Internet+Safety

herehere Internet Safety

//__Description:__// This assignment required me to review various lesson plans to select one that I could use in my classroom to teach my students about how to make wise choices when using the internet. The rationale behind this activity was that students do not see the link between their actions outside of school online and the ramifications these actions may have on their academics. Many students at the high school level do not see that what they do outside of school while on the internet and websites such as MySpace and Facebook can lead to issues in school. Students see the interent and school as two seperate entities, so I wanted to select a lesson that helped them to understand just how connected the two really were. The websites that I had to choose from were very well designed and there were a ton of lesson plans to choose from. Each of the lessons was also very detailed and really didn't require a lot of outside research or supplemental materials. This always makes my job a little easier and makes it easy to implement the lesson into my class. I also feel like this type of lesson would be of interest to my students because they are so globally aware; they use the internet for everything. It is truly ingrained into every aspect of their lives, for better or worse. Communication is done almost completely online and therefore knowing how to use technology properly would be extremely beneficial to the students//__.__// //__​Selection Process:__// For this activity I really examined all of the availabe websites before making my decision. I wanted to find something that would be educational and eye opening for the students. As I have stated previously, they are often unaware of the link between their actions outside of school and inside. Arguments outside of school that are done on websites link MySpace and Facebook oftentimes get dragged into school and students get into serious trouble. I want my students to understand just how serious this can be, and for this reason I selected a lesson on digital etiquette and acceptable social networking. Students tend to try to retaliate when they feel hurt or angry,and because the internet is such an integral part of their lives they use this to do so. I chose this website because I want them to understand the ramifications for their actions. To see the website that I selected click here. //__Reflection:__// This was a wonderful and truly relevant activity for teachers who want to learn more about digital citizenship. By teaching students about how to make smart and safe online decisions students can use the internet for positive activities. The most important thing is to show students the link between what they do outside of school and inside school. Websites that are used for retaliation and harassment can really have a negative impact on what happens in school. Students can get into serious trouble in school because their actions online follow them into the classroom. I really feel as though my high school students need a lesson like this to open their eyes about internet safety. They really don't think of things in a long-term fashion. Everything in a high school students life is examined in a short term sort of way; they do something without thinkng and then are amazed when their actions come back to haunt them. This lesson helps to reinforce the fact that what they do outside of school can have long term effects on their in school activities and personal life. I would definitely feel comfortable implementing this lesson into any of my classes in grades 9-12. Furthermore, I think that lessons on internet safety are extremely important to implement regardless of age; students should be exposed to digital etiquette at a very young age because of how relevant this topic is in today's society. ​