My friend Derek sent me this article in IT Week announcing:

"The US National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) has called on state leaders to work with schools and colleges to ensure that cyber-security, online safety and ethics lessons are integrated into every classroom."

In theory, this is a very good development...as long as it won't be taught in the same spirit as many of the seminars led by law enforcement, which tend to rely heavily on scaring parents and teens into being "safe" online. Here's what they are planning to cover:

Cyber Ethics Lessons which teach that hacking into someone's computer and taking information is just as wrong as breaking into someone else's home

Cyber Bullying which is just as wrong as bullying someone on the playground

Cyber Safety Lessons which incorporate social behaviour tips to protect children from online dangers, such as cyber-predators, harassment, unwanted communications and cyber-bullies

Cyber Security Lessons which provide information on how to secure computers, identities and financial information

My hope is that they create a curriculum that breathes life into the above bullet points by using real world examples, asking kids to share their own experiences and opening up the discussion around how the internet is different from the playground (hint: it's viral, permanent, public and easier to be even more cruel to someone you can't see). I would also add the following bullets to this new curriculum:

Information, media and marketing literacy how to evaluate the sites they visit and determine whether or not they are credible sources (give them a cheat sheet of sources YOU have approved) as well as understand when products or brands are marketing to them on social networking sites, in virtual worlds, and of course through spam. You can also have a great discussion on the pros and cons of Wikipedia.

Managing your public identity when to use privacy settings and how easy it is for people to find their public profiles (and even get into private profiles). Discussion of who gets to see which profile and different contexts for different profiles. All students should be required to build a public resume site and add their accomplishments.

Technology and interpersonal skills lead a discussion around impulse control and when it's appropriate to text and when you should pick up the phone or walk over and talk to the person (a skill that will be invaluable in the workplace).

Intellectual property and user generated content while this is definitely in flux and nobody has really figured it out yet, it's an interesting discussion to have with students and at least raises their awareness of these new legal questions. It's also worth discussing illegal downloading and file sharing in this context.

Plagiarism, cheating and the internet overview of how to use the internet as a resource for schoolwork without abusing it, i.e. copying and pasting. Teaches kids how to cite online sources and covers guidelines for using resource sites like SparkNotes or Scriptovia.

Using the internet to become a better citizen how to find out what's happening in our government, what laws are being passed, how representatives have voted and other information that helps us be more informed and involved citizens.