Cyber Safety for Educators

Maria Petropulos Fowler Unified School District

New Federal Legislation

Protecting Children in the 21st Century

“Schools and libraries must also certify that, as part of their Internet safety policy, they are educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including cyberbullying awareness and response and interacting with other individuals on social networking sites and in chat rooms. “

California Legislation  Chavez Bill, AB 307 2006 Ed Code section 51871.5

“to educate pupils and teachers on the appropriate and ethical use of information technology in the classroom, Internet safety, avoiding plagiarism, the concept, purpose, and significance of a copyright…”

Digital Citizenship

Digital Citizenship reinforces the positive aspects of technology so that everyone can work and play in this digital world.”

ISTE 2008, Digital Citizenship in Schools

District Responsibility to Protect

Against Inappropriate Content

Safe Internet environment Filtering software [Lightspeed]

Safe search environment through the FCOE Portal. Subscription databases

netTrekker World Book Encyclopedia Streaming Video Visual Thesaurus

Staff Responsibility

Ensure use of district provided safe search engines & databases by students

Begin reviewing elements of Digital Citizenship with students using district provided curriculum.

Internet Usage

Children between 8-18 use the computer for more than an hour a day

74% have a computer with Internet access*

31% have high speed access (that number grows each year)*

*The George Lucas Foundation, “Synching Up With The iKid,” Edutopia, October 2005.

How Students Perceive the Internet

19% of teens feel safer online than in the real world*

39% of students trust people that they chat with online*

24% of students say they see nothing wrong with chatting with a stranger*

10% of students have been asked to keep their Internet relationships a secret *

iSAFE America Student Assessment, 2004

Online teens frequently communicate with people they have never met:

Nearly one third (30%) of online teens said that they have talked about meeting someone whom they’ve only met through the Internet.

28% of online teens said they use code words on a daily basis to hide online conversations from their parents (e.g. “PIR” means “parent in room”).

Students Need to Learn that they are vulnerable to predators, even if they feel

invincible

How dangerous it is to post personal information and photos online

how to remain as anonymous as possible when using the Internet to avoid endangering themselves

how to recognize and repel the advances of a predator

what to do and who to talk to if they feel they have been approached by a stranger online

that it is NEVER a good idea to meet in person someone they have “gotten to know” online

Cyberbullying

How Are Teens Cyberbullied?

Post pictures of victims without their consent

Pretend they are other people online to trick others

Spread lies and rumors about victims

Trick people into revealing personal information

Send or forward mean text messages

When teens were asked why they think others cyberbully, 81 percent said that cyberbullies think it’s funny. Other teens believe that kids who cyberbully

Don’t think it’s a big deal

Don’t think about the consequences

Are encouraged by friends

Think everybody cyberbullies

Think they won’t get caught

Copyright and Ethical use of information

What is safe/legal in regards to playing games or downloading music/video

What CAN I copy?

Where do I start?