Tool # 10

All students and even adults should understand a few things about being safe and good digital citizens. It is so easy to take what you find on the web and use it as 'your' work even though it isn't at all. As responsible adults and educators it is our responsibility to let our fellow educators and all students understand how important it is to:

• Never plagarize any work, comments, or images by using them as ours. We need to teach everyone to cite the true authors of any content that is used.
• All students should learn how to be responsible with email, texting and all forms of social media. Our students must understand that what the write, how they write it, and any images they display become part of their own digital record and could cause them problems later on in their careers if they were entered in an irresponsible manner.
• Lastly, every educator and student should understand what online bullying is and how it can effect them and the person[s] it may be directed at. The internet should not be used as a way to 'get even' or to 'get back' at anyone.

All of the students at NMS who take any computer classes will learn about becoming good digital citizens by working through the lessons that are included in BrainPop.

I believe that it is the responsiblitiy of the school to help educate the parents of our students. This can be done easily by sending information home to the parents, contacting them through email or callouts, newsletters, and best of all having parent workshops during the day and at night.