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Learning Activities (3)

Classroom Resources (15)

ALEX Learning Activities

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (6 - 12), Health Education (6 - 12), Human Services (9 - 12)
Title: How Plugged In Are You?-- Part 1 of Unplug: The Digital Diet Plan
Description:

Students will identify their current daily usage of digital devices through a personal log or estimation. Then, students will read an article and watch the corresponding video which describes a recent report that found the average American spends more than 12 hours a day on a digital device, not including time spent on school work. Students will discuss their opinions with a classmate. The teacher will lead students in a discussion regarding the impact of this digital consumption. Finally, students will brainstorm and discuss other activities they could do in a day if they spent less time on their devices.

Subject: English Language Arts (6 - 12), Digital Literacy and Computer Science (6 - 12), Health Education (6 - 12), Human Services (9 - 12)
Title: The Consequences of Being Too Plugged In-- Part 2 of Unplug: The Digital Diet Plan
Description:

Students will be introduced to five negative consequences of a poor "digital device diet." The teacher will lead students in utilizing the jigsaw literacy strategy, in which students will become members of a home group and an expert group as they research and discuss their assigned topic. The activity will culminate with students creating a presentation in the form of a research paper, poster, or slideshow to demonstrate their knowledge of the five consequences of a poor digital diet and their effect on all aspects of health.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (6 - 12), English Language Arts (6 - 12), Health Education (6 - 12), Human Services (9 - 12)
Title: My Pledge to Unplug-- Part 3 of Unplug: The Digital Diet Plan
Description:

Students will be introduced to a five-step action plan to reduce their use of digital devices and decrease the negative consequences of a "poor digital diet." Students will analyze the relationship between all aspects of social and emotional health and describe how the use of digital devices can affect their health. Students will write and present a personal pledge to improve their "digital diet," demonstrating their command of the formal English language and presentation skills.

ALEX Learning Activities: 3

ALEX Classroom Resources

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (6 - 12)
Title: Screen Time: How Much Is Too Much?
URL: https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/screen-time-above-the-noise/screen-time-above-the-noise/
Description:

Even by conservative estimates, the average American spends over 6 hours per day staring at a screen. That’s a lot of time. What does the scientific research say about it? Is it good or bad for us? This video comes with a facilitator guide and student handout that helps guide the discussion of this activity.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (6 - 12)
Title: Are Internet Trolls Born or Made?
URL: https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/internet-trolls-kqed/are-internet-trolls-born-or-made-above-the-noise/
Description:

Trolls are all over the internet, just annoying people to no end. What makes someone an internet troll? Are some people just destined to be a troll, or do they develop this ability? Believe it or not, there have been numerous scientific studies surrounding this behavior. Explore the science behind trolling behavior in the latest Above the Noise video. This video comes with a student handout that helps guide the discussion of this activity.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (6 - 12)
Title: Online, All the Time
URL: https://aptv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/dgn09.la.rv.visual.elements.online/online-all-the-time/
Description:

The great thing about the Internet and cell phone technology is that it's available all the time, 24/7. But is there a downside to being connected all the time? In this video from FRONTLINE: "Digital Nation," 17-year-old Greg and his parents describe his desire to stay connected to his friends at all times. This video comes with discussion questions.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (6 - 12)
Title: Is Facial Recognition Invading Your Privacy?
URL: https://aptv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/facial-recognition-software-kqed/is-facial-recognition-invading-your-privacy-above-the-noise/
Description:

Facial recognition is creeping more and more into our daily lives. Facebook and Google use it for auto-tagging photos. Snapchat uses it to create hilarious filters. And Apple’s new iPhone will allow you to use your face to unlock your phone. But this same technology can be used by governments and companies to learn as much as they can about you. Find out how facial recognition technology works in the newest Above the Noise video. This video comes with a student viewing guide.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: Protecting Online Reputations
URL: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/protecting-online-reputations
Description:

Tagging friends on social media is a great way to connect with others and capture memorable experiences. But what if they don't want to be tagged? Encourage your students to take responsibility for how they may affect the digital footprints of others.

