Digital Citizenship #1

1. Safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology
   
   
   Just because information is given in many forms on the internet, it does not mean that it is ok to use that info and claim it as your own on your work. There are many rules that apply to images, videos, papers, articles, and more that teacher's must relay to their students. This will allow the students to properly use what they found on the internet. If a student googled "flowers" and a million pictures show up, it is important that they understand copyright laws, fair use, and how to search for items that are licensed for reuse. This can be a simple mini-lesson about using the search bar on google, and how to narrow down your search through options on "usage." It is also vital for students to know and understand how to properly cite sources that they have found and are taking information from whether it's a direct quote or paraphrase. Google allows the option to specifically look for scholar work and will allow you to narrow your search for citations and what not. Piracy is another issue that may come about while looking for media (videos, songs). Many times people will type in "free music download" but that does not mean that they are not committing a crime and copyrighting that music. Students need to be aware that they must find copyright free music, and can simply type that into a search bar to find trusted resources. As far as safety goes, students need to understand what NOT to do on the internet. They should never give personal information on a website that is not approved by the teacher or parent. They should only visit websites that are approved by the teacher or parent. The teacher needs to explain the reasoning behind this as well, so that they fully understand why they need to be safe on the internet. In my future classroom, which I hope to be kindergarten, I do not think I will have a big issue with safety, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology. Although, technology is becoming more and more relevant in the classroom and we will be using it. I plan on having the computers programmed to only be able to visit certain websites that are educational and approved by myself as well as iPad applications. I do not want students getting into anything they should not be. Before we start using any of the technology I will go over how to properly use it and care for it since they are so young and can be careless.