Digital health and wellness refers to physical and psycho-social well-being in a technological world. Given the ever-increasing frequency with which students use technologies, particularly in their school and personal lives, health and wellness are areas that need to be addressed in the interest of developing well-balanced digital citizens.
Navigating Digital Wellbeing
Internet Safety
Overview
- Definition: Internet safety includes but is not limited to: system security, password security, and content filtering.
- Why It’s Important: Internet use comes with some inherent dangers. Identity theft, unlawful access to computer content, and damaging or dangerous content are all concerns for our web users, both in and outside the district buildings. ISD728 has in place several layers of protection from outside threats to our users and devices. However, there are threats and dangers that can still interfere with students’ use of the internet at school and at home.
Connections
- School: At school, students are protected with highly effective web filtering at several layers of the internet architecture. The district firewall protects from dangerous viruses and malware that could corrupt our systems or access our data, and internal filtering like GoGuardian protects students from accessing dangerous or inappropriate content on their district provided devices. This may include pornography, hate group sites, or sites advocating or related to self harm. Violations and concerns trigger notices sent to principals or other administration as to what content was accessed and by whom so they can follow up on anything dangerous.
- Home: At home, school-provided devices continue to filter out dangerous content as described above, but students’ other devices (phones, tablets, video game consoles) can expose them to dangerous content, scams, or predatory users. It is important for parents to be vigilant as to the security of their home internet connections, the filtering and privacy settings available on personal devices, and to help students be aware of potential scams and outside dangers to their devices and to themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can students access all YouTube content at school and on school devices? YouTube is filtered somewhat for content in the district, both at school and at home on district devices. However, it is impossible to filter all dangerous content, so all adults (teachers, parents) must be vigilant and help students identify and report dangerous content on YouTube.
- What happens if students access dangerous content on a district device? The GoGuardian web filter blocks dangerous content, makes a note of flagged content, and sends a reports to the building principal if inappriote content is accessed.
- Visit GoGuardain Parent App for information on how parents and guardians can also monitor their grade 3-12 children's chromebook browsing activity.
- My child shared their school device password with someone and now they are accessing her material. What do we do? The RapidIdentity single-sign-on portal has a password reset function. View Directions.
- How can my student keep their school accounts secure? Students should never share passwords and should frequently change passwords on RapidIdentity. View More Info
- Can I get filtering like what they have at school on a personal device on my own home network? Several 3rd party products exist that provide content filtering, as well as many built-in privacy and security settings available on most digital devices. View More Resources are some links to device-specific resources for these.
- Can student Chromebooks get viruses? Chromebooks are very virus-resistant. Should something look out of line, students can take devices to the Chrome Depot for advice or assistance.
Resources
Screen Time
Overview
- Definition: Screen time is the use of digital devices to consume, create and communicate in our technology rich world. As we prepare students to be Future Ready for our 21st Century teaching and learning environments, it's important to teach and model best practices for using technology safely and effectively.
- Why It’s Important: Whether you work directly with students or you have children/grandchildren, we all interact with technology that is changing how we learn and communicate on a daily basis. We all play an important role in helping students learn to manage their own use of technology independently and appropriately. Screen time is an important discussion to revisit frequently with children from elementary school through high school. This effort requires a partnership between parents and educators to help students manage their use of technology. The resources presented here will provide guidance and resources to help parents and educators better support students for the 21st Century.
Connections
- School: The use of technology in our classrooms has become common place and is no longer used for isolated learning activities. The use of digital resources provides teachers will more immediate feedback to adjust instruction and provides students with greater access to interact meaningfully with technology using the 4 C’s of Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. In ISD728 we are emphasizing the use of Blended Learning Strategies as a framework to deliver meaningful activities using combination of online and face to face interactions. Below are a few resources that describe key components of blended learning.
- Blended Learning Components:
- Encourages one on one or small group instruction combined with self-paced learning activities.
- Empowers learners with more voice and choice in their learning path.
- Allows learners to have more control over the pacing of instruction.
- Delivers individualized content for learners.
- Check out the short video clip below that describes how blended learning can be used to provide meaningful student engagement.
- Home: The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes the effects of media use are multifactorial and depend on the type of media and the type of use. (AAP November 2016) It’s essential to understand that not all screen time is created equally. What's more important is the quality of kids' media, how it fits into your family's lifestyle, and how you engage your kids with it. (Common Sense Media)
- The idea of screen time as a one-dimensional activity is changing -- even the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), whose screen time rules had been strictly age-based, is recognizing that not all screen time is created equal. Computers, tablets, and smartphones are multipurpose devices that can be used for lots of purposes. Designating their use simply as "screen time" can miss some important variations. The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens identifies four main categories of screen time.
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Passive consumption: watching TV, reading, and listening to music
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Interactive consumption: playing games and browsing the Internet
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Communication: video-chatting and using social media
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Content creation: using devices to make digital art or music
Guidelines for Parents
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Setting up your home learning space? Review these Ergonomic Tips.
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Create a Family Media Plan. By creating a Personalized Family Media Use Plan, you can be aware of when you are using media to achieve your purpose. This resource will help you to think about media & create goals & rules that are in line with your family’s values.
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Use the Media Time Calculator to encourage a more thoughtful use of screen time.
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Use the Family Media Agreement. A healthy media diet balances three things: what kids do, how much time they spend doing it, and whether their content choices are age-appropriate. Mixing media and tech time with other activities will help families find that happy medium.
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Review the “Make Room for Healthy Media Choices” poster.
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Read the Media Tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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Examine the Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents recommendations for Families.
