The use of digital devices is an integral part of the PWCS learning environment, so it's important for all members of the PWCS community to have an understanding of what digital citizenship means. Educators and the Information and Instructional Technology Department work together to support digital citizenship through well designed instructional activities and policies, both written and technical.
Educators are expected to model and share safe practices around the use of technology. Through repetition and intentional teaching of the behaviors of a digital citizen, students will better understand how technology can impact themselves, their community, and their world. Educators have access to resources to
Instructional Support of Digital Citizenship
Instructionally, we support digital citizenship by:
- Providing educators with resources and suggestions to help them teach about each of the behaviors of a digital citizen.
- Curating resources from Common Sense Media in a digital library and can be accessed online by educators to support instruction.
- Enabling district wide access to Discovery Education, World Book Online, and Safari Montage which support research and knowledge construction through credible resources.
- Providing access to a variety of digital applications that support communication, collaboration, and creativity to demonstrate learning and provide opportunity to interact positively online.
- Encouraging student creation and choice over consumption of media through universal design for learning practices.
Technical Support of Digital Citizenship
In addition to instruction, our Department of Information and Instructional Technology employs the following processes to support safety and data privacy of students.
- Google SafeSearch: Ensures students are shielded from explicit content during internet searches.
- Internet Content Filtering: Blocks harmful or distracting material, maintaining acceptable use on school computer networks.
- Email, Storage, and Image Review: Promotes positive communication and collaboration while preventing misuse.
- Host-Based Security Tools: Scans workstations for malicious content, ensuring a safe environment.
- Emergency Alerting Services: Identifies those in need and bridges the gap between digital and real-world to get them the assistance they need.
- Screen Time Limits: Encourages a healthy balance between digital and physical experiences.
- Software Governance: Digital applications are reviewed to insure there are consistent, high quality learning resources that protect student data.