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Cybersecurity for Everyone– From Students to Senior Citizens

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

There are great cybersecurity tips for adults, but what about kids? Scammers and online criminals are actively targeting kids to obtain not only their personal information but also to gain their parents’ or guardians’ information. And as we know, our youth are growing up in a world where they are connected to the internet 24/7, which means we need to give them the tools and knowledge to be safe and secure online.

Did you know once scammers obtain a child’s personal information, they can:

  • Open up new lines of credit?
  • Try to obtain a family member’s credit card or bank account to make fraudulent purchases?
  • Sell their information on the dark web?

Five Security Tips for Students

So what do we need to share with our students so they can be informed, protect their personal data online, and not fall victim to identity theft? Here are five tips to get you started at home or school. Both teachers and parents should be having discussions with our youth to make sure they have the information and resources they need to protect their personal data.

  1. Create screen names and email addresses that do not include your first and last name.
  2. Create passwords with letters, numbers, and symbols.
  3. Don’t respond to emails from strangers.
  4. Do not share your password with anyone except a parent/guardian.
  5. Do not leave your computer or mobile device unattended.
Infographic highlighting 5 cybersecurity tips for students from the article text

Cybersecurity Scenarios

Remember, scammers use a variety of platforms to try and extract information by email, phone calls, social media, and online websites. Another way to open up the lines of communication on the topic of cybersecurity is to share and discuss situations that students could encounter. Teachers and parents, try out these scenarios, so our young people know what scammers are seeking. After each scenario, have a conversation and ask, “What are the red flags, and how should we handle this situation?” The answer to every scenario is to show an adult as soon as possible and never correspond with the message.

  1. Avery has posted a skateboarding video on ThePipe video site and received the following comment: “You are so talented. Click on this link to win a fabulous XYX board. Just enter your last name, address, and phone number to be entered into the drawing.”
  1. A new friend, Braxton, on CracklePopChat DMs you: “Post a video of you getting home from school and then your parents getting home from work. I am gathering information for my Science Fair project, due in two days, and I need to gather data ASAP.”
  1. Your new friend, Celia, on the popular online gaming site, PruneSpace, sends you a link to a new free gaming site, Dario Cart 100: “Just click on the link and enter your current username and password for the popular game you are playing right now, and you will have free access for one year. The offer expires in an hour, so don’t wait!”
  1. Your “Uncle David” on RightAwayGram posts a cute baby picture and asks everyone to post their own birthdate.
  1. You receive a phone call. The caller says: “This is Google Security calling to let you know there have been several attempts to order items on your mother’s credit card. To stop this fraudulent behavior, please verify the school you attend and your mother’s place of work. We will put a stop payment on her account.”
  1. You receive an email from the accounts@soccialsecurityadminstrattion.net. The email states: “We are emailing you to let you know your social security number has been found on the dark web. Please send us your social security number so we can freeze your account until this issue is resolved.”

Cybersecurity Resources for Students

CISA provides the following:

Screenshot of Homeland Security's National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign website.
  • Parent and Educator Tip Card
  • Chatting with Kids about Being Online Booklet
  • Family Cybersecurity Presentation
  • Kids Presentation
  • Spread the Word Guide

Cyber.org has an introductory course for students in grades K-12. The course has two main topics: security and digital citizenship. Educators will need to answer a few questions before access is granted.

Screenshot of cybersecurity basics website from cyber.org.

Cybersecurity for Senior Citizens

Our children are not the only target of cyber criminals. Unfortunately, our senior citizens are often targeted as well. I know this to be true as my neighbor (in her 80s) paid $5000 because she received a phone call. The person on the phone stated that her grandson had been jailed in Mexico. My neighbor is a very spunky and intelligent woman, but criminals know how to pull at your heartstrings to extract cash. They can be very convincing, persuasive, and sometimes threatening and frightening.

AARP shares an online article on seven actual phone call pitches that were reported on the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline. The caller topics include:

  1. Medicare
  2. Phone company
  3. IRS
  4. Arrest of a Family Member
  5. Amazon
  6. Utility Company
  7. Social Security Administration

I highly recommend sharing these scenarios with your older family and friends. The dialogue is spot on as these are actual situations that happen frequently, and they also have advice on what to do. Think of it as cyber stranger danger!

We need to share, share, share to help everyone stay safe and secure online! Have any other ideas or resources to share? Throw them in the comments so we can all add to our cybersecurity toolbelts.

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CybersecurityDigital CitizenshipDigital Literacy

Three Resources to Boost Kids’ Digital Safety

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Wish someone had your back as a parent or educator when it comes to cybersecurity so that when you had questions, you knew where to go to find the answers? Or do you wish that someone suggested the questions and answers because you don’t even know what to ask? If so, you’ve come to the right place. TCEA.org’s TechNotes blog offers a lot of suggestions and resources for cybersecurity. What’s more, we’ve rounded up some information sources you don’t want to miss.

Let’s take a look at three amazing resources– all available for free. These resources can help you deal with tough topics. And they can offer suggestions for safeguarding your digital life.

Resource #1: Firefox for Families

Screenshot by author

The makers of the Firefox browser, Mozilla, have put together an incredible resource. Designed for parents, it has the following objectives:

  • To make awkward tech conversations with kids less awkward
  • To offer starter topics to get things rolling

The topics include a host of easy to read issues you need to know about:

  • Privacy
  • Mental Health
  • Bullying
  • Public wifi
  • Passwords
  • Private Mode

One of the most important components is The Super-Official Family Tech Agreement. This agreement is a PDF that resembles a contract between the child(ren) and the parent(s) or caregiver(s). It addresses various key tenets of digital citizenship without engaging in pedantry. Its four main tenets include:

  • Be yourself and stay safe.
  • Talk to me!
  • Oh, the places you’ll please never go.
  • The endless suckiness of time sucks.
Screenshot by author

As you can imagine, Firefox for Families worked hard to keep the content light-hearted. And they covered a wide variety of tough topics, offering parental tips along the way.

Some of the parental tips they offer?

  • Turn off location services for apps.
  • Talk with children about how their social apps make them feel.
  • Agree to report online bullying to school administrators.

The Firefox for Families TechTalk website also offers great factoids, such as:

  • Sixteen percent of students in grades 9–12 have experienced cyberbullying. (Source: Stopbullying.gov, 2019 US Study)
  • Data harvesters have captured more than 72 million bits of personal data. This is by the time children turn 13 years of age.

This is a great resource to share with parents of young children, as well as middle and high school students. The topics Firefox for Families addresses in this resource are timely. What’s more, the nurturing conversation the contract offers focuses on building trust.

As a parent, building trust is an approach I recommend more than “big brother” approaches. Of course, it all depends on how your family works.

Resource #2: Google Safety Center

kids' digital life
Google Safety Center, iPhone Screenshots

The Google Safety Center offers a variety of resources and tools centered around:

  • Security and Privacy
  • Family Safety
  • Leadership

Family Link

The Family Safety component offers tips on how to set ground rules with Family Link. This is a way of saying, “Google can help you watch what your children do online.” For parents who want to trust AND verify what children do online, you will want to learn more about Family Link.

Family Link helps you manage your children’s accounts and devices as they explore online. You can manage apps, keep an eye on screen time, and help set digital ground rules for your family.

With the Family Link app, you can set daily limits and bedtimes for apps to “stop working.” You can also get app activity reports that let you see what your children are up to. Family Link is an app that you can install on both iOS and Android devices.

Kids Space

The Google Safety Center highlights other apps that can assist younger children. For example, Kids Space offers content to “help children discover, create, and grow.” It’s available only for Android tablets. Kids Space’s website also offers a parental guide to get you started.

YouTube Kids

Another kid-friendly space Google manages is YouTube Kids. YouTube Kids offers family-friendly videos, as well as parental resources. One of those resources includes tools you can use as a parent to control what your children can see, as well as a timer. You can also block what children have access to.

There are a lot of resources and tools in the Google Safety Center. Be prepared to spend some time exploring and taking action.

