Educators with the Jasper Consolidated Schools are taking a proactive approach to digital citizenship as for the last couple of years they have been incorporating courses that focus on what it means to use digital tools safely and effectively at home and in class. Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools are now relatively a one to one technology learning establishment with each student being paired to their own digital device and are implementing digital awareness education in K-12 courses.
The district is seeking to become a certified digital citizenship school and has begun to track digital education courses offered at the school over the last few years. Common Sense Media, a free platform for student and parental digital education that the district is currently using, is an independent nonprofit organization that provides information and education through independent ratings and reviews by experts.
Assistant Superintendent with the Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools Todd Hitchcock explained the importance’ the course is now playing in educations digital age.
Hitchcock said, the school uses curriculum from common sense media.org for students k-12. Courses are focused on how students can learn to stay safe on the internet through properly identifying warning signs of false sites and how to respond to phishing, a fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
Education doesn’t stop with the students as Hitchcock points out, tools the website offers extend to parents as well.
While the state of Indiana does not mandate a digital education course currently with in school systems they do cite the importance of digital citizenship education as part of teaching and learning in schools. The Indiana department of education recognizes the nonprofit common sense media and education as a standard program statewide.
If you would like additional information or to learn more please visit the free website at commonsensemedia.com
