Cyber Savvy
Embracing Digital Safety and Civility
How to teach students online safety and citizenship
Concerns about children's online safety have evolved from protecting them to focusing on encouraging positive social norms, transmitting effective skills, and encouraging students to be helpful allies. In fact, federal law now requires schools that receive funding to educate students about cyber safety. Nancy Willard integrates her expertise in risk prevention, law, and education to provide a collaborative process for teaching secondary students media literacy, safety, and "netiquette." She lays out the steps for school staff to team up with students to build an effective program that will teach young people how to:
- Keep themselves safe
- Disclose and consume information wisely
- Respect the rights, privacy, and property of others
- Take responsibility for others' well-being when needed
- Respond to inappropriate or dangerous situations
The author's companion website provides access to surveys, stories, and news articles that spark student discussions and support the book's activities. Cyber Savvy will show you how to turn techno panic into techno power!
"Willard provides the reader with a critical understanding of why we need a more effective approach to teaching teens about Internet safety and citizenship. The guidelines and strategies she describes make the reader believe that implementation of a more effective, Cyber Savvy approach is not only feasible, but easily accomplished."
"This book's approach is both interesting and outside the common tactics used by many schools to address cyber-citizenship issues. Instead of issuing mass edicts for school districts that will 'protect' students and staff by preventing access to valuable online information, Nancy Willard has developed a balanced methodology around making wiser choices and stronger long-term decisions."
“As the clear, informed, expert voice on cyberbullying, Nancy Willard shows how to make informed decisions that reflect reality. Her work is inspiring and extremely important to the national debate about digital citizenship.”
"This book will help educators teach their students media literacy, safety, and 'netiquette.' Willard's expertise in risk prevention, law and education provides educators with the tools fo build an effective program for teaching students online safety and citizenship."
"This well-researched and documented book is laid out for easy reading and understanding of often complex materials and sensitive subjects."