Resource #3: Be Internet Awesome

Another digital citizenship-friendly offering from Google, Be Internet Awesome offers a game. The game, “Interland,” teaches digital safety and citizenship to kids. Kids help fellow “Internauts” fight against hackers, phishers, oversharers, and bullies.

kids digital life
Screenshot by author

Besides the game, the Be Internet Awesome website offers the following:

  • Family Tips and Activities
  • Family Guide to Supervised Experiences on YouTube
  • Google Families curated content (including resources from PBS Kids and Common Sense Media)
  • A Family Pledge in English and Spanish
  • Family Link Parent’s Guide
  • Internaut Papercraft Activity Template
  • And a lot more.

While most of the links work, some, like the Family Safety Contract, are broken. This suggests the site may need some updating. In the meantime, check out CommonSense Media’s Family Media Agreement (PDF).

More Resources Available

Want access to more amazing resources? You might explore these websites:

And to learn more about safeguarding your kids’ technology use, explore the FTC’s website.

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CybersecurityDigital Citizenship

Creating Passwords for Elementary Students

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

What do the following have in common? Here’s a hint: They have to do with passwords.

most common passwords

Hopefully, red lights and sirens started going off in your head. These made the list of most common passwords in 2022. Yes, you read that right! The next most common included a pet’s name, a significant date (like a birthday or anniversary), and a sports team. Go, Astros! In this day and age, we all have to do better. That said, how do we help our young students create a strong password?

Three Basic Rules for Creating a Good Password

  1. Use a minimum of eight letters (16 characters or more is best!)
  2. Include lowercase and uppercase letters
  3. Include numbers and symbols
creating a good password

Two Methods for Young Students

1. Memorable-Random Method

You are hopefully asking, “What is this?” Ian, Levy, National Cyber Security Centre, UK, Technical Director recommends “combining three random but memorable words. Be creative and use words memorable to you, so people can’t guess your password.”

This is the perfect spot to bring in AutoDraw. Autodraw is a web-based tool that pairs machine learning with drawings created by Selman Design, a design studio in New York. The best thing about Autodraw is it is free! This handy-dandy tool works on your phone, computer, or tablet. I love this little tool, as it turns my unrecognizable drawings into great pictures or icons.

Using Autodraw, have your students sketch three random pictures. They can then write their unique passwords on index cards for the teacher to keep. See my three examples below. Make sure students include at least one capital letter and a number; for your older elementary students, add a symbol!

memorable-random password method

2. The Sentence Method

This method is also described as the “Bruce Schneier Method.” The idea is to think of a random sentence and transform it into a password using a rule. For example, take the first two letters of every word to create your password. For the younger students, I would suggest having them create a sentence of five to six words and use each word’s first letter. And remember, to make it stronger, add a number that has meaning, like their birth month or a favorite number. 

sentence password method

Using the website “How Secure is My Password?” if you check “password,” you’ll see it would be cracked instantly. And the password “MDTfhb!12” would be cracked in three weeks. Now I realize “MDTfhb!12” is not the strongest, but this is a start in helping our students use best practices when creating passwords. *SMAGP2day1# (So, make a good password today)! And yes, it would take two million years to crack this one!

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Digital Citizenship

Digital Citizenship Week Resource Roundup

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

For the past ten years, Digital Citizenship Week, started by Common Sense Media, has taken place the third week in October. This year, it falls on October 17-21. In honor of this ever-so-important topic, I’ve compiled a resource roundup! While Digital Citizenship Week is great, we can incorporate and highlight tenets of digital citizenship throughout the year. Hopefully, these resources will provide you with activities, lessons, and templates you can use all year long.

1. Resources for Creating a Digital Citizenship Program

Resources for building a digital citizenship program

Do you want to incorporate more digital citizenship into your curriculum? Check out this article by Jenna Conan Simpson. She offers tips for integrating it into your program and links to free curricula, paid curricula, and tons of free resources.

2. Student Online Life: Targeted Digital Citizenship Education

Librarian Nancy Jo Lambert discusses how librarians lead the way in supporting other educators to ensure students are becoming responsible digital citizens. She offers tips for leading information literacy, modeling good behavior, and includes a Goose Chase, Google site, Google folder, and quiz for teaching digital citizenship.

3. Five Free, Ready-to-Use Resources for PK-12 Lessons

5 digital citizenship resources for PK-12

In this article, written by yours truly, I highlight a curricular framework for PK-12, resources from the Global Digital Citizen Foundation, Common Sense Education, The Social Institute, and Nearpod. There are also a few additional resources shared for lessons, teacher education, internet safety, and more.