Students will be able to:

Define "digital reputation," and identify examples of social media posts that can have a positive or negative effect.
Use the 1-2-3-1 Perspectives activity to consider the causes and effects of posting about others online.
Generate a list of questions to ask themselves before posting pictures or information about someone else.

Users will need to create a free account to access this resource.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: Risk Check for New Tech
URL: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/risk-check-for-new-tech
Description:

New tech, like location services and smart devices, helps make our lives easier and opens opportunities that didn't exist before. But these innovations also come with a cost -- especially to our privacy. Help students consider the benefits and drawbacks of these new technologies -- and decide whether they're ultimately worth it.

Students will be able to:

Identify important benefits and privacy risks that new technologies present.
Decide whether or not the benefits of new technologies outweigh their privacy risks.
Create a compelling video that argues for or against using a new technology.

Users will need to create a free account to access this resource.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: Curated Lives
URL: https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship/lesson/curated-lives
Description:

Social media gives us a chance to choose how we present ourselves to the world. We can snap and share a picture in the moment or carefully stage photos and select only the ones we think are best. When students reflect on these choices, they can better understand the self they are presenting and the self they aim to be.

Students will be able to:

Describe how their curated self may or may not represent their real self.
Analyze the benefits and drawbacks of representing different parts of their real self online.
Create an avatar that represents both their real and curated selves.

Users will need to create a free account to access this resource.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: Someone Could Listen
URL: https://teachingprivacy.org/module-4-someone-could-listen/
Description:

Unencrypted communication over the Internet works a lot like sending a postcard: it can be read by anybody along the delivery route. Communication is routed through intermediary computers and systems, which are connected to many more computers and systems. Encryption, or encoding information so it appears scrambled to anyone who doesn’t know the key, is a way to wrap a postcard in an envelope. While it can never be 100% secure, stronger encryption makes it harder for people to get to the contents.

The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle “Communication over a network, unless strongly encrypted, is never just between two parties”. They are designed to be independent and flexible, so you can incorporate them into any size lesson plan. Student resources are available at https://teachingprivacy.org/someone-could-listen/.

Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can articulate how the multi-step, multi-party pathways of networked communication affect users’ privacy; students can identify and use more secure communication options.

Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.

Learning Objectives:

Students can describe how intermediary devices, and the services that provide them, are involved in transmitting information from point A to point B on the Internet.
Students can explain how the interconnected, many-layered structure of the Internet affects the security and privacy of online communication.
Students can identify the difference between a private network and a shared network and can describe some of the potential risks of using a shared network.
Students can describe how encryption decreases the chances of outside parties infiltrating private communications and accessing private information.
Students can explain why their security depends (in part) on their own decisions and behavior.
Students can give some examples of common encryption protocols, identify what layer of an electronic communication each of those protocols protects, and describe how they would verify that those protocols were being used.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: Sharing Releases Control
URL: https://teachingprivacy.org/module-5-sharing-releases-control/
Description:

Any time you interact online, that information is recorded in the network. And, as with in-person communication, once you’ve shared something, you can’t control what happens to it — or how people will interpret it. Other people can repost or forward content to any audience without your permission, websites can sell information to other businesses, and data can be legally subpoenaed. Websites and search engines automatically pick up and duplicate content, making it impossible to “unshare” — the Internet never forgets!

The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle “Sharing information over a network means you give up control over that information — forever”. They are designed to be independent and flexible, so you can incorporate them into any size lesson plan. Student resources are available at https://teachingprivacy.org/sharing-releases-control/.

Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can enumerate ways their information may be recorded, re-shared, and reinterpreted once it is online; students can use privacy settings and imaginative self-inquiry to limit potentially harmful sharing.

Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.

