March+2009

= March 2009 =

Digital Security
- can be defined as the precautions users must take to protect their personal safety and the security of their network.
 * Essential Questions**
 * 1) //How do students protect their technology in a digital society?//
 * 2) How can students be taught to protect themselves and their equipment from harm?


 * Digital Security Ussues**
 * Protecting hardwared and network security
 * Protecting personal security: identity theft, phishing, online stalking
 * Protecting school security: hackers, viruses
 * Protecting community security: terrorist threats


 * Examples of Inappropriate Digital Security**
 * Teachers or students fail to maintain current software updates or patches that protect their computers from viruses and exploitation.
 * Students fail to protect their identity when using e-mail, chat, or instant messaging.


 * Examples of Appropriate Digital Secuirty**
 * Users take the tiem to make sure their viruses protection and firewalls are properly updated and configured to protect personal information.
 * Teachers and parents talk to students about the dangers of providing information to anyone over the Internet.

**To better understand this concept, watch the following clip:** media type="youtube" key="ASV25lLoROg" height="344" width="425"


 * Meeting Discussion Questions:**
 * 1) Information about you that does not reveal your identity is called __personal information__.
 * 2) Information that can reveal your identity is called __private information__.
 * 3) What mistake did the young man in the video make regarding sharing personal vs. private information?

**Part II: Interaction**
As you learned in advisory, personal information (your age, gender, favorite food, etc.) is much less specific, and safer to share, than private information (your name, address, social security number, etc.). Many popular websites and online activities encourage (and in some cases require) users to share personal and private information. What kind of information about //you// is available online?

To get a sense of how easily personal and private information can be located, [|read this recent article from McAfee]. After you have reviewed the search tips, (1) Google yourself and (2) Google your children (if you have any). As you sort through the results, note the information that you find and complete the appropriate search survey:

Parent Survey: [|Click Here] Child Survey: [|Click Here]


 * Discussion Questions:**
 * 1) Do you feel "secure" with the amount of information about you that's available online? Why or why not?
 * 2) Parents: Do you feel "secure" with the amount of information about your child that's available online? Why or why not?
 * 3) What personal and private information guidelines do you think are reasonable for //your// family?

Part III: Follow-up and Reflection
Information, especially private information, should not be shared indiscriminately. In an online environment, however, we often tend to be overly trusting and this can lead to a false sense of security. Consider the story of Kimberly Elliott from Oakville, MO, who bet her daughter that she could become "friends" with all her daughter's contacts on FaceBook. [|Read the full story here].


 * Advisory Discussion Questions**


 * 1) How do you select your Facebook friends?
 * 2) Do you personally know all of them?
 * 3) Have you "friended" someone without know them?
 * 4) What types of information do you put on your Facebook account?
 * 5) Does this article make you weary about some of the things that you have posted on-line?


 * Web Resources for Digital Security**

[|**Center for Safe and Responsibility Internet Use**] [|**Education CyberPlayGround**] [|**Educator's Guide to Computer Crime and Technology Misuse**] [|**CERT Home Computer Security:**]

2009 VSTE Conference
What did you think of this year's conference? What were your favorite sessions? What, if anything would you change? Did you have any "ah ha!" moments?**
 * [[image:vtseLogo.jpg width="238" height="102"]]

Internet Safety Poster Contest
  K-2 - Natalie Marie __Pettitt__ __Indian Lakes Elementary School__ “Click Smart” 3-5 - Gail Kelly __Trantwood__ __Elementary School__ “Internet Safety – So Easy A Dog Could Do It!” MS - Ashley Miller __Brandon Middle School__ “Keep Private Stuff Private” 
 * Winners have been announced and certificates are being printed. Winners are listed on VBSCHOOLS.COM and will also be mentioned in the Superintendents report. Each winner will receive a plaque that will be presented to them by DOT. All winning entries will be copied and distributed to each corresponding school. All posters will be returned within in two weeks. ||

HS - Tyler Yost __Landstown__ __High School__ “Always Be Safe on the Internet”

**Grant Opportunities** **Due March** **28**  Tech Museum Award   [|www.techawards.org] **31**  ISTE SIG Media Specialist Technology Innovation Award   [|www.iste.org] **31**  Captain Planet Foundation Grants   [|www.captainplanetfdn.org] **1**  SMARTer Kids Research Grants   [|www.smarterkids.org/research/details.asp] **27**  Lemelson-MIT Program’s InvenTeam Grants   [] **28**  Gale/Library Media Connection TEAMS Award   [|www.galeschools.com/TEAMS] **30**  Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes   [|www.barronprize.org] **30**  Olympus America/Tool Factory Podcasting Contest   [|www.toolfactory.com] **30**  ING Financial Services’ Unsung Heroes Awards   [|www.ing.com/us/unsungheroes] **Due May** **Due June**
 * Due April **
 * 1** Intel Community Grants [|www.intel.com/community/grant.htm]
 * 1 ** American Honda Foundation Grant [|http://corporate.honda.com]
 * 30 ** Parent Group of the Year Contest [|www.ptotoday.com/pgy]
 * 31 ** Target Local Store Grants [|www.target.com] (community link)
 * 1** Learning & Leadership Grants, sponsored by the NEA Foundation [|www.nfie.org]
 * 6 ** Student Achievement Grants, sponsored by the NEA Foundation [|www.nfie.org]
 * 11 ** The Lindbergh Foundation makes Grants to Recognize Technological Advancements and Environmental Preservation Efforts [|www.lindberghfoundation.org]
 * 12 ** Dollar General’s Back-to-School Grants [|www.dollargeneral.com/Community]
 * 15 ** Invent America! Student Contest [|www.inventamerica.org]
 * 30 ** Captain Planet Foundation Grants [|www.captainplanetfdn.org] ||