4. Google-ize Your Digital Citizenship

In a great post by Diana Benner, she shares Google projects using Google Drawings and Forms. All you have to do is click the link to snag the templates. She also links to some resources by Google for online safety, digital citizenship, and digital literacy.

5. A Digital Citizenship Framework and Lessons

digital citizenship framework

Lori Gracey, TCEA’s Executive Director, outlines why this is one of the most critical skills to have today and why it’s up to educators to ensure their students have mastered it. Lori starts with a framework and then moves into lesson ideas and resources from multiple sites and organizations.

6. Empowering Students Through Digital Citizenship and Social-Emotional Learning

Today’s students need access to social-emotional learning to help them become empathetic digital citizens in a tumultuous digital world. In this article, Dina Perez discusses developing digital citizens, technology-based solutions, providing voice and choice, and social-emotional learning.

7. Celebrate Digital Citizenship Week

digital footprint activities

Diana Benner shares a slew of activities! In this article, you’ll find templates for teaching students about their digital footprints and a Three Kind Things Ghost Activity. She also shares an example Flip activity you can replicate. At the end of the post, she offers you additional resources and websites to explore.

I hope you find some activities, lessons, and templates that will work great for Digitial Citizenship Week and beyond in your classroom and school. Have any others you’d add to the list? Leave us a comment!

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CybersecurityDigital Citizenship

Cyber Protection: A Basic Right

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Schools are laden with video surveillance cameras. Their goal is to protect children, but the effect is often the opposite. Video surveillance provides insight into what happened but doesn’t necessarily prevent it. Encryption prevents bad things from happening. Why not empower students and staff with knowledge?

The Problem with Schools and Encryption

Schools don’t often teach encryption to students and staff because it may be inconvenient. Those tasked with people and technology management have to work harder. Yet, in my experience, encryption is a critical pillar of digital citizenship. We must teach not only to protect our privacy settings but our data. And in doing so, learn the value of holding others accountable. Let’s explore how.

[Encryption] matters for children because while it protects their data and right to privacy and freedom of expression, it also impedes efforts to monitor and remove child sexual abuse materials and to identify offenders attempting to exploit children online (source).

Protect: An Essential Element

Dr. Ribble outlines essential elements of digital citizenship in this ISTE.org article. He highlights nine elements, of which one is Protect. In that overview of Protect element, he writes:

  • Digital rights and responsibilities. Students must understand their basic digital rights to privacy, and freedom of speech.
  • Digital safety and security. Digital citizens need to know how to safeguard their information (source).

At a session during the Google Summer Camp 2022, participants expressed their appreciation. They had no idea how to encrypt their own data for protection or how to send encrypted emails. But a minority of attendees questioned whether school staff (teachers, clerks) should know.

Encryption: A Basic Right?

Some argue that encryption is a basic right. It is more indispensable today than ever before. They write:

Studies show that access to encrypted communications is a human rights issue. End-to-end encryption make your messages…unintelligible…to snoops and interlopers. [They] can’t access what you’re saying—and neither can the company that offers the platform. People who once thought they had nothing to hide may realize that era is now over (source).

Who is to teach students and staff how to safeguard sensitive data if not schools? It would be easy to introduce it as a part of mandated digital citizenship training.

By taking the time to carefully communicate with staff and students the importance of protecting private data, you can minimize the threat of breaches and unauthorized access (source).

Preemptive Protection

We want our children and staff in schools to learn encryption. They must know how to protect themselves. Why do we avoid encryption instruction when we teach digital citizenship? The answer to that question reveals something about schools today.

Without encryption, none of us has a chance to enjoy limited privacy. Encryption is one of the tools we must have at our disposal. It’s also useful to companies, even though they make a living by mining our information. Encryption is as essential for the rest of us. (adapted from source).

Our schools have a thousand eyes, watching for danger. Yet surveillance cameras only show us what happens AFTER bad things occur. Encryption can prevent them BEFORE they do.

TCEA offers the online, self-paced Data Guardian course. Learn how to safeguard sensitive data in your school district. You will learn about why it is important to secure data, how to encrypt it, how to protect your passwords. You will learn the best ways to secure your data and device(s) as well as what you put in the cloud. Sign up now.

Tips to Share

Here is a short list of tips you can share with students and staff. You can find a plethora of suggestions online. CommonSense.org offers a wide variety of lessons for students. ClassTime.org offers five tips for teachers to protect student data. You can read past TCEA blog entries with tips for schools on safeguarding sensitive data.

There is plenty of data, research, and tips. What are you doing to empower children and staff with encryption?

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AndroidDigital CitizenshipDigital LiteracyGoogle Tips and TricksiOS Tips and Tricks

Two Options for Stopping Smartphone Trackers

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Do you have a friend or co-worker you only can trust so far? You know the “I have an important secret to keep that would be problematic if shared with this person” type situation? If you’re sharing confidential data with your smartphone, it’s the same. You are blabbing too much. If you object to others sharing secrets against your will, you may want to pay attention to what I share today. Every day, as you use your smartphone, it’s sharing your information.

Smartphone users like you share 250 million terabytes of data every day. And companies track everything you do or say with your smartphone. They do this because, in the next three years, the in-app advertising market will reach $234 billion. Let’s explore two ways to safeguard your smartphone.

“My smartphone experience will never be the same again. I feel empty and dumb, naked and invaded.” -Famina

smartphone trackers
Image Source: Techaeris

Data Tracking Apps

“I deleted all but two of my dictionary apps on my phone! I had about fifteen of them,” says Famina. She goes on to write that her dictionary apps were sending information to Google LLC. Most of us install apps on our phones all the time. Sometimes, it’s situational. You’re out somewhere and someone says, “Try this app out! It lets you do so much.”

smartphone trackers
Image Source: TikTok

Or you could be in a conference session and the speaker says, “Install TikTok. Learn how to use it to promote digital resources, programming, and engagement. “Sixty percent of business owners recently reported (source) that TikTok helps their business. Why shouldn’t educators feel the same way?

Headlines, like this one from BuzzFeed News, are important to consider:

Leaked Audio From 80 Internal TikTok Meetings Shows That US User Data Has Been Repeatedly Accessed From China…“Everything is seen in China.”

Your data is being gathered and tracked.

Your phone is the ideal tool for advertisers and data brokers. They collect your information and serve you ads based on it. Ad companies use software development kits (SDKs). They give those to app developers for free and the developers make money from ads the companies sell.

Your location data, as well as other data, gets sent to someone else (source). The data is also sold to various other entities, including law enforcement. Besides not using apps like TikTok, known to share your data, what else can you do?

Stopping Data Tracking

You may throw up your hands in despair. How can you use your phone and valued services (e.g. weather) without unwanted data sharing?

smartphone trackers
Screenshot by author, https://youradchoices.com/

Kim Komando offers eight ways you can prevent smartphone tracking. Here are a few of those that I have done:

  • Disabling location services and opting out of ads.
  • Use a more secure browser, like Brave or Firefox Focus, both of which I use.
  • Visit the Digital Advertising Alliance website, which offers a tool to opt out of ads on your phone.

But Kim doesn’t share everything you can do. Let’s explore two more options.

Stop Tracking Me

Two more options you can take advantage of include using online scanning tools. These check apps for trackers before you install them on your phone. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right? Once your data is out there, who knows where it will go?

smartphone trackers
Screenshot by Blokada

Option #1: Blokada

Blokada is an ad blocker and privacy app for Android and iOS. It is open source and a secure software. In spite of that, Blokada (especially on iOS) costs money. It offers two plans, including Blokada Cloud ($19.99 per year) and Blokada Plus ($62.00 per year or $6.49/mo).

What do you get for that cost?

  • Blocks ads and trackers
  • Works for all apps and browsers
  • Requires no root or jailbreak
  • Safe design that does not break encryption
  • More protection when using a VPN (available as part of Blokada Plus)

You can get it for Android or iOS. You can give it a try for seven days during a free trial, but cancel your subscription before then if you opt against it.

