.  It is important to remember that even if we have not grown up during a time when this world was invented; we must be aware of the internets’ digital safety & privacy in order to keep our younger generations safe. 

In this day and age it is very difficult to keep the use of digital devices out of schools. With advances in cell phone/computer/other hand held devices children now have access to the digital world from anywhere at any time. As good teachers or parents it is very important to be aware of the dangers there are when referring to the internet/digital world. The dangers range from: stalking, bullying, identity theft, and even death. According to the International Society for Technology in Education it is the teachers’ job to promote/model digital responsibility and citizenship. This includes educating students about the legalities of being on the internet, ethical use of the internet, and also the dangers that are associated with the internet.

I myself have grown up during the movement of a new digital age. I have seen people get hurt, and whose lives have been ruined due to this new world. “Teachers and schools can actively block websites on desktops, laptops, and iPads but when it comes to a student’s personal phone… that’s a tricky area (“The Teacher’s Guide to Keeping Students Safe Online”). Teachers can only do so much! It is up to the parents to monitor their children’s activity. There are so many dangers out there the biggest being predators. Predators are people who lurk on innocent people with the intent of doing harm. My so called uncle (by marriage) is a prime example. He was one of the men that were caught on the TV documentary “To Catch a Predator”. He not only caused dishonor to our family, he caused dishonor to his wife and self. I am very thankful that he did not harm an innocent child (although he could have). I am also thankful that he went to prison, and is now a registered sex offender.


For this presentation I was a member of group Delta. We really only stressed what we felt were the most important topics dealing with digital safety & privacy. We chose to do a series of skits because we believed that it is through visuals and comedy that students learn the most. We covered the topics of: not giving out personal information, the dangers of predators on the internet, and inappropriate material on the internet. We also tried to present them in a way that even a younger child would understand. The video was made so that teachers could one day use it as a reference, or short discussion in their own classes. All in all, I feel that we did a very good presentation covering the important aspects of digital safety and privacy.

References:

Edudemic. “The Teacher’s Guide To Keeping Students Safe Online.” Edudemic, 2011. Edudemic: Connecting Education & Technology. 11/6/2011. <http://edudemic.com/2011/10/student-online-safety-guide/>

  

      International Society for Technology in Education. ( 2008). NETS FOR TEACHERS 2008.

ITSE(International Society for Technology in Education. [Retrieved] October 9, 2011, from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx