Be personal
Connecting with real people online in a safe way is beneficial for online users as shown in the Psychology Today article Social Connection Boosts Health, Even When You're Isolated. According to the article, people who feel more connected to others have:
- Lower anxiety rates
- Fewer incidents of depression
- Higher self-esteem
- Increased empathy toward others
Knowing and using good digital citizenship skills makes online experiences safer and more enjoyable for educators and learners. Teaching learners how to share personal information safely to make connections in a secure environment is the responsibility of all educational institutions.
Schools use resources from the Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to answer questions and address concerns around student data privacy, confidentiality, and best security practices required by FERPA, COPPA, CIPA, and GDPR. Using a framework to evaluate online educational tools’ Terms of Service Agreements helps schools protect student data privacy by determining how an online service or app collects, uses and/or transmits user information.
Learners should strive to be personal and authentic, yet private, online. Learners achieve this by avoiding posting sensitive information and understanding that online posts last forever. Even though a post may be deleted by the original poster, others may take a screenshot, save the image, and repost it in multiple apps. This creates a permanent digital footprint. Educators need to teach learners: "If in doubt, don’t post!”
Learners should also be taught to evaluate their posts from a perspective of empathy and respect for others’ personal rights. They need to ask permission before sharing photos or videos of others in online spaces and evaluate when it's appropriate to make public jokes or references.
Educators also teach digital privacy to maintain private information in a safe space using a variety of Microsoft tools.
Tools to help make online experiences personal and safe
- Microsoft ClipChamp allows educators and learners to upload, view, and share videos.
- Game-based learning with Minecraft Education prepares learners for the future by teaching skills including problem solving, creativity, and systems thinking. Learners build a digital vault inside a Minecraft world to store personal data such as usernames and passwords. This enforces the importance of maintaining a digital locker for sensitive information.
- Microsoft Edge's Password Generator automatically generates a strong, unique password suggestion. The generated password is saved automatically in the browser and synced across all devices that use Microsoft Edge.