Option #2: Tracker Control

Another option for your consideration is Tracker Control. Available only for Android, it makes it easy for you to check and control hidden data collection. To detect tracking, Tracker Control relies on the disconnect blocklist and an in-house blocklist. Created from analyzing approximately two million apps, the in-house blocklist is powerful.

The Best Solution

Most of us rely on our phones for many reasons. From game-station to ebook reader to social connector, our phones do a lot. The least of which is allow us to make phone calls. Yet when we fail to secure our data on the devices we use, we become co-conspirators. Co-conspirators in selling our data with little benefit or awareness.

The best solution may be to avoid installing apps that sell our data. Using tools like Blokada and Tracker Control can make a big difference– a difference that can mean everything when someone is trying to get a credit card in our name or a loan.

Feature Image Source

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

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key in a lock
ChromebooksCTO/CIOCybersecurityDigital CitizenshipGoogle Tips and Tricks

Update Your Browser Now: Seven Tips for Securing Google Chrome

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“Update now! Multiple vulnerabilities patched in Google Chrome.” It’s a headline that you encounter with surprising regularity. Here are a few more from May to July 2022. Each is sure to chill any IT Director’s heart:

Let’s explore some steps you can take to avoid Google Chrome issues and keep your browser secure.

Did You Know?

In August, 2022, a new Gmail attack was announced that exploits Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers. “SHARPEXT is a malicious browser extension,” reports Volexity.com.  The threat? It can bypass two-factor or multi-factor authentication on Gmail. This means that even if you do have two-factor authentication, your Gmail may be accessed by nefarious individuals seeking to steal your data. Follow the suggestions in this blog entry to avoid SHARPEXT.

Use a Secure, Chromium Alternative

Want to keep working in the Chromium ecosystem but are worried about the headlines? Then consider getting one of the following Chromium-based browsers that are hardened for security:

You might also try Microsoft Edge as an alternative browser. It supports the Chrome web store but enjoys Microsoft’s ongoing support. Of course, Google will tell you to use Chrome, and Microsoft will say browse securely with Edge, but it’s up to you to choose.

update browser
Screenshot by author

If you would rather not deal with Chrome/Chromium browsers at all, then consider Firefox. These Firefox-based browsers get the job done and enjoy increased security:

For the best compatibility with websites, Firefox works great while safeguarding your privacy. If you need more intensive protection, get Firefox Focus. Both work on mobile devices, too. Of course, LibreWolf offers even more stringent protection on the desktop.

update browser
Screenshot by author

What’s the main problem with Google Chrome that these alternate browsers address? A wide variety of permissions and settings set to “open” or “allow.” It’s like leaving the doors and windows of your domicile open when there are criminals around.

Let’s see how you can secure Google Chrome, especially if you have to use it for work purposes.

Securing Google Chrome

A Google Chrome browser design flaw could allow malicious websites to record audio or video. This could occcur without alerting the user. The user would not get any visual sign that they are being spied on. (Source: The Hacker News, 2017)

Here is a list of suggestions that Zaafir (@zaafirsalam) provides, and I’ve shared a video or image with each one. Let’s explore each one at a time.

Tip #1: Set Site Permissions

Google Chrome may be set to allow access to your location, camera, and/or microphone. To limit what Chrome makes available to websites you visit, follow these instructions:

  1. Go to Settings in Chrome.
  2. Select Privacy and Security.
  3. Click Site Settings.
  4. Disable access for location, camera, and microphone.

Here’s a no-audio video walkthrough on how to do that:

Tip #2: Secure DNS and Connections

A lot of websites fail to secure their connections with your browser. That is, they allow connections that enable malicious folks to steal your password. Think of it as writing your bank account and password on a postcard. It’s not the best way to send confidential information.

Google’s Chrome browser allows both secure and insecure connections. You can restrict that by follow these steps:

Tip #3: Restrict Pop-Ups and Redirects

Ever visited the wrong website by accident? If the site is malicious, it may attempt to open countless pop-up windows. These will open up faster than you can close them. A malicious site may also redirect you to a series of inappropriate websites. Combined with unstoppable pop-ups, you may find yourself a long ways away from where you began.

Only allow pop-up windows for sites you trust. Here’s how you can restrict pop-ups and redirects in your Site Settings.

