i-SAFE America Curriculum and National Standards

• NETS for Students
• NETS for Teachers
• NETS for Administrators
• i-SAFE and No Child Left Behind

National Educational Technology Standards for Students

The i-SAFE Internet safety curriculum is correlated to all of the National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS), which have been published by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to provide teachers, technology planners, teacher preparation institutions, and educational decision-makers with frameworks and standards to guide them in establishing enriched learning environments supported by technology.

The i-SAFE curriculum meets grade cluster benchmarks and performance standards for all 6 National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), with an emphasis on Standard #2: Social, Ethical, and Human Issues, in the following ways:

Basic Operations and Concepts

Grade Cluster Benchmarks correlated to i-SAFE curriculum
K - 3

• Communicate appropriate terminology for technology tools and concepts.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, and 3: Introduction to technology terminology and concepts is a main goal of the elementary curriculum.
• Use a variety of media and technology resources for directed and independent learning activities and the creation of products.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, and 3: Students listen to a song which reinforces concepts, have opportunities to interact with email and websites, as well as to use software programs to create products.
• Demonstrate proper care procedures for hardware and software devices.
  i-SAFE lesson 2 and 3: Students learn proactive techniques to protect their computers from computer viruses as well as how to correctly turn off systems.

4-5

• Use keyboard commands, menu commands, toolbars, and other navigational tools in the operation of software that extends beyond minimal functions (e.g., advanced word processing skills, more complex graphics manipulation, automated macro functions, etc.).
  i-SAFE lessons 2 and 3: Students learn to recognize and to appropriately respond to online situations such as looping and suspicious email.

6-8

• Identify, describe and apply strategies for identifying and solving routine hardware and software problems that occur during everyday use.
  i-SAFE lesson 3: Students learn techniques to appropriately respond to online situations such as looping and computer "freeze", as well as to recognize and respond to computer virus attack.
• Know features and uses of current and emerging technology.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, and 3: Discussions all revolve around the topics of current and emerging technologies, and activities are included which allow hands on experience with computer technology.

9-12

• Make informed choices among technology systems, resources, and services.
  i-SAFE Pre-Webcast activity and Webcasts 1, 2, and 3: Students discuss and analyze their use of technology systems, resources, and services, and are provided with information about appropriate use.

Social, Ethical, and Human Issues

Grade Cluster Benchmarks correlated to i-SAFE curriculum
K - 3

• Give reasons for exercising appropriate caution when using the Internet.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, and 3: Discussions and hands on activities provide opportunities for students to demonstrate knowledge of