St. Mary’s School Celebrates National Digital Citizenship Week
Earlier this school year, St. Mary’s technology teacher, Kendall Doogan, became a certified Common Sense Educator, from Common Sense Media. Mrs. Doogan then began using Common Sense’s Digital Citizenship curriculum and lessons with her students. The lessons and materials are grade-level specific and age-appropriate. Through the lessons, students learn about six areas of online safety:
- Media Balance and Well-Being
- Privacy and Security
- Digital Footprint and Identity
- Relationships and Communication
- Cyberbullying, Digital Drama, & Hate Speech
- News & Media Literacy
These lessons culminated at the start of National Digital Citizenship Week.
Digital Citizenship Week was started in 2013 by Common Sense Media and coincides with National Bullying Prevention Month (October). It is a week dedicated to teaching children and teens about online safety and being responsible technology users.
This year St. Mary’s students celebrated the week by playing a variety of online games produced by Common Sense Media that coincide with their Digital Citizenship curriculum. Students enjoyed playing games such as Password Protect, Twalkers, and Search Shark. The school promoted Digital Citizenship Week on their social media platforms by providing technology tips, articles, and videos. The finial post contained a Family Media Agreement for parents and their children to sign, pledging their collaboration and goals of being responsible digital citizens.
