Stop, Drop, and Roll
NETS for Coaches Standard 5
Ihave been on a soapbox lately about digital citizenship. It seems that almost every day I’m either hearing or reading about
people who are struggling to navigate the
ever-changing waters of our digital society.
Standard 5 of the NETS for Coaches focuses
on digital citizenship. This standard covers
not only the equitable use of digital resources
and collaboration outside the walls of the
classroom, but also online safety.
With all the facets of digital citizenship,
the area that affects teachers regardless of
their subject is online safety. I’ve been asking teachers about some of the safety-related
themes that stuck with them throughout the
years. Without fail, everyone remembered
“Stop, drop, and roll!” from Fire Safety Week.
It was no wonder everyone remembered the
big red fire truck. I then considered how many
of us had to stop, drop, and roll during an actual fire. I suspect only a few. However, most
of us have to protect ourselves online and
make careful choices when participating in
online activities on a daily basis.
As a former elementary teacher, I taught a
variety of themed units. Students engaged in
the material because they were interested in
the topic, and I could address complex skills
and standards without causing a disruption in
their learning. In today’s classroom, standards
mandate assignments and units. Curriculum
requirements—especially those in the United
States—are not scaling back, but are instead
becoming more robust.
This content may or may not be as interesting
as, say, fire trucks to our young students. One
way to make things more engaging and allow
for active learning is to use digital resources.
This makes learning more engaging, but it also
requires that students understand digital citizenship and that we model it daily in our role as
technology coaches.
When working with staff, we must discuss
both the benefits and dangers of online resources. When technology coaches are planning with
teachers, they must be cognizant of how to incorporate digital citizenship into lesson design.
To create equitable experiences between classrooms and schools, coaches must provide ideas
and examples for how to use digital resources
and highlight safety along the way. This is no
different from a chemistry teacher reviewing
safety procedures prior to a lab or a high school
weight-lifting coach demonstrating proper lifting techniques to avoid injury.
It seems that as a society we believe digital
citizenship does not require the same amount
of attention as safety procedures in a chemistry or weight-lifting class. I believe that this is
changing, and with the help of a technology
coach, our students will know how to stop, drop,
and roll as they navigate the fires of the digital
world.
ISTE offers a host of resources to help tech
coaches learn about the NETS and how to use
them. For more information about Standard 5,
visit iste.org/standards/nets-for-coaches and
download a free copy of the NETS•C standards.
AS I SEE “IT”
By Kara Gann
Kara Gann has served
26 years in public education and now works
for Atomic Learning, Inc.
She recently completed
a two-year term on
ISTE’s Board of Directors.
