Course Syllabus

 Internet Safety - Fall 2017  

 

Course Description

Welcome to Internet Safety. The purpose of the My Digital Voyage app series is to take children in grades 4 and 5 on a journey to learn about Internet safety, digital citizenship, and ethical online decision-making.

Through a series of computer-based stories and activities, children will be asked to help our main character, Hoku through ethical dilemmas and challenges that real children and teens have faced when using the Internet.

Course Topics

The following are the main topics that will be covered throughout the seven-app digital curriculum series:

• Online social networking and etiquette
• Strangers and trust
• Cyberbullying and bystanders
• Copyright and piracy
• Cyber predation
• Rumors and flaming
• Impersonation, responsibility, and respect

Overarching Goals 

The apps in the digital curriculum series were created with specific overarching goals in mind.

1. To encourage Internet users to be safe, responsible, ethical, and wise decision-makers

A vital part of being a responsible user of the Internet is having an understanding of online etiquette and ethics, which involve an individual’s personal sense of right vs. wrong.

2. To demonstrate to Internet users that they are part of a larger, global social network

Another essential aspect of using the Internet is for technology users to understand their online social presence and how they choose to represent themselves both online and offline (this includes identity formation; view of the self in online and offline contexts; self-reflection/self-awareness; social emotional learning; awareness of outward appearances; personal and social values; and perceptions).

3. To have parents and teachers join young people in learning more about Internet safety and the importance of online decision-making

Internet safety and digital citizenship education require a shared responsibility between parents and educators. An interactive digital curriculum that encourages adult participation could be a proactive solution that brings Internet safety and ethics education into classrooms and homes.

Overarching Objectives

After using the digital curriculum series, students will be able to:

• identify appropriate and inappropriate online behaviors and etiquette.
• recognize existing Internet safety situations and solutions.
• answer ethical questions related to Internet safety.
• match appropriate etiquette and manners with various online and offline social contexts/situations.
• demonstrate their understanding that decisions and actions have consequences.

Introduction

The purpose of this introduction is to familiarize you and your children/students with the cast of characters and app content, and see how you can best incorporate these apps into your existing class and home routines.

Cast of Characters and Setting

We chose the Hawaiian sea ecosystem as the setting for our story, and Hawaiian sea creatures as main characters to create a somewhat familiar and culturally relevant learning tool for our keiki. We have modeled each character’s personality to represent children and adults you could find in an everyday elementary school environment.

Here are the main character profiles. To learn more about each character, students can use their mouse to click on a character under the Character tab in the introduction learning object.

 

	Hoku Hauʻoli (main character) Age: 9-years-old Grade: 4th-grader Traits: happy, honest, trusting, outgoing, and friendly; has a lot of friends
	Mr. and Mrs. Hauʻoli (Hoku’s mom and dad) Occupations: Mr. Hauʻoli is a marine biologist and Mrs. Hauʻoli is a kumu hula (hula teacher) Traits: loving, understanding, caring, and supportive parents
	ʻOpihi Age: 9-years-old Grade: 4th-grader Traits: shy; smallest kid in Hoku’s class; gets picked on often by other students because of his size
	Kolohe Age: 10-years-old Grade: 4th-grader Traits: likes to tease others; has sometimes been called a “bully;” his parents fight at home; he does not have very many friends, except for Hoku
	Mrs. Naiʻa (Hoku’s 4th-grade teacher) Job experience: 7 years of teaching Traits: fair, good listener, observant, wants her students to be respectful, caring, and kind
	Professor Mūheʻe (narrator) Expertise: Internet learning, educational technology, and digital citizenship

Curriculum Description

• Students will be directed to follow a map to earn virtual badges on their Internet safety journeys

 

 

• At each stop on the map, students will listen to a story about Hoku and must then choose one of three paths for her to take. Once a choice has been selected, a scenario will play with the consequences and explanation of that decision.

 

 

• Students will then have to answer a few questions or complete a final activity to pass the level and move on to the next module.

App Navigation

There is a Glossary tab located in the top, right corner of the screen with definitions of words or phrases used in the stories and activities. Next to that, there is a Narration tab if children would like to read along with what the characters are saying. In the bottom, left corner, children can click on the Menu button to visit character profiles. Or, if they click on the Map tab, they will be able to jump to previous apps.

The Importance of Child, Parent, and Teacher Collaboration

Children shouldn’t have to face Internet safety challenges alone. It is important for parents and teachers to be aware that these problems exist so that they can help the child if an Internet-related situation ever arises. From these apps stories and activities, it is our hope that parents and teachers will start conversations with children about Internet safety and the importance of making responsible, safe, and ethical decisions online. The following three chapters of this guide contain helpful tips and strategies, discussion topics and sample questions, and class and home activities that adults can introduce to children.

Integrating Apps into Daily School and Home Routines

To help teachers integrate the online learning apps into existing school routines, the apps were purposefully created to align with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) technology standards for students and teachers, as well as with the English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects K­–5 Common Core Standards (See Appendix A for purposely selected Common Core Standards). Use the activities and information sheets provided in this guide, or follow these standards to create your own authentic activities and projects for your class.

Parents, feel free to try these activities at home too!