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Review the Screen Time & Device Management Resources
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View the Diane Saywer Part I (8:41) and Part II (6:49) Video Series
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View the Digital Wellness Screen Time Presentation for useful "tips" on Managing screen time.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How parents of young children can learn to put their phone down?
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What are the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for young children?
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What are the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for School-Aged Children and Adolescents
Resources
Cyberbullying
Overview
- Definition: Cyberbullying is defined as using the internet, including cell phones and social media, to deliberately and repeatedly intimidate, threaten, embarrass, harass or hurt another person. Examples include sending hurtful texts, posting embarrassing photos and spreading false rumors.
- Why It’s Important: Bullying in all forms is a concern for children and teens. Cyberbullying creates unique challenges because technology can foster bullying that is more public and continuous, making it more difficult for the target to find an escape. Posted material can also be more challenging to remove which causes ongoing torment and negatively impacts the target’s reputation. Because the bullying is online, it can also be more difficult for adults to notice and thus intervene.
Connections
- School: To help prevent, protect, educate and empower all learners against cyberbullying, ISD 728 implements a Digital Citizenship curriculum at all grade levels using age appropriate information and resources, including lessons and materials from Common Sense Media.
- Home: It is important that families take an active role in educating and protecting their child(ren). Some suggestions for preventing and mitigating the the impact of cyberbullying include the following:
- Educate: Set expectations and teach your child how to be responsible digital citizens, including how to appropriately use digital tools, how to secure their privacy settings, and how to recognize the dangers of anonymity. Stay engaged in your child’s digital world and be aware of their online activity as well as offline behaviors that might indicate they are experiencing or perpetuating cyberbullying.
- Empower: Discuss with your child how to recognize and respond appropriately to bullying behaviors such as ignoring, blocking, unfollowing and reporting to an adult. Also maintain open and ongoing communication with your child about cyberbullying and digital drama. Be patient and supportive of your child as they learn to develop and navigate online relationships.
- Inspire: Model positive online presence and encourage your child to be kind when they are both online and offline. Discuss the importance of standing up for themselves and their peers as well as the importance of reporting any cyberbullying they experience or observe to an adult.
- To learn more about these suggestions, see FAQ below.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Cyberbullying?
- How common is cyberbullying?
- How do I protect my young child from cyberbullying?
- What should I teach my kid about safe online behavior?
- What are the different roles kids play in cyberbullying situations?
- When should parents intervene in a cyberbullying situation?
Resources
Digital Reputation
Overview
- Definition: In the age of the Internet and social media, there is an increasing amount of information available about each of us online that can be accessed with a simple Google search. With each account we create or online interaction we have, we leave behind a “digital footprint” and, by doing so, develop our “digital reputation.” In essence, this becomes our public digital profile and resume.
- Why It’s Important: Employers and post-secondary institutions look at this data to gain insight into who we are. At ISD728, we emphasize the importance of developing a positive digital reputation which can enhance a student’s chances of gaining employment or acceptance to a post-secondary school. Because this can impact reputation, employment and acceptance to post secondary school, it is essential for our students to think before they post.
Connections
- School: Interacting online is unavoidable in today’s tech-rich world. Therefore, students are made aware how negative online actions like sexting (sending sexually explicit images or text through text messages or social media) or online bullying can have serious personal, professional and legal consequences. At the same time, students must learn that developing a positive “digital reputation” can be very powerful and beneficial. At ISD728, we help students recognize the difference between a negative and positive online presence, and we strive to communicate these messages through our Digital Citizenship curriculum, school-wide awareness campaigns and through activities and discussions integrated into our daily classrooms.
- Home: It is important for parents to both understand and be involved in their child’s use of social media and online interactions at home. This can help to keep them safe, productive and healthy in their digital environment. Common Sense Media offers excellent resources to help parents understand the ever-changing landscape of social media and other online behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where can I find resources to help guide me as a parent? Common Sense Media is a great place to start. They have thorough and vetted information about many of these topics. The following quote from Common Sense Media provides a general overview of resources they provide for parents: “Social media isn't simply a way of life for kids -- it's life itself. To help them keep their online interactions safe, productive, and positive, we offer the most up-to-date research and guidance on social media basics. Learn about the latest apps and websites, and get tips on talking to your kids about sharing, posting, and avoiding digital drama.”
- Is a digital footprint always bad? No. Creating a positive portrait of yourself online can have many benefits, including making a positive first impression on a future employer or school admissions office.
- Are there some simple reminders I can provide my child to help guide their online use? Yes, the THINK model is simple and widely used. Is the post True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, and/or Kind?
- How do I know what my digital footprint is? A simple activity is to Google yourself. You could also search yourself in other browsers like Bing or Yahoo.
Resources
- Digital Footprint and Reputation (Common Sense Media)
- Sexting (Netsmartz)
- Social Media Sites & Apps (Netsmartz)
- Social Media and Friendships (Pew Research)
- How Teens Hang Out and Stay in Touch (Pew Research)
- The Role of Digital Media in Teen Friendships (Pew Research)
- Netsmartz for Teens
- Netsmartz for Kids
- Digital Footprint (eSafety Commission of Australia)
- Digital Footprint (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction)
- Tips for Parents (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction)
- Your Digital Footprint: What is it and how can you manage it? (Rasmussen College)
Digital Health & Wellness Newsletters
CONTACT US
Technical Support Team
Available business days
763-241-3490
isd728.org/LetsChat
Troy Anderson
Director, Instructional Technology
763-241-3400 x5007
troy.anderson@isd728.org
Joseph Samek
Director, Information Technology
763-241-3400 x1318
joseph.samek@isd728.org
QUICK LINKS
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