During the month of November, middle and high school students are learning about digital citizenship. All students need digital citizenship skills to participate fully in their communities and make smart choices online and in life. In addition to connecting to several learner profile attributes, such as Communicator and Balanced, these lessons explore IB Approaches to Learning (ATL) Self Management skills.
Middle school students will discuss:
- Self Awareness: “How can I navigate the pressures of social media?”
- Self Management: “How can I practice healthy media habits?”
- Responsible Decision Making: “How can I make responsible choices when communicating online?”
- Relationship Skills: “How does technology affect my friendships?”
- Social Awareness: ”How can I respond to digital drama when I see it happen?”
High school students will discuss:
Lesson 1: The Innovation of Loneliness - Monday, Nov. 8
The Innovation of Loneliness unpacks the problems with social media and the “false hope” that it provides. What we really need is real life connections and relationships. This short clip reveals the importance of 1-on-1 interaction instead of the sometimes “fake” relationships we have online.
Lesson 2: The Health Effects of Screen Time - Monday, Nov. 15
The research is still out when it comes to exactly how screen time affects our health. But one area where we know it does is our sleep. Just having a device near us seems to change the way our brains work. It is our goal to help students learn that being responsible with digital media means adjusting how we use it so it isn't unhealthy for our bodies or our brains.
Lesson 3: Online Disinhibition and Cyberbullying - Monday, Nov. 29
Texting and chatting online can sometimes feel just like talking to someone in person, but it's actually pretty different. It's all because of something called the "online disinhibition effect," which makes us more likely to share or communicate differently from how we would in person. This lesson will help students learn to consider this concept before they post, and stop digital drama and cyberbullying before they start.