General Course Description
In this course teachers will learn the basics of Internet risks and predatory behavior; how to use and understand common Internet tools; how emotions and behaviors affect risks; the issues, ethics and regulations surrounding online interactions; and how to establish safer Internet use in the classroom. This is a hands-on course requiring independent analysis and group participation. Estimated hours of work: 30 hours.
 
Section One: Understanding Online Risks
In this section you gain an overview of the types of risks students can be exposed to on the Internet, including sexual predators, bullying and harassment, and identity theft. The myth of online anonymity is explored, and the motivations and methods of online predators explained. You discover several types of scams and fraud perpetrated online, and examine of the various ways in which others can pinpoint your or your students’ location using technology tools.
 
Section Two: Understanding Emotional Risks
Learn how emotional vulnerabilities can prove a magnet for online criminals and how they take advantage of children, teens, and adults alike. Explore the growing problem of online bullying and harassment which young people are exposed to in instant messaging as well as in social settings on the Internet. Learn to identify emotional risks that your students may be falling pray to by posting information or images that betray their feelings. Discover how online criminals manipulate emotions and groom victims with calculated mind games.
 
Section Three: Exposing Vulnerabilities
This section takes a look at the various ways in which people expose themselves online, including what they show in images and what they reveal in text. Dangers of weak passwords are revealed. The pros and cons of online dating and placing personal information online are explored, including the permanent nature of online information.
 
Section Four: Using Internet Products and Services Safety
To protect yourselves and your students from online dangers, it is important that you understand the various technologies involved and how Internet products and services may or may not be protecting your interests. Learn about using e-mail and instant messaging safety, and explore the phenomena of blogging and social sites. Find out what risks exist on gaming sites and in shopping and doing business online. Finally, understand how ubiquitous cell phones and handheld music devices can also place you and your students at risk.
 
Section Five: Creating a Safer Internet Community
What is being done by governments and corporations to make the Internet a safer place? In this section you gain an understanding of legislative efforts to regulate the Internet and why you may be your own best defense against online crime. Find out how privacy policies on Web sites work, and how advertising targets you in sometimes dangerous ways. Discover how video cams are being misused by young people in ways that expose them and what role bots, wikis, widgets and more play in your students’ online life.
 
Section Six: Protection in the Classroom
In the final part of the course we delve into the specifics of teaching online safety principles, including a guide to safety discussions by age group. You learn about ethical considerations that must be considered when exploring the use of the Internet with young people, and how to report abuses when you hear of or experience them. The section ends with a discussion of how to put safety tools and knowledge in place in your school.