Introduction
In today’s digital world, it’s essential for high school students to develop strong Cyber Skills. These skills are smart ways to stay safe while communicating with others online and using technology. Cyber Skills include responsible social media use, privacy settings management, and recognizing and reporting inappropriate content. This blog post will provide educators with a no-prep activity, discussion questions, and additional resources to help students build these essential skills.
No-Prep Activity: Two Sides Game
The Two Sides game is a fun and engaging way for students to compare how people act in different situations and identify if they are using their Cyber Skills effectively. To play this game, follow these simple steps:
- Divide the students into small groups or pairs.
- Present four different scenarios involving online safety and communication. For example, a student accepting a friend request from a stranger, someone tagging their location in a social media post, or a student reporting cyberbullying.
- Ask the students to discuss and decide if the person in each scenario is using their Cyber Skills effectively or not.
- Have each group share their decisions and reasoning with the class.
- As a class, discuss the importance of using Cyber Skills to stay safe online and maintain healthy relationships with others.
This activity not only encourages students to think critically about their online behavior but also fosters teamwork and communication skills.
Discussion Questions
Use the following questions to stimulate further discussion about Cyber Skills and online safety among your students:
- What are some potential consequences of not using Cyber Skills effectively?
- Why is it important to report inappropriate content or behavior online?
- How can you protect your personal information while using social media and other online platforms?
- What strategies can you use to ensure you are only interacting with people you know and trust online?
- How can you be a positive influence in your online communities and promote Cyber Skills among your peers?
Related Skills
Developing Cyber Skills is an important aspect of Social-Emotional Learning for high school students. In addition to these skills, students should also focus on:
- Effective communication: Learning to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly and respectfully in both online and offline environments.
- Empathy: Understanding and respecting the feelings and perspectives of others, including those they interact with online.
- Conflict resolution: Developing strategies to resolve disagreements and conflicts in a healthy and constructive manner, both in person and online.
- Digital literacy: Understanding how to use technology responsibly and ethically, as well as evaluating the credibility of online information.
Teaching these related skills alongside Cyber Skills can help students become well-rounded digital citizens who can navigate the online world safely and responsibly.
Next Steps
As an educator, it’s crucial to provide students with the tools and resources they need to develop strong Cyber Skills. To help you incorporate these lessons into your curriculum, we invite you to sign up for free samples of Cyber Skills materials and other Social-Emotional Learning resources at Everyday Speech. These materials can support your efforts to create a safe and supportive learning environment where students can thrive both online and offline.
