Promoting digital citizenship policies is directly linked to understanding the rules of online safety and awareness of the risks that always come along with the use of technology. Unfortunately, most schools do not allocate enough time and resources to promote various workshops and campaigns that would help students learn the practical side of things. It is partially because of the constant upgrades and individual policies that every school implements. Nevertheless, the presence of various apps aimed at digital citizenship and online safety should be used as a way to unify things and let students connect theoretical objectives and practical use.
The Top Apps for Promoting Digital Citizenship and Online Safety in Schools
- Digital Citizenship App.
Developed by the people behind the famous Learning portal, it is aimed at middle and high school students and helps to avoid risks by offering safe online choices. The app focuses on the problem of cyberbullying and the ways to prevent it and tells about how to use online resources correctly. There are also video lessons and proposals to write a reflection. If writing is difficult for some students, approaching essay writing services like Grabmyessay is one of the best solutions to consider. Once students start to reflect and do some writing, they can connect theory to practice and share the knowledge with others.
- National Online Safety (NOS) App.
It is one of the most important online safety mobile apps that are mostly used by parents, legal guardians, and education staff. The best part about it is that it is constantly updated as new threats emerge. It is available free of charge and can be customized to meet the needs of a particular school. It is one of the best ways to keep children safe online. Moreover, you can find over 270 different safety guides that will help to deal with the various apps that children frequently use. You will learn how to connect mobile devices safely and can use the gained skills for online safety presentations.
This mobile app is quite helpful even in the classroom environment as it helps to set the rules and constantly monitor mobile devices, game consoles, and the use of tablets in any situation. The best part about it, however, is that the app is not intrusive and allows one to filter out certain content even remotely. The children who have this app installed can also continue with the “Home Plus” package, which will help them to use a Wi-Fi connection at home and implement the same set of rules. Even when you have a smart TV, you are still able to keep kids safe and ensure that no presentation will suddenly result in an obscene image.
One of the most common educational risks these days is related to virtual classrooms and mobile conferences. Most students are always at risk, even when using virtual classrooms! Now, using an app called Pumpic will let you control Skype or Zoom content, depending on the choice. As a parental monitor, this app takes things further and can control what’s being said or posted in WhatsApp Messenger. It allows you to track what phone calls are made (even if virtual!), what photos have been shared and received, and what websites have been visited. If you look into advanced features, you can even monitor things remotely!
It is a great app that allows you to know who is calling even when a person is not on your list of contacts yet. It also makes it easier to deal with phone calls and management of existing contacts. It also helps to coordinate your contacts with the spam alerts database and ensure that you do not add numbers from scammers or accept contacts that are known to send offensive content. It’s family-friendly and can be used by learners of all ages. It is also good for keeping your school contacts within the white list and asking for help immediately in case of emergency!
When it comes to the creation of school presentations and browsing through YouTube, most teenagers will face at least one case of offensive content or negative comments. The TeenSafe app blocks all questionable content and provides educators with an opportunity to view the messages that have been received, sent, and even deleted. You can track the activity of students on social media and ensure that everything is within the school’s policy. If some offensive words appear in the posts, you instantly receive an alert. This app also helps to avoid distractions by blocking all non-school-related websites.
It is one of those useful apps that help to approach online safety through the lens of analysis and strategic thinking. This app focuses on the problem of bullying and actually teaches kids and teenagers to become responsible digital citizens. It literally asks us to think before a message is sent. According to developers, the system of encouragement and explanations has helped over 90% of young users think over the harm that is caused by bullying and actually change their message. Sending something that can harm others is always a problem, which is why implementing such apps at school always helps.
Making The Rules Accessible and Clear
As the practice shows, it is not enough to provide modern learners with a set of online safety rules if they go without explanations. The most challenging part of establishing proper online safety and digital citizenship in schools is not installing firewalls and surveillance cameras but letting students know about the rules of password storage or the risks that come along with online video games or social networks. The key is to hold discussions and let every rule become an explained concept instead of being something that a student must explore and research on their own. As a teacher, you have to focus on case studies and let your students come up with examples that will make things more relevant and interesting.
Innovative curriculum designer Mark Wooten is dedicated to creating interesting learning experiences and is enthusiastic about education. He blends creativity and pedagogy with a great understanding of instructional design to create curriculum frameworks that connect with a wide range of learners. Wooten works hard to produce engaging instructional materials that stimulate critical thinking and curiosity in addition to meeting academic requirements. His ability to create curriculum solutions that appeal to teachers and students alike is a testament to his commitment to improving the educational environment.
