Thank you for your interest in e-safety, and for teaching safe and responsible Internet use to your students. Educators are invited to access and download i-safe curriculum AT NO CHARGE under the following conditions: Only educators who have attended an i-safe Professional Development Program and are i-safe Certified are allowed to access this i-safe grade-specific lesson plan PDF file. Further, clicking on the button (below) means i-safe Certified educators agree that: i-safe lessons may only be taught by i-safe Certified educators. i-safe lessons may NOT be shared with other educators. i-safe lessons may NOT be duplicated for any reason except for classroom use. i-safe lesson hand-outs may be printed for students ONLY for current classroom use. Duplication and/or selling of the i-safe copyrighted materials, or any other form of unauthorized use of this material, is against the law. (I agree to above Terms of Use)
UNIT INTRODUCTION Online Identity and You: Understanding Your Online Identity and Digital Footprint The Quick Overview Goals: What You Will Accomplish with Your Students This unit provides online, engaging activities and contests to enable students to learn about how their online identities affect broader aspects of their lives, as well as how to avoid safety and security risks by managing their online profiles. Start with the activities and then use the unit lessons to build and reinforce learning with topics ranging from identity risks to see how identity affects your online safety and security. Curriculum integration options: This material is suitable to integrate into a variety of traditional school subject matter including computer/technology, social studies (study of citizenship and/or community), library/ media (study of digital citizenship), and health/personal safety classes. Additionally, this program integrates well with character formation classes. Scope of Materials Lesson 1: Who Are You Online? An Exploration of Identity Lesson 2: Identity and Online Safety Issues Lesson 3: Identity and Online Security Risk Issues Dig Deeper (Educator Resource) Parent Materials Personal Safety and Online Identity Authentication Although online safety and security risks continue to be a fact of life on the Internet, new technologies are now emerging that allow users to take better control of their experiences, and therefore minimize risks, through verification and profile management. An example is the service provided by Identity.net (http://identity.net). Its mission is to put consumers firmly in control of their online identity and reputation. The concept is that by authenticating users, not only is one s own identity protected, but also one s confidence in their interactions, because they know WHO is on the other end of the network. It works for youth by authenticating an ADULT identity. The adult authentication process is similar to verifying one s identity in order to check a credit report. Authentication is completed by a third party verification system. Once verified, a school official or a parent can then authenticate and verify the youth. Once identity is confirmed, the user can decide what types of personal information to reveal to the world online. Ideintity.net uses three profiles 90, 180, 360 different levels of information for different environments online. The use of this process can help students and adults make smarter choices when online in what they reveal, in protecting their identity and in identifying who to interact with when online. Identity verification is new and is something that anyone concerned with personal safety online should evaluate. Remember that teachers interested in authenticating students must obtain parent permission to engage in any online verification service.
Educational Standards Alignment The Identity and You unit learning objectives align to the themes that form the framework of the National Social Studies Standards created by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and to the latest National Educational Technology Standards, NETS: The Next Generation, prepared by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Social Studies Standards Alignment The Identity and You unit specifically aligns with the following strands: I. Culture: Standards in this strand are met through exploration of the unique, globalized culture of the Internet. III. People, Places, and Environments: The core focus of the unit is to investigate the ways and environments in which people communicate online. IV. Individual Development and Identity: The core concept of the unit focuses on this strand through a comprehensive exploration of identity in both the online and offline cultures. [Unit lessons, 1, 2 and 3] VIII. Science, Technology, and Society: Students explore various Web 2.0 technologies and the new ways technology can help people safeguard their identities while online. Educational Technology Standards Identity and You aligns to the following NETS: The Next Generation standards: 1. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. The unit encourages gathering information on how identity is formed online, evaluating that information, and working to improve online identity. Further research and information influence is encouraged in the Current Events Lesson in which students practice evaluating media and making choices when researching. 2. Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving & Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Through discussion and group work, lesson activities ask students to take learned/constructed knowledge and expand upon it to develop possible solutions to current problems, ultimately resulting in student empowerment and retention of knowledge. 3. Digital Citizenship Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. The core focus of the unit is to develop safe and secure use of technology along with understanding its impact. Every lesson in the unit addresses this standard, from identifying risks in online communication to issues of cyber security and online safety. Responsibilities, rules, and consequences are addressed for each topic as students relate online identity with real-world identity and the corresponding issues associated with an online identity. 4. Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations. The unit allows students to develop a familiarity with technology in a safe environment. Students develop an understanding of key terminology used in online communication and learn specific computer techniques. Students are given opportunities to practice usage in a safe and responsible manner. 2008 i-safe Inc. www.isafe.org 2
