i-SAFE: Professional Development for Keeping K-12 Students Safe on the Internet

The Internet has dramatically transformed our world and our lives. We help our children use current technology and find information on the Internet, but are we doing enough to keep them safe while they are online?

Some startling statistics from a recent poll of students nationwide:

• 10% feel it’s okay to post a picture of themselves on the Internet.
• 10% have met someone from the Internet “face to face.”
• 30% stated that chat rooms, email and instant messaging were the main ways they keep in touch with friends.
• 24% see nothing wrong in chatting with a stranger on the Internet.
• 19% feel safer on the Internet than they do in the real world.

In partnership with the ESD Educational Technology Support Centers in the State of Washington, i-SAFE America is providing a prevention-oriented Internet safety education program for students in grades K-12. This program includes professional development opportunities, K-12 curriculum at no charge, opportunities for students to participate in leadership activities, and parent and community resources.

The i-Safe Safe School Education Initiative and Outreach Campaign is a nationwide initiative, and the i-Safe curriculum complies with No Child Left Behind (NCLB). It incorporates best practices into teaching to meet the National Educational Technology Standards (#2) to ensure that students:

• Understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology;
• Practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software;
• Develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration personal pursuits, and productivity.

Download the iSafe Standards document (Standards.doc) to learn more about how the iSafe curriculum aligns with:

• Washington’s Educational Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs)
• Washington’s Technology Standards for Students
• National Educational Technology Standards
• No Child Left Behind.

Schedule a Professional Development workshop by contacting your regional ESD Ed Tech Support Center Director (contact info). These workshops will be scheduled periodically at the ESD or you may request a workshop to be delivered on site. A variety of training options are available:

• One-hour overview
• Half- or full-day workshops covering these topics and grade bands:

New to i-SAFE? Click here for more information about this successful program.

Other Internet Safety Resources:

From the Virginia DOE: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Technology/OET/internet-safety-guidelines-resources.pdf