Building Digital Citizens with CommonSense.org In an age of virtual freedom, how do we teach students to choose to do what’s right online?

Becoming competent and confident Digital Citizens is the goal of the new OCSD curriculum which will launch this November as

part of our “Thankful for Technology” push to meet State and Federal guidelines for training students in online safety. Get ready for the big ROLL OUT! Read on… That is the focus of this month’s Tech Time Newsletter.

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1. Go to Common Sense.org

You will only need to set up an account

for yourself. Students do not

need accounts to access the learning

games.

2. Add the link in ClassLink

Use the + sign to add the link. Search in the box. Now use the UN/PW you just made above in #1.

3. Click Digital Citizenship Tab

You can filter by grade level to find the 6 lessons for

Grades 2-12. Grades K-1 only

have 3 lessons on the site to do.

WHERE DO I GO 95% lessons come from the CommonSense.org website. You will get a

file with the specifics in October. In the

meantime, you can explore on your own.

WHAT DO I DO You teach each of the

grade level lessons and administer the OCSD quiz. Then record the results in PAWS and you are complete.

WHEN IS IT DUE Coursework must be

completed by May 22, 2020. However,

November is our preferred timeframe so the impact will be felt

throughout year.

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? CONTACT BEARSE@OKALOOSASCHOOLS.COM SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Tech Time A Newsletter of the Instructional Technology Department of Okaloosa County Schools

OCSD’s new curriculum addresses six topics for grades 2-12. K-1 only has three. These include: Media Balance and Well-Being, Privacy and Security, Digital Footprint and Identity, Relationships & Communication, Cyberbullying, Digital Drama & Hate Speech, and finally, News & Media Literacy. It’s the whole enchilada!

Each lesson includes an “Overview” with a stated goal, Big Idea, materials with video links, an assessment and take home resources for families. Each “week’s worth” takes between 40-55 minutes. A tab at the top brings you to the actual “Lesson Plans” complete with printable and multi-media resources. There are also a series of fun video games for grades 3-8, AND one interactive NearPod lesson** for each of the 4 grade bands.

After instruction and practice, students take the assessment provided by OCSD. The annual assessment will come in a separate digital file made up of questions from each of the six

lesson areas. Teachers may choose to give the quiz online or on paper, but they must post the final grade on PAWS to show student success and curricular compliance. That’s it!

The online student games don’t require an account. Just send gr. 3-5th to digitalpassport.org or gr. 6th-8th to digitalcompass.org to play. If it hasn’t already been decided, School Administrators will determine which teachers/classes will teach the lessons which align with Common Core ELA, CASEL, AASL and ISTE standards.

As a teacher I am impressed by the site’s simplicity and depth. Plus, the family resources make the school/home partnership stronger and all our children safer! :)

**NearPod.com is a free interactive lesson tool.

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A DIGITAL CITIZEN USES TECHNOLOGY RESPONSIBLY TO LEARN, CREATE, AND PARTICIPATE. SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

EARN A COMMON SENSE EDUCATOR BADGE IN 1 DAY! SIGN UP ON FRONTLINE FOR OCT. 31ST. You are three steps from becoming a Common Sense Educator and leading your school and district into the future? If enough teachers achieve CSE status, your school may apply for recognition. The 3 steps are: 1. Attend a training at the OCSD Tech Lab. 2. Document how you build the digital skills of students and families. 3. Reflect on how DigiCit has impacted your teaching. See your principal to volunteer!

“Look for the annual DigiCit Quiz links next month. My advice? Leave it up to the teacher to decide how many points it is worth.” Brandon Mcsween - DigiCit Mastermind!