Eclectic Technology

Digital citizenship is important to understand for today's students, staff, and teachers. Microsoft has just unveiled a free curriculum that gives great tips and ideas on teaching digital citizenship and creative content.

This looks like a great resource. It is designed for students in Grades 8 - 10, but the site suggests that you may also use it with Grades 6 & 7. There are four units. Each provides student learning objectives. The units are:

* Unit One: Creative What? - Exploring the general topics of  "intellectual property, creative content and creative rights" with a focus on intellectual property and creative content.

* Unit Two: By Rule of Law - A more in-depth look at creative content copyright.

* Unit Three: Calling All Digital Citizens - Using social media as the backdrop a look at "how does the prevalence of online media — and its ease of access — change the conversation about those rights?"

* Unit Four: Protect Your Work, Respect Your Work - How do you protect your creative work? This unit looks at this issue as well as other "issues related to originality and plagiarism."

Digital Passport, from Common Sense Media, is a fun and effective way to teach 3rd - 5th graders critical skills related to digital safety, respect and community. Check out the short video to learn more. 

Do you wonder how to best teach about YouTube and Digital Citizenship? Google has just released a "new interactive curriculum to support teachers of secondary students (~ ages 13-17)." 

The curriculum has ten lessons: What Makes YouTube Unique, Detecting Lies, Safety Mode, Online Reputation and Cyberbullying, Policy, Reporting Content, Privacy Part 1, Privacy Part 2, Copyright, and Additional Resources/Appendix Including Parent Resources.

There is a Teacher's Guide as well as Slides for each lessons.