Growing Up Digital

Our students are growing up in a digital age. That means that they live in a digitally-enhanced world in their learning spaces. Information today is accessible 24/7. Students are accustomed to instant access to people, ideas, and information that is possible with digital technologies. As parents and educators, it is our duty to ensure that our students understand how to stay safe and behave responsibly in this digital world. It is critical that we, as educational partners, provide guidance as they learn to navigate a highly digital world.

In Desert Sands Unified School District, we believe that technology can be used to enrich the learning experience for every student. We believe that our students must be taught to make good choices as they interact with technology. We believe that with parents and guardians as our partners, we can help our students to gain skills, understanding, and dispositions that will enable them to be responsible and safe in these digital environments. Partnering with Common Sense Media and families allows us to give students the digital learning resources they need to harness the power of technology.

DSUSD has partnered with Common Sense Media to provide instructional resources for students, tip sheets for families and caregivers, and video content to help keep our students safe. We encourage all stakeholders to model positive digital behavior by setting a good example. Parents can consider the following suggestions for their homes:

• • Keep the computer in visible area of the home.

  • Establish limits for which online sites children may visit and for how long. Activate parental controls provided by service providers

  • Create and sustain a family media agreement.

  • Monitor mobile devices such as cell phones, gaming devices, and laptops.

  • Surf the Internet with your children and discuss safe sites.

  • Know who is connecting with your children online and set rules for social networking, instant messaging, e-mailing, online gaming, and webcams.

  • Keep the lines of communication open and the dialogue ongoing about online safety.