As
electronic devices have become ubiquitous for children of almost any age, and many
districts either provide devices or implement bring-your-own-device programs, schools
are now being tasked with teaching digital citizenship, a catch-all phrase for safe,
responsible, and appropriate use of online resources.
One major initiative in
which they can participate is Google’s Be Internet Awesome campaign.
This
month, Google expanded that program to educators with its free Digital Citizenship and Safety Course. The aim is to provide instructors with the basic
skills needed to ensure their students remain safe and have a positive online
experience.
The course comprises 12 lessons divided among six units, with
topics that include savvy searching, maintaining your online reputation, setting
strong passwords, evaluating the credibility of digital sources, and avoiding
scams and phishing attacks. Teachers can then incorporate what they learn into
their own curricula.