Learning Objectives:

Students can explain that once any type of content is shared online, it can be instantly available to anyone. As a result, students can make more informed decisions about the type of content they choose to share.
Students can list examples and elaborate on ways in which shared content may be stored online forever, disseminated, and potentially used to harm them.
Students can list some factors that might lead to an online communication being misinterpreted.
Before sharing a piece of information online, students can imagine potential negative consequences of that information becoming public knowledge.
Students are aware of privacy settings, can explain what they do, and can apply these skills to aid them in better controlling what information they release and to whom.
Students are able to articulate how their behavior significantly affects the privacy of others, and can apply this knowledge by asking others about unspoken sharing preferences.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: Online Is Real
URL: https://teachingprivacy.org/module-7-online-is-real/
Description:

Your online activities and communications are as much a part of your life as your offline activities and communications; they are interconnected and can affect your life and relationships in the same way.

The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle: “The online world is inseparable from the ‘real’ world”. They are designed to be independent and flexible, so you can incorporate them into any size lesson plan. Student resources are available at https://teachingprivacy.org/online-is-real/.

Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can give examples of how online and offline activities affect each other; students can think imaginatively about the potential consequences of their posts for themselves and others.

Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.

Learning Objectives:

Students can critically examine the relationship between online and offline activities. They can outline example scenarios in which information originating online could affect their offline interactions and vice versa.
Students can explain how their online presence (both their intentional posts and other parts of their information footprint) might have a larger audience than that of which they are aware, and give examples of who might be in that larger audience.
Students can identify privacy settings on a particular app or site they use regularly and edit their settings according to their preferences.
Students can explain how interacting with privacy settings allows them to minimize who can see their personal information and posts.
Students reflect on the content that they choose to post, and can discuss the impact a post might have, or the reaction it might evoke, in a greater offline audience — not just within their circle of friends or followers.
Students can describe how they might approach a friend or family member to discuss privacy preferences.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: Identity Isn’t Guaranteed
URL: https://teachingprivacy.org/module-8-identity-isnt-guaranteed/
Description:

Creating an identity on the Internet or impersonating somebody else is often just a matter of a few clicks. Currently, there is no foolproof way to match a real person with their online identity. This means that you can never be sure with whom you are communicating and that someone could steal your online identity and impersonate you!

The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle: “Identity is not guaranteed on the Internet”. They are designed to be independent and flexible, so you can incorporate them into any size lesson plan. Student resources are available at https://teachingprivacy.org/identity-isnt-guaranteed/.

Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can explain why it is difficult to be sure who one is communicating with online; students can investigate and evaluate the legitimacy of services that want their personal information.

Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.

Learning Objectives:

Students can give examples of potential consequences of disclosing information online if the entity they’re sharing it with isn’t who they say they are.
Students can give examples of “weak points” that might allow someone to steal their identity, and examples of what that person could do with the stolen identity to compromise their privacy.
Students can explain how “phishing” works, and describe how they should respond to messages they suspect of phishing.
Students can give examples of methods they could use to verify someone’s identity online and can explain the shortcomings of those methods.
Students can give examples of methods they could use to verify the authenticity of apps, sites, and services that request their personal information, and can explain the shortcomings of those methods.
Students can describe some of the basic precautions they can take to keep their accounts secure from hackers and identity thieves.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: You Can’t Escape
URL: https://teachingprivacy.org/module-9-you-cant-escape/
Description:

Even if you’re not actively using the Internet, someone else may be sharing information about you — intentionally or unintentionally. So, avoiding the Internet does not guarantee privacy.

The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle: “You can’t avoid having an information footprint by not going online”. They are designed to be independent and flexible, so you can incorporate them into any size lesson plan. Student resources are available at https://teachingprivacy.org/you-cant-escape/.

Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can enumerate ways their offline activities generate data that is stored and shared online; students can communicate effectively with others about everyone’s information-sharing preferences.

Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.

Learning Objectives:

Students can explain why abstaining from online activities is not an effective strategy for maintaining online privacy.
Students can give examples of how someone’s information footprint could be impacted by the online activities of others, including how information about someone’s offline activities might end up online.
Students can give examples of ways that information in someone’s digital footprint that was not created by them could still be used against them.
Students can describe how they would apply privacy tools provided on social networking sites to minimize unwanted posts by others about their activities.
Students can investigate what information is being shared about them online by devices and services they use and organizations they participate in, and use privacy settings or opt-out mechanisms to limit that sharing.
Students can describe how they would approach discussing their privacy preferences with their friends and family to minimize unwanted information-sharing.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: Privacy Requires Work
URL: https://teachingprivacy.org/module-10-privacy-requires-work/
Description:

Most Internet technology is not designed to protect the privacy of those who use it; in fact, most technology providers make money by leveraging your private information. “Privacy policies” are generally written to protect those providers from lawsuits, not to protect users’ privacy. Laws and regulations cover only certain aspects of privacy and vary from place to place — and enforcement is even more varied. So, like it or not, your privacy is your own responsibility and requires your constant attention.

