Cyber Safety for EducatorsMaria Petropulos Fowler Unified School District

New Federal LegislationProtecting 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 cyberbullyingawareness and response and interacting with other individuals on social networking sites and in chat rooms. “

California Legislation Chavez Bill, AB 307 2006Ed Code section 51871.5“to educate pupils and teachers on the appropriate and ethical use of information technology in the classroom, Internetsafety, avoiding plagiarism, the concept, purpose, and significance of a copyright…”

Digital CitizenshipDigital 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 ProtectAgainst Inappropriate ContentSafe Internet environmentFiltering software [Lightspeed]Safe search environment through the FCOE Portal.Subscription databasesnetTrekkerWorld Book EncyclopediaStreaming VideoVisual Thesaurus

Staff ResponsibilityEnsure use of district provided safe search engines & databases by studentsBegin reviewing elements of Digital Citizenship with students using district provided curriculum.

Internet UsageChildren between 8-18 use the computer for more than an hour a day74% 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 Internet19% 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 Learnthat they are vulnerable to predators, even if they feel invincibleHow dangerous it is to post personal information and photos onlinehow to remain as anonymous as possible when using the Internet to avoid endangering themselveshow to recognize and repel the advances of a predatorwhat to do and who to talk to if they feel they have been approached by a stranger onlinethat 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 cyberbullyDon’t think it’s a big deal Don’t think about the consequences Are encouraged by friendsThink 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/videoWhat CAN I copy?

Where do I start?