Screenshot by author
Screenshot by author

Note that you can allow specific, or custom, websites to send you pop-ups that are allowed. This can be handy on government and education websites that require pop-ups.

Tip #4: Disable Third-Party Cookies

As you may know, cookies are bits of code that store information about your internet use in your browser. Worse, these cookies can track you across websites. Websites like Facebook use these cookies to track your interests. Then, based on your interests, deliver tailored advertisements. Do a search on baby formula, you will soon see advertisements for diapers and baby stuff.

Here’s how you can disable third-party cookies via your Privacy and Security Settings:

Tip #5: Enable Enhanced Protection

You can turn on an additional layer of protection. The purpose of enhanced protection is to provide more protection. What’s more, it enables you as the user to flag suspicious content to Google. This helps everyone reduce the risks of malware spreading to others.

Here’s how you can turn it on:

Tip #6: Stop Background Apps

Wondering why your computer is running slow? It may be that Google Chrome is taking up memory. This happens even when you’ve “closed” Chrome. It’s closed for you, but Chrome continues to work in the background of your computer. It uses up valuable resources other programs may need. Turn it off completely.

To do that, go to System in the Settings and turn off “Continue running background apps.”

update browser
Screenshot by author

Tip #7: Conduct a Safety Check

Want to conduct a safety check? Access your Settings, looking for Privacy and Security. Select “Check now” to run a safety check on your browser.

update browser
Screenshot by author

Ensuring Browser Security

If you want to avoid making these changes, consider using one of the alternative browsers. They are already locked down. Keep a browser like Firefox or Chrome around. Use them only for legitimate websites that need a less restrictive experience.

Also, consider using these browser add-ons that allow you to turn security on or off as needed per website:

Finally, consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when using the web at home or on the go (work environments may restrict their use). Let me know how your browsing experience changes for the better.

Photo by Amol Tyagi on Unsplash

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Back to SchoolDigital CitizenshipDigital Literacy

Common Sense Education’s Free Resources for Back to School

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

Back to school is officially here. Some schools in the U.S. started in late July but as we approach mid to late August, we’re seeing even more back-to-school pictures pop up. Common Sense Education is here for it. And so is TCEA! I wanted to share several new resource and articles offered by Common Sense Education that I think you’ll find useful for the beginning of this new school year. Let’s take a look!

Customizable Templates

Common Sense Education recently posted these helpful templates for educators and caregivers. They cover all grade levels and include digital citizenship agreements, dinner conversation starters, and family guides you can share with caregivers.

Common Sense Education templates

Roundup of Best Ed Tech Tools

Here’s Common Sense’s roundup of 46 back-to-school tools for supporting instruction with technology. These tools are categorized under the following topics:

  • Social-emotional learning
  • Curriculum and lesson planning
  • Feedback, assessment, and porfolios
  • Organization and productivity
  • Parent and student communication
  • Presentation and video
  • Professional growth
Ed Tech Tools Roundup

Tips by Text

Common Sense Education is now offering families and caregivers a free text service in English and Spanish. Guardians can sign up to recieve tips for healthy technology use via text at no charge! Tips will include information on screen time management, choosing developmentally appropriate media and apps, setting boundaries, and recommendations for entertainment based on age. Share this information with your students’ families! And, as a bonus, here is an article with Four Tips on Managing Devices and Screen Time for Families you can share as well.

Common Sense Media Tips by Text

Additional Common Sense Education Articles

Have any resources you’d add to this list? Leave them in the comments for everyone to enjoy. And have a happy back to school!

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news literacy
Digital Citizenship

A Free Resource for News Literacy Lessons

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

The ability to discern what is fact and what is opinion seems to be more in demand today than ever. Regardless of politics, it is important to develop news literacy. And that is a skill that must be taught; it is not developed naturally on its own. So how can educators ensure that their students have news literacy practice that is reliable and unbiased? Fortunately, Checkology has the answer.

What Is Checkology?

