Digital Citizenship, Guidance and Restrictions

One strategy to help with these ongoing conversations is to set up a Family Media Plan (www.healthychildren.org/mediauseplan)

Recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (from Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents)

• Promote that children/adolescent get the recommended amount of daily physical activity (1 hour) and adequate sleep (8-12 hours).
• It is recommended that children/adolescent not sleep with devices in their bedrooms, including TVs, computers, and smartphones.
• Designate media-free times (eg, family dinner) and locations (eg, bedrooms).
• Have ongoing communication with children about digital citizenship.
• Actively develop a network of trusted adults who can engage with adolescents through social media and to whom they can turn to when they encounter challenges.

We all want students to become positive, contributing citizens in all aspects of their lives, including interactions they may have in the digital world. Educators, families and students will engage in ongoing conversations about what it means to be responsible citizens in the digital world.

People have a basic need to be safe and this is also true when working, interacting, and living in the digital world. It is important that students understand how to protect their own privacy and respect the privacy of others. Students will be encouraged to ask for help if they find their private life in a digital world has become more public than they would like.

Conversations about digital citizenship should guide and empower students on how to make thoughtful and reflective decisions and how to develop a positive presence online. It is important that students learn how to demonstrate empathy towards others in both the real and the digital worlds. For this to happen, we need to have continual, authentic and reflective conversations with students.  The platforms of the digital world are always changing, but our behavior as citizens should consistently be thoughtful, considerate and honest. 

This text unpacks the District 196 skills that are important to be a good digital citizen. This is a good reference when talking to your children about digital citizenship.

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Digital Citizenship: The actions of a critical consumer and positive contributor in the digital world.

Overarching Essential Questions: Who is in control? Who is making the decision?

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As a Critical Consumer, I will:

1. Determine the purpose of the resource:
   1. Present Information
   2. Sell Services or Products
   3. Advocate Ideas
   4. Entertain

2. Evaluate credibility of the source

3. Identify the intended audience

4. Corroborate information to see if it can be found in more than one place to determine the validity/reliability

5. Understand the context in which the information was created

6. Analyze the point of view that is presented and seek out multiple points of view

7. Understand that bias affects information

8. Understand language of websites and search engines (e.g. url domains, country codes, etc.)

9. Determine whose voice is represented and whose voice is missing in the information

10. Ask for help when coming upon information that is uncomfortable, offensive or hurtful

11. Ask for clarification when information is unclear or confusing

12. Exercise persistence when experiencing a barrier while searching for information

13. Understand what I am agreeing to when signing an agreement or creating an account (e.g. terms of service, policy, etc.)

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As a Positive Contributor, I will:

1. Share thinking and learning to the digital environment (e.g. blog, chat, publish, etc.)
2. Use language to build understanding with others that have similar and different points of view
3. Collaborate face-to-face and digitally to understand similarities and differences 
4. Reflect on writing before posting publicly (Is it true, helpful to others, inspiring, necessary and kind?)
5. Demonstrate empathy - I understand that my actions/language affect those that receive or review the communication
6. Consider the impact- I understand my contributions reflect the groups I am a citizen of (e.g., family, school, teams, activities, organizations, community, etc.)  
7. Understand my role in the group and contribute positively to the group’s purpose
8. Give credit to the resources and people that contributed to my learning
9. Understand the information shared online is permanent
10. Take personal responsibility for the care of equipment and network resources
11. Understand the difference between what is personal and what is necessary to share

District 196 limits which iPad apps students can download and uses web filtering to restrict certain internet content. Parents also have the ability to add additional restrictions and/or check their student’s iPad use.

Open Screen Time:  

1. Log into your student’s iPad using his/her personal login code.
2. Go to Settings and tap Screen Time, then Turn on Screen Time.
3. Tap This is My Child's iPad
4. Continue through Downtime and App Limits based on your family's preferences.
   • Downtime gives parents the option of disabling the iPad at a certain time (such as right before bedtime). Unless you add apps to the “Always Allowed” list, nothing on the iPad will function during the set downtime period.
   • App Limits allows you to set use limits for different types of apps. Note that most apps available on student iPads are apps used for educational purposes, so this will likely not be necessary.
5. Set a Screen Time passcode when prompted (recommended).  Make a 4-digit passcode you will not share with your child.  Type it in twice to activate the passcode.  (Note: If you forget your passcode, please contact the school and it can be cleared.)
6. Screen Time Passcode Recovery will prompt for an Apple ID.  No need to enter an Apple ID, select Cancel in the upper left corner and then tap Skip.

IMPORTANT: Whenever you are finished making changes in Screen Time, exit Screen Time so that your changes are password protected. To exit Screen Time, press the round home button.             

Content and Privacy Restrictions

Here you have the option of adding internet content and privacy restrictions to your child's iPad. The district already restricts some content and functions, but this gives families an opportunity for additional controls.

Monitoring Screen Time

Screen Time also allows you to see how much time is spent on the iPad and in each app. When looking at the Screen Time menu, tap the space above Downtime to see.

Viewing Child's Web History

You can check the browser history in both Safari and Chrome to see which websites your child has been on.