The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle: “Only you have an interest in maintaining your privacy”. They are designed to be independent and flexible, so you can incorporate them into any size lesson plan. Student resources are available at https://teachingprivacy.org/privacy-requires-work/.

Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can articulate why technology design, laws, and business policies do not inherently protect their privacy; students have the capacity to acquire new privacy-management skills as technology and policies change.

Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.

Learning Objectives:

Students can describe the user’s personal role in protecting their own online privacy.
Students can explain the purpose of a privacy policy.
Students can describe some of the limitations of privacy policies.
Students can describe some limitations of the laws protecting privacy.
Students can explain why it is important to periodically check privacy settings.
Students can give examples of effective actions they can take towards improving online privacy protections in general, including actions that can affect business practices and government regulations.

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (8 - 12)
Title: The Daily Dilemma: Peter and Bridget
URL: https://www.goodcharacter.com/dilemma21/
Description:

This site is a case study in which students are invited to share (through writing or discussion) their opinions about how a situation should be handled. This case study is related to the personal safe use of digital devices.

This case study goes as follows:

Peter’s longtime close friend, Bridget, is wrapped up in an online relationship with some older guy on MySpace, a social networking website. Peter senses danger, but Bridget resents his warnings and wants him to butt out. What can he do without risking their friendship?

Subject: Digital Literacy and Computer Science (9 - 12)
Title: Computer Science Principles Unit 1 Chapter 2 Lesson 8: The Internet Is for Everyone (2018)
URL: https://curriculum.code.org/csp-18/unit1/8/
Description:

This lesson sets the stage for why we want to learn about how the Internet works. First, students share what they currently know about how the Internet works through a KWL activity. Then, students watch a short video that introduces Vint Cerf and the Internet at a high level. Students skim a memo written to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) by Vint Cerf in 2002 entitled “The Internet is for Everyone”, which calls out a series of threats to the prospect that the Internet should be an open, easily and cheaply accessible resource for everyone on the planet. Finally, we foreshadow the practice of PT at the end of the unit. Many of the questions and challenges raised by Vint Cerf still apply today, and students will be asked to research and present on one for the Practice PT.

The purpose of this lesson is to set up and motivate students to be receptive to learning about some of the technical aspects of how the Internet functions. We want the message to be clear that a huge part of being able to solve these problems, or even to function as an informed citizen, is to be educated about how the Internet actually works as a system that is built, engineered, and maintained by people.

It is both interesting and important to know that the protocols or rules by which Internet traffic is governed are not owned or controlled by any government or business (at the moment). It’s a group of well-meaning citizen-engineers dedicated to keeping the Internet free, open and robust for all.

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is the group of mostly volunteer citizens that proposes and develops all of the standards and protocols that exist on the Internet. Request for Comments (RFC) documents, like the one we use in the lesson, is how these standards and protocols are defined and published for all to see on the IETF website. They are some of the best-written technical documents in existence.

And with a little background in how bits work, what’s necessary for protocols to work when bits are transferred over wires, they are relatively accessible reading. Here’s the full set: https://www.ietf.org/rfc.html. RFC 000 (the first one) is related to what we ask students to do in the next several lessons.

Students will be able to:
- connect a personal experience to one challenge related to the idea that "The Internet is for Everyone".
- cite one example of how computing has a global effect -- both beneficial and harmful -- on people and society.
- explain that the Internet is a distributed global system that works on shared and open protocols.

Note: You will need to create a free account on code.org before you can view this resource.

ALEX Classroom Resources: 15