Checkology was created by the News Literacy Project, a nonprofit organization. It was designed to help “learners develop the ability to identify credible information, seek out reliable sources and apply critical thinking skills to separate fact-based content from falsehoods.” The lessons are aligned to a variety of state and national standards, including Common Core, Texas, and ISTE. Checkology also offers a completely free e-learning platform that houses the lessons and includes the following features:

  • Unlimited classes and student accounts
  • Numerous interactive, expert-led lessons
  • Dozens of practice, extension, and fact-checking activities to supplement the core lessons in a course
  • Preset courses to make it easy to get started
  • In-platform student supports (hints and vocabulary)
  • The Check Center, an opportunity to learn and practice digital verification skills
  • A comprehensive word wall, offering quick access to a glossary of news literacy terms
  • Class and assignment settings for flexibility in your learning environment
  • Educator ability to assign co-teachers to each section of students, enabling that teacher to also access and evaluate student work
  • Evaluation tools allow educators to see and access all work that a student submits through its lightweight learning management system (LMS).

news literacy

Checkology’s video-driven content is designed for middle school and high school students, but the platform has been successfully used with students from fifth grade through community college, as well as with adult learners. Each lesson, challenge, and exercise has a difficulty ranking meant to assist educators as they create a customized course for their students.

Getting Started

The Checkology website is open now for you to register. Learn how to get started with these resources.

Does Checkology Work for News Literacy?

Checkology has retained an outside evaluation consultant to develop a pre-platform assessment and individual post-lesson assessments to measure student growth for specific learning objectives. (When students first log in to the platform, they will be prompted to begin the pre-platform assessment. Students will not see the results and are not scored.) Student growth is impressive. After completing the lessons, nearly nine in 10 students could correctly identify the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment and two-thirds of them could correctly identify the traits of quality journalism. The study also showed that the number of students demonstrating an understanding of the watchdog role of the press more than doubled.

news literacy

Final Thoughts on News Literacy and Checkology

Checkology provides a strong educator help center with short video tutorials and other resources. In addition, their student privacy policy is available and very clear. If you are looking for news literacy lessons for younger students or just want to add to those from Checkology for secondary students, check out what Common Sense Education offers as a part of their digital citizenship curriculum. And the TCEA blog has a number of other free tools. Whatever resources you use, please make sure you are helping students to develop and practice this critical skill!

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Back to SchoolClassroom ManagementDigital CitizenshipLeadershipLibrariesPlanning and PreparationSocial-Emotional LearningSTEM/STEAMWeb 2.0 Tool

Back-to-School Roundup

by Sara Qualls
written by Sara Qualls

Where did the summer go? With the start of a new year, I’ve gathered back-to-school resources from our amazing PD team and staff here at TCEA. Check out this categorized list full of ideas to create a successful school year.

You can skip to a section by selecting a category below:

Icebreakers

Bellringers

Leadership

In the Library

STEM

Social Emotional Learning

Activities

Templates

Lesson Planning

Choice Boards

Tools

Classroom Management

Classroom Walls

Coaching

Artificial Intelligence

Icebreakers

Bellringers

Leadership

Image of a bingo card for a Staff Summer Bingo Game

In the Library

STEM

Social Emotional Learning

Activities

Templates

self-reported grades

Lesson Planning

  • 2000+ Lesson Plan Templates and Ideas for K12
    Discover a wealth of lesson plan template resources and treasures in this searchable collection for grades K-12 in all subject areas.
  • Back to School Apps for Lesson Planning
    Looking for tools to make lesson planning easier? Look no further than these three free apps that can assist you in designing amazing learning experiences.
  • Lesson Planning: 5E Model + Technology
    Lesson planning remains a tool for teachers to use to make sure they are covering the required material. If you follow the 5E Model for planning and add technology to it, you end up with a very powerful way to bring the curriculum to life for all students.

Choice Boards

Tools

Classroom Management

Classroom Walls

Coaching

  • Ten Ideas for Tech Coaches to Help Their Teachers Grow
    Explore creative and fun ways for tech coaches to encourage teachers in their growth with technology integration. Ready, set, ed tech!
  • Conference for Educational Coaches
    Sign up for the Conference for Educational Coaches (CEC) to discover the latest in professional development, best practices for coaching, and even more ideas for supporting educators. Attend in person in Austin, Texas from October 12-13, 2023, or online.

Artificial Intelligence

I hope these strategies, activities, templates, and more get the brain flowing with ideas to create a successful start. Have a wonderful new school year!

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