Fall 2014 Frontline

"From the Frontline" - Back to School Edition Digital Ethics and Internet Safety - 

News briefs for students, parents and professionals living, learning and teaching in the digital world

  The fall leaves are beginning to turn color here in the Shenandoah Valley and we're all reminded of how blessed we are to live, teach and serve the public good in this community.  This issue of the FRONTLINE brings us back to school and for October - National CyberSecurity Month.  We live in a world full of risks. Digital risks are a part of our national and personal lives. I'll link some interesting videos on the topic of cyber security for starters.   

We've got links on social media for teachers including Pinterest pages.  Enjoy several "visual guide" graphics, teens and tweens information and finishing up with some "drama" thoughts and a special feature about 24/7 digital devices.

  1.  National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2014 - "As a nation, we face constant cyber threats against our critical infrastructure and economy. As individuals, cybersecurity risks can threaten our finances, identity, and privacy. " http://www.dhs.gov/national-cyber-security-awareness-month-2014

• Stay Safe Online's page for Security Awareness month http://www.staysafeonline.org/ncsam/
• Microsoft's page  http://www.microsoft.com/security/resources/cybersecurity.aspx
• Even in Europe... it's Cyber Security Month http://cybersecuritymonth.eu/
• and the most recent data breach bank's page...  http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/10/03/jpmorgan-chase-hack-breach-computer-security/16648943/

 2. A Cybersecurity Threat That Could Be Lurking On Your Phone - "Security company  announces a privacy breach posed by smartphone flashlight apps. It's a specific call-in, but the concept of privacy and apps is VITAL.” This is important not just for this app, but all apps you install. Think twice about giving them access to all your info. on your phone. http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/special-report-bret-baier/blog/2014/10/01/cybersecurity-threat-could-be-lurking-your-phone
  Snopes report: http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/flashlight.asp  

While we're talking about cybersecurity... Passwords! Your best security is a strong password!  "Your online password is 123456? Good luck with that" - Going the extra mile? This article is for you. http://www.omaha.com/money/your-online-password-is-good-luck-with-that/article_ff07d163-8248-58e5-86d9-d7370c12d560.html  

3.  A Great Guide on Teaching Students About Digital Footprint  -  "I deemed it imperative that I share with my fellow teachers and educators  a guide I have worked on for the last couple of weeks. " http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/04/a-great-guide-on-teaching-students.html  

4.  A Design Your Digital Tattoo: Helping Students Build Their Digital Image -  From the ISTE National Conference a seminar on "Digital Tattoo" ... a new term for describing digital footprints. http://youtu.be/Y1OKLLzuZso  




5.  Pinterest Links - Several pages on Pinterest chuck full of goodies from visual guides, to videos, to classroom ideas. A++  http://www.pinterest.com/brewstami/digital-citizenship/

• For librarians! http://www.pinterest.com/lisalibrarian/internet-safety/
• Mega link on Pinterest- A compilation of Internet safety items http://www.pinterest.com/explore/internet-safety/

6.  Three Quick Tips For Building Digital Citizenship - "there are some ways that you can build Digital Citizenship into daily interactions as well as components of dynamic lesson plans in a safe and constructive way!" http://www.edudemic.com/build-digital-citizenship/

7.  A Visual Guide To Teaching Students Digital Citizenship Skills -  A visual guide graphic for themes to teach digital ethics in the classroom. http://www.edudemic.com/teaching-students-digital-citizenship-skills/

8. Internet Safety Tips for Kids - "Advice Video: Sharing photos, posting comments, playing video games -- these are just a few of the ways that kids interact online"  A very basic video from Top Resource CommonSense.org https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/internet-safety-tips-for-kids  

9.  Connecting Families-CommonSenseMedia - "This free, year long program includes everything parent facilitators need to encourage their schools and communities to use connected technologies in ways that are both fun and safe.  https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/connecting-families
   -Cellphones for young children-Amaya's Story - More from CommonSense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/amayas-story-using-cell-phones-wisely

10. NetSmartz.org's Back To School Page: Tweens, Teens and Parents - Full of age appropriate activities, videos, lessons and more.  Netsmartz is a long time favorite. http://www.netsmartz.org/backtoschool

11.  For Teens: The Rockin' page NSTEENS.ORG - This page is directed at teenagers. This link takes you to the video page with lots of content for instruction and classroom discussion including one of my favorite vids: "6 Degrees of Information". A++  http://www.nsteens.org/Videos

12. "Yik Yak is most dangerous app I've ever seen" UPDATE -  Not recommended for teens or tweens. I had personal experience with it this fall with JMU back to school postings.
KEEP YOUR KIDS OFF THIS ONE. Do not allow it on their devices.  http://www.netfamilynews.org/34982

In the Drama Department:  

13. Why Is Internet Outrage So Popular? - “Interpersonal chemistry through negativity: Bonding by sharing negative attitudes about others.” What? Really? https://www.yahoo.com/tech/why-is-internet-outrage-so-popular-91357483899.html  

14. Dealing with the nasties online - "strategies for people targeted by nastiness online, ways to stay stable and grow resilience, some of which sound a lot like the kind of wisdom handed down since long before there was an Internet" http://www.connectsafely.org/dealing-with-the-nasties-online/

15. Alert! Digital Drama to Watch Out for This School Year - "Kids heading into middle or high school? Get clued in to the latest tech tools and trends that might stir up trouble." https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/alert-digital-drama-to-watch-out-for-this-school-year

  Special: Digital Devices 24/7: Some thoughts on students having digital devices all the time.

• The Digital Lives of Teens: "If You Don't Have a Plan for Them, They Will Have a Plan for You" - "If technology sits idly on the side, kids will go in their own direction, gravitating toward games and other "distractions," and teachers will feel "gamed" by the kids. The kids will make their own plan." http://www.edutopia.org/blog/digital-teens-have-a-plan-matt-levinson
• Eight Printable Classroom Posters For Device Best Practices - "The eight graphics below are all printable posters on device best practices from WeAreTeachers, designed to hang in your classroom so that students have a constant reminder of what is and isn't ok to do when they’re using devices." http://www.edudemic.com/device-best-practices/
•  If you are going to buy a cellphone for your youngster - "For safety and basic communication, first phones represent an important decision — they need to be safe, easy-to-use and reliable." http://mashable.com/2013/07/25/phone-for-kids/#_
• Parents Guide to Mobile Phones in English and Spanish
• English: http://www.connectsafely.org/wp-content/uploads/mobile_english.pdf
• Spanish: http://www.connectsafely.org/wp-content/uploads/mobile_spanish.pdf

"From the Frontline" - news brief about all things Digital Ethics and Internet Safety.
Feel free to share or forward this email to your contacts.
 • Compiled by 36 year educator and Instructional Technology Resource Teacher Joe Showker of Rockingham County Schools in Virginia.
 • This newsletter and other instructional goodies at my blog: "The Technology Frontline- 21st Century classroom"
 • All links in this newsletter come from my digital ethics links page Delicious.com https://delicious.com/digitalsafety
 • Special thanks to all the professional services, contributors and authors that make this news compilation possible.