METC - Digital Citizenship

How One Middle School Tackled Digital Citizenship

Why It Was Necessary

Our story is your story

Making a Plan

● Needed an outside perspective● Coordinated with parent education● Guaranteed that every kid had the

same message

The Lessons

The SurveyFive short videos

(Screen-cast-o-Matic)Discussion QuestionsThe Survey Again

The Survey

“Social Media sites exist just so we can use them”

“Social Media sites make money from my personal info”

The Survey

“Anything I post online can be made public”

“Nothing can be done when someone gets bullied online”

The Survey

“I understand the concept of digital citizenship”

The Five Videos

IntroWhat We Can Control, What We Can’tWe Use Them, They Use UsYour Online ReputationCyberbullying

Video #1

The Parent ConnectionTruman Parents/Guardians,Our Digital Citizenship focus has begun! On Tuesday, your children took a social media survey that will serve as baseline data regarding how social media affects their lives. Then, on Thursday, Flyertime Pilots (student Flyertime leaders) taught the first session, showing a video and leading a class discussion. One analogy given to students compared social media to a hammer. Both are tools, and like a hammer, social media has its purpose, but it can also be used improperly and cause harm. To further this discussion at home, please use these discussion starters with your children:· How do you use social media as a tool?· How do you see social media appropriately and inappropriately used?Each Flyertime’s discussion went its own direction, but the focus of Thursday’s conversations included student’s feelings about what they experience on social media, how people act differently online, and the amount of time students spend on social media. These topics will be explored more thoroughly as the month progresses.

The Data

“Social media sites exist just so we can use them”

24% increase in “disagree”

The Data

“Social media make money from my personal info”

37% increase in “Agree

The Data

“Anything I post online can be made public”

21% increase in “agree”

The Data

“Nothing can be done when someone gets bullied online”

27% increase in “Disagree”

The Data

“I understand the concept of digital citizenship”

19% increase in “Agree”

Survey Comments

“I try to avoid social media because someday colleges will look at your accounts and a silly post could change my fate”

Survey Comments

“Social media’s not really that important because you need to focus on what’s happening in reality”

Survey Comments

“Without it, I wouldn’t be able to reach my friends.”

“It’s like my second life.”

Survey Comments

“I use social media to communicate with my father who lives far away.”

Survey Comments

“I never really talk to people online because I don’t want them to make fun of me.”

Survey Comments

“When I had Instagram, I felt like I fit in. But now that I don’t have it I feel ignored. Like I’m left out.”

Survey Comments

“What I post reflects on who I am as a person”

“It’s where I can express my feelings”

Survey Comments

“To me, social media is garbage because I’ve gotten into trouble with it and it hurt some friendships.”

OUR FAVE survey comment

“I use social media when as a comfort when I am sad. Also, cat videos.”

What Worked for Us

● Parent Presentation● Five Student Lessons● Weekly Parent Email with Conversation

Starters

Lessons Learned - Julie

Spend more time on the videos

Write better survey questions

Lessons Learned - Tara

● Thread the lessons throughout the year instead of bundled together in a short time period

● We can never do this enough!