Digital Safety First!

 

Can you imagine the world without technology?  I certainly cannot.  Most of us benefit from what technology offers and it has made our lives so much easier.  Communication can occur in a matter of seconds.  Paying your bills online with the click of a mouse is better than standing in line.  Shopping has become easier.  Games can now be played online with friends who do not have to be in the same geographical area.  Social networking websites offer a way to get a hold of old and new friends.  Since the emergence of texting, texting has become the popular form of communication most especially with adolescents.  As we rely on technology for various reasons, can we assume that what we do is safe? 

There are many risks that we need to take into consideration concerning the digital world.  Without the current knowledge on digital safety, those who use technology on a daily basis may encounter many problems such as identity theft or personal privacy being breached.  On Guam, adolescents in particular, must be taught the responsibility of digital safety since majority of them are regular users of the internet and are avid texters.  According to Common Sense Media (2012), “For preteens and teens, the Internet is social”.  It is considered an outlet for them to express themselves in many different ways.  As future educators, it is our responsibility to educate our students and influence them to practice digital safety.  Before we can instill that on them, we need to model it ourselves. 

Having to do this digital project made me realize the importance of digital safety.  The topics that were covered in class were very informative and intertwined together.  The knowledge I gained can be used to influence others and my students once I start teaching.  I feel that all adolescents whether they are technological users or not, must be educated in all five topics that we just learned.  The internet is an open playground for cyberbulling, identity theft and other scams. 

As a future educator, I feel it is crucial that we must take the time to enlighten our students on these topics.  First, I would briefly go through the topics with my students in class.  Next, I would have them get into groups and I would assign them a topic to research on.  After gathering all the important information, they would need to create a skit to show their understanding.  Having the students perform their skit in front of the class would be an easier way for the others to comprehend the material.  Afterwards, we would conclude the lesson with a discussion on ways to protect themselves.  According to Dunn (2011), we need to “help our students set personal boundaries”.  Teaching your students ways to set their personal boundaries is helping them practice digital safety. 

Overall, this assignment is beneficial for all of us considering that we will be out in the field teaching.  Having us work in our groups for this project allowed us to work cooperatively.  We used Google Docs as the tool to share the information we gathered.  For our presentation, the main tool we used is Wix. 

 

References

Common Sense Media. (2012, March 19).  Internet safety tips for middle school kids.  Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/internet-safety-tips-middle-school-kids

Dunn, Jeff. (2011, October 24).   The teacher’s guide to keeping students safe online.  Retrieved from http://edudemic.com/2011/10/student-online-safety-guide/