The Changing Face of Identity Identity Issues in Cyberspace Teachers know that students struggle with identity. Who are they? What do others think of them? Through their school years, students struggle to develop their own unique identities. One s identity is a culmination of personality, genetics, and how that person interacts with the world around them. In our physical world, our identity is formed by how we interact with our environment. A child can not be identified as a football star if never allowed to play. A youth cannot be labeled creative if they are only allowed to focus on academics. Online identity issues for youth are more complex. Some users will unknowingly put themselves at risk by providing too much real personal information. Others, as they struggle with who they are and who they want to be, will create false identities - just for fun, or perhaps in order bully, flirt or engage in illegal activity. Online Identity and One s Digital Footprint When online, most people engage in activities that leave a digital footprint. A digital footprint is composed of the traces of activity when one is in a digital environment. These footprints can be left in many ways, such as joining a Web site, posting to a blog, releasing personal information online, or sometimes even from simply connecting to the Internet. Users may not even realize that information is being collected as they browse and interact online. Additionally, a digital footprint can also contain offline items. For example, an article that you wrote and had published can show up online. Digital Footprint Consequences The Internet is fast becoming one-stop shopping when it comes to finding out about a person. Internet users are often unaware of the identity they are portraying online and consequences can be important. Some examples: Employers: More and more employers are looking at a person s digital footprint to help evaluate what type of employee they might be. A December, 2007 survey conducted by Careerbuilder.com found that 45% of employers reported using online search engines or social networking sites to research potential job candidates. Colleges: Just as employers are reviewing digital footprints, so are college admissions (and those who award scholarships). They want to see what the real youth is like vs. the polished image seen in an application or interview. Law Enforcement: As more and more youth and adults interact and communicate online, they leave traces of activities. Police cases are being made using information found online. Sometimes youth brag about exploits, post pictures or even blog about activities that cross the line into illegal. School Employees: News stories are cropping up about football players suspended for the image their digital footprint presents to the world. Schools have clauses in many student-athlete, club and other organizational handbooks requiring a high level of behavior and standards to be displayed. When youth break these clauses and evidence shows up online, such as pictures of a wild party, schools are using this information to suspend players, discipline others and more. Government: Even the government is using the Internet to evaluate critical information about people when granting citizenship or visas, or when researching potential security risks. The point is, a digital footprint is PUBLIC information accessible by anyone who wants to know!
Creating Safer Online Experiences by Managing Your Online Identity Parents know that children struggle with identity. Who are they? What do others think of them? Through their school years students struggle to develop their own unique identities. One s identity is a culmination of personality, genetics, and how that person interacts with the world around them. The evolution of digital interaction has brought us to a Web 2.0 world in which user-generated activities and information rule! In other words, the one-dimensional Internet of a decade ago, in which we visited Web sites to gain information, has become a highly interactive venue in which socialization and user-generated sharing of content has truly become a global society. Just as identity is important in the real world, online identity can be critical. However, many youth do not realize the importance of their identity online without immediate feedback and controlled education. A misused online identity can put one at serious personal risk. The i-safe unit on online identities is designed to help students think about their online identity, how it affects their safety and security online, and how they create a lasting digital footprint by the identity they put online. Talk to your child about what their online identity is saying about themselves. The following are some suggested discussion questions: What are you revealing in your online profiles? Name Web sites/pages in which you have revealed personal information. What types of things have formed your digital footprint? Is that digital footprint the image you want others to see? Is it what you want to share with future employers, college recruiters, etc.? Take time to sit down and research your child s as well as your own digital footprint. Type in your first and last name with quotes in various search engines to see what you can find! Ex: Mary Smith If a lot comes up - add details to help narrow it down: Ex. Mary Smith Florida Remember: Open the lines of communication. Don t restrict or forbid access but encourage safer access!