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As wonderful as the internet is in today's modern world, it also provides a host of threats that students don't understand or don't want to believe can affect them. Online safety training is one area of knowledge that seems to fall upon ELA teachers to dispense, simply because kids are already in class with us everyday, so why not integrate some "internet best practices" into our curricula.
My guest today is Brian Ebert and he's here to share his expertise as a retired Secret Service agent who now works to give students across the country the online safety training they need in a fun way so they WANT to learn. Brian works for Hackersjack, an Austrailian company that bridges the gap between the teachers who don't have the time to provide the best online safety training and the parents, who are mostly novices with modern technology and who may not understand all the risks themselves.
Hackersjack has a program which school districts can purchase that is designed to give short lessons that are age and grade level appropriate, beginning in 3rd grade. One of the biggest lessons they impart at a young age is how to understand who is trustworthy online. Trust is also an important value of Hackersjack and is woven into all of the program pillars across all grade levels.
Resources from this episode
Essential Question: What strategies do you use in your class or school to help students stay safe while still learning how to be consumers and creators with the available technology?
We would love to read your answers! Just comment in the collaboration area below!
