Safer Internet Day 2016

Today is Safer Internet Day.

"Safer Internet Day is an event for promoting safer and responsible usage of online technologies among young people. It also raises awareness of emerging concerns such as cyberbullying and social networking privacy. The theme of Safer Internet Day 2016 is “Play your part for a better Internet!”  -Forbes Tech

Here are some tips that will keep you and your students a little bit safer when working online.

Keeping Your Password Safe

1. Never, EVER, share password, especially over the internet or through your email.
2. Make sure your password is strong.  Many passwords I have seen (from people who have shared them with me - ACK! Don't do that - see number 1), have not been strong passwords.                        
3. Don't use the same password for all of your accounts.  Change them up, each account should have it's own unique password.
4. Change your password frequently.  If you have never changed it, it's time. To change your district password (for GAFE, School Loop, etc.) click here.

Protect Your Google Account with Two-Step Verification

If someone hacks your Google account and figures out your password, you can prevent them from accessing your Google account using Google's 2-step verification.

If you set up 2-step verification, you have to log in to your account using your email and password, and then a generated code that is sent to your cell phone.  Most likely, if someone hacks your account, they won't have access to your cell phone, so your account will be safe.

Here are instructions on how to set up 2-step verification:

**I would only recommend doing this if you always have your cell phone with you.  You can also print out some codes that you can keep in your wallet in case you don't have access to your phone.  If you are using your own personal computer, you can make it so it doesn't ask you for the code each time you log in.

If someone does hack your account, and is able to gain access, the first thing you want to do is change your password.  To change your @seq.org password (for Google, SL, IC, etc.), go to this website.

Free 2GB of Google Storage to do an Internet Security Checkup

Google is providing 2GB of free storage if you do a internet Security Checkup today.  (You already have unlimited storage on your @seq GAFE account, but it doesn't hurt to do a checkup anyways.  But, if you have a personal Google account, 2GB is a great deal!)  Click here to do a security checkup.  Here are instructions on how to do the checkup if you need help.

Safer Internet Day Resources

Click here for additional resources (including lesson plans) that you can use with your students.

Digital Citizenship Week - Lesson Ideas Linking Content to Digital Citizenship

This week is Digital Citizenship Week.  A week to promote teaching digital citizenship to all of our students.

What is digital citizenship?

"Digital citizenship can be defined as the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use."  - digitalcitizenship.net

Why should we teach digital citizenship?
Our students are prolific users of technology, especially cell phones, and use it regardless of whether we allow the use of it in our classrooms.  However, our students don't always use technology in a responsible manner.  

It is up to us, as educators, to guide our students and teach them how to use technology as an educational tool, and to use it responsibly in all aspects of their lives.  And, since we don't always have access to computer labs, why not take advantage of the computers our students carry with them at all times?

Ideas to Teach Digital Citizenship & Take Advantage of Student Devices

• Use Google Classroom's Question feature to have an online discussion about a video, text, or activity you have done in class.  Teach students the proper way to write a response, and how to respectfully agree, disagree, or ask questions of each other.
• Have students write blog posts and comment on other's blogs to share their learning and ideas with others around the world, not just their classmates.
• Use Instagram to do a visual imagery lesson, and teach students how to properly post, use hashtags, and comment on each other's feeds.
• Use Twitter to participate in an online chat to practice argumentation with claims, evidence, and reasoning, as well as to develop a positive, professional, social media presence.