Collaborative Unit on Digital Citizenship

Anna M. Saxon (in collaboration with JoLynn Nesmith)

FRIT 7739 Practicum in Instructional Technology

Georgia Southern University

Spring 2017
Collaboration and Topic Selection:

JoLynn Nesmith is a para-professional at Sallie Zetterower Elementary School. This is

her second year running the Computer Lab for our Activity Time. (Students attend each
Activity once a week. Students rotate through Computer Lab, Art, Music, P.E. and STEM.)
While Mrs. Nesmith is currently in the role of a para-professional, she formally taught middle
and high school students while living in South Carolina. Last year, much of the instruction she
delivered in the Computer Lab was focused on keyboarding skills. This year, she has begun to
implement lessons regarding digital citizenship especially for older students.

When I began my practicum in January, I approached Mrs. Nesmith about working with
her to prepare some lessons on Digital Citizenship. She discussed with the topics that had been
covered during the fall semester, and she expressed concern that students were not showing in
protecting their information online. Many of the usernames and passwords used by our
elementary students are ones that are based upon students birthdays and their lunch numbers.
Mrs. Nesmith told me of a situation regarding a student sharing his lunch number with a friend
so that the other student could login a computer. A few weeks later, the boys teacher found out
that the other students had fraudulently been charging items to the boys lunch account and had
been using his lunch number to do so.

We decided that it would be beneficial for the students to review the concept of Digital
Security which falls under the umbrella of Digital Citizenship. Mrs. Nesmith shared that her
previous instruction on Digital Security had taken place during November and December, and
even then she had observed many students not taking the topic seriously. After our meeting, I
went to work planning activities that would show the students the importance of protecting their
identities while on the Internet. When looking at our schedules, we determined that it would be
best to prepare lessons and activities for the fourth grade students so that I could pop in from
time to time since my classroom is down the hallway from our Computer Lab.
 Title of Unit Digital Security Grade Level Fourth Grade
Curriculum Area Digital Citizenship Time Frame 4 Days (1 Day/Wk for 1 month)
Developed By Anna M. Saxon and JoLynn Nesmith

Identification of Learning Problem

General Audience

The primary audience consists of twenty-seven fourth grade students in Mrs. Jan Crosss Fourth
Grade Class at Sallie Zetterower Elementary School in Statesboro, Georgia, for the 2016-2017
school year. The students range in age from nine to eleven years old. These students attend
Computer Lab (as a part of their CAMPS rotations) on Tuesdays each week.

Problem Identification

Technology has had an undeniable influence on the education system over the last few decades.
The elementary experience looks very different than it did just ten years ago with the current
wide availability of desktop and laptop computers as well as wireless internet access for teachers
and students. Because technology is so much more accessible to students than it has been in
years past, it is more important than ever before for students to learn how to be safe and protect
themselves while on the internet. Even with internet filters and lessons on internet safety,
students may still encounter inappropriate content or be contacted by strangers. To reinforce the
concept of Digital Security, students will review ways to protect their identity and digital
footprint while exploring the internet.

Instructional Goals:

Students will define Digital Security and identify how it is different from Digital
Citizenship.
Students will describe ways they can protect their information on the internet.
Students will explain ways they can play a role in protecting their peers information.
Students will model what to do if they feel their information has been compromised.
 Learner Analysis

Introduction

The demographics of the twenty-seven fourth grade students participating in the Digital Security
Unit at Sallie Zetterower Elementary in Statesboro, Georgia, are as follows: 44% male and 56%
female; 44% Black/Non-Hispanic, 41% White/Non-Hispanic, 8% Bi-Racial, 4% Hispanic, and
4% Pacific Islander. The demographic information for this learner analysis is for the 2016-2017
students in Mrs. Jan Crosss Fourth Grade class and was obtained by referencing the Infinite
Campus Student Information System.

Entry Skills and Prior Knowledge

Mastery of basic keyboarding skills

Understanding how to navigate the internet using an internet browser
Able to independently login a computer to the school network

Prior Knowledge

Recognize the difference in the terms username and password

Recognize warnings of unsafe content or websites

Attitudes toward Content & Academic Motivation

Many students are interested in learning more information about how they can use the internet
and are willing to participate in the unit with the possibility of additional freedom when
exploring the web. Over half of the students report having a cellular phone or tablet at home that
they use to access the internet. When asked if they feel safe while using the internet at school,
89% of the students responded favorably. When asked if they feel safe while using the internet
at home, only 37% of the students responded favorably.

Educational Ability Levels

Two of the students receive Special Education Services for Reading and Math Instruction. Four
of the students participate in the Quest Pull-Out Program once a week to receive Gifted Services.
Six of the students are served in Tier 2 of the Pyramid of Interventions; three are served for
Reading, and three are served for Reading and Math.

Attitudes towards Teachers and School

Students do not receive a numerical grade for their performance in Computer Lab or any of the
other CAMPS classes. Taking this into consideration, it was no surprise that 78% of the students
did not feel highly-motivated to put for their best effort on assignments given while in the
Computer Lab. Twenty-four of the twenty-seven students reported that they feel like the
information that Mrs. Nesmith teaches them during their Computer Lab Rotation is important
and nineteen of those students felt they could make personal connections with the content.

Content Sequence Outline

1. Watch a BrainPOP video, Information Privacy, to learn about why it is important to
protect our information on the internet.
a. Discussion Questions What does the term digital security mean to you? Why
do you feel it is important to protect your identify when you play games online?
2. Play Privacy Playground (as a class).
a. Discussion Questions Have you ever fallen for the trick of entering your
information so you could win something online? Should you have entered your
personal information?
3. Complete a graphic organizer to identify what types of consequences may follow if you
give out each type of information.
4. Read selected pages from Smart Online Communication: Protecting Your Digital
Footprint.
a. Discussion Questions What does the term digital footprint mean? What does
your digital footprint look like?
5. Play Webonauts and Share Jumper (independently on desktop computers).
a. Discussion Question What answers surprised you as you were playing the
games?
6. Watch 5 Internet Safety Tips for Kids.
a. Discussion Questions What internet safety tip did you find most helpful? Why?
7. Play The Case of the Cyber Criminal.
a. Discussion Questions What scenarios could you relate with from this game?
What are some ways you can avoid being the victim of a cyber-criminal?
8. Create posters to share tips on how to practice Digital Security.
a. Share posters with the class.
b. Discussion Questions What was your big take away from this unit? What will
you do differently in the future?

Subject Matter Expert (SME)

 I (Anna M. Saxon) will serve as the SME for this instructional plan on reviewing the concept of
Digital Security with fourth grade students. My formal education consists of a bachelors degree
in Early Childhood Education from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. I am
currently pursuing a masters degree in Instructional Technology from Georgia Southern
University in Statesboro, Georgia.

My primary qualification to serve as SME is the nine years of experience I have had as a
classroom teacher, two of which were teaching Reading and English Language Arts to Fourth
Grade students. As previously stated, I am working in collaboration with Mrs. JoLynn Nesmith
to create this unit. She is in her second year serving as the para-professional leading instruction
in the Computer Lab.

Instructional Objectives

Terminal Objective 1: After completing this unit, the learner will design and create a poster to
share information on Digital Security.
Enabling Objectives:
1A. To identify consequences of comprising personal information
1B. To provide examples of personal information that should not be shared
1C. To create a poster to share Digital Security Tips with ones peers

Instructional
ISTE* Standards for Students
Objectives
1 ISTE Standard 5. Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues
1A related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.
1B a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and
1C technology

*ISTE stands for International Society for Technology in Education.

Development of Assessments

Instructional Strategies Goals Objectives UDL Assessments

 Lesson 4: Students will Objective 1: After Multiple Means of A Completed
How to Create a describe ways they completing this unit, Representation Poster
Google Site Using the can protect their the learner will design Identifying
New Google Sites information on the and create a poster to The learners will be Digital Security
internet. share information on able to choose the Safety Tips
The participant will Digital Security. way in which their
create a poster to share Students will 1A. To identify posters are design
tips on Digital Security. explain ways they consequences of allowing for the use
can play a role in comprising personal of multiple means of
Materials: Construction protecting their information representation.
Paper, Pencils, Crayons peers information. 1B. To provide
examples of personal Multiple Means of
information that Action and
should not be shared Expression
1C. To create a poster
to share Digital The learners will
Security Tips with choose a Digital
ones peers Safety Tip and create
a poster to express
what this information
means to them.

Lesson 1: Introduction of Digital Security

Objective 1: After completing this unit, the learner will design and create a poster to share
information on Digital Security.
1A. To identify consequences of comprising personal information
1B. To provide examples of personal information that should not be shared
1C. To create a poster to share Digital Security Tips with ones peers

Assessment: (Observation of Discussion Participation)

UDL Principles: The learners will be able to participate in the class discussion to a level of their
choosing. The learners may access online resources at their leisure from the list of provided
resources. This provides for multiple means of engagement.

Lesson 2: Digital Footprints

Objective 1: After completing this unit, the learner will design and create a poster to share
information on Digital Security.
1A. To identify consequences of comprising personal information
1B. To provide examples of personal information that should not be shared
1C. To create a poster to share Digital Security Tips with ones peers

Assessment: (Observation of Discussion Participation)

UDL Principles: The learners will be able to choose how much time they spend playing each of
the two game options. As long as they are engaged in the Digital Security content, students will
be allowed to choose which information from the Weebly they are accessing. This provides for
multiple means of engagement.

Lesson 3: Playing It Safe

Objective 1: After completing this unit, the learner will design and create a poster to share
information on Digital Security.
1A. To identify consequences of comprising personal information
1B. To provide examples of personal information that should not be shared
1C. To create a poster to share Digital Security Tips with ones peers

Assessment: (Observation of Discussion Participation)

UDL Principles: The learners will be begin brainstorming ideas for their Digital Security
poster. As they plan, they may revisit any of the previously covered resources on the website as
well as those accessible on the Digital Security Pinterest Board. This represents Multiple Means
of Engagement.

Lesson 4: Sharing is Caring

Objective 1: After completing this unit, the learner will design and create a poster to share
information on Digital Security.
1A. To identify consequences of comprising personal information
1B. To provide examples of personal information that should not be shared
1C. To create a poster to share Digital Security Tips with ones peers

Assessment: Checklist for Completion of Digital Security Poster

UDL Principles: The learners will create a poster (to be hung in the hallway) detailing ways to
practice Digital Security. Students are free to decide which Digital Security Tip to share on their
poster as well as how the poster will be designed. This represents Multiple Means of Action and
Expression.

Assessment Examples

Objective 1 Assessment

Checklist
Did the student created a
poster representing a Yes No
Digital Security Tip?
 Poster created?

*Because of the nature of the Computer Lab class, there are no numerical grades taken on
assignments completed during this course.

Formative Evaluation Plan

After the completion of this unit, I will meet again with Mrs. Nesmith to discuss what went well
and what did not. Because the delivery of this instruction is somewhat different than what she
typically uses, I will ask if she noted any differences in the amount of engagement the students
showed in the lessons. Work samples will be used as artifacts during our review of the unit
instruction. Based on the quality of the students work, changes may be made to this unit in the
future to adjust the intensity of instruction.