School Program Teaches Students How to Be Ethical Online

Diana Graber, a mother with children attending Journey School in Aliso Viejo, saw a growing problem with the way young people (and adults) use the Internet.

She approached leaders of Journey School with an idea that would bring digital literacy to the students. From her suggestions the school, which uses the Waldorf method of education, created a “cyber civics” course.

“We want to teach the students why it is important to be a good citizen online,” Graber said.

Waldorf education typically steers away from technology and focuses more on creative/hands-on learning, like working in the garden and infusing each lesson with art. Graber said given the advancing times and social change, the school’s administration saw it as a necessary addition to the curriculum.

“The digital skills [students] need aren’t the technical skills. They can figure out how to use a computer or a program on their own,” Graber said. “What they need is the social skills.”

Graber, who has a master's degree in media psychology and social change, visits Journey once a week to teach the program. The cyber civics curriculum begins in sixth grade, where it focuses on digital citizenship. Seventh grade studies information literacy and eighth grade explores media literacy and critical thinking. Activities include a look into the privacy of images and information that users upload online through sites like Facebook and Twitter. Students were also given the chance to write the Journey School Wikipedia page.

“The funniest comments from the kids [who have gone through the program] are comments like ‘Wow, I'm never getting a Facebook page.’ The lesson’s really makes them think twice about the ramifications of poor online behavior. My own daughter often comments on the behaviors of older kids saying they would have acted differently had they had the benefit of cyber civics when they were younger,” Graber said.

Since the program was initiated, no incidents of poor online behavior, like cyber bullying, have occurred with the children who started the program in sixth grade, Graber said.

“I think the lessons took effect immediately because these kids, being in a Waldorf school, were not heavy users of technology in the first place and had spent many years developing strong face-to-face, interpersonal skills and empathy,” she said.  “They are just learning to take these same behaviors online.”

Graber recognized that this problem was not just occurring with youths, but with adults as well. Graber launched CyberWise, a website that contains free classes and tips for adults looking to understand proper Internet usage.

CyberWise users can recive daily tips and lessons to keep up with technological changes. With their motto, “No adult left behind,” they hope to give parents enough knowledge to direct their children to make wise decisions online.

“A kid now has 24/7 information,” she said. “I want every kid in school to have this [digital ethics training].”

Photo is courtesy of Nirzhar | Business Photography. See more of his work online at:  http://www.thepradhanstudios.com/gallery/business-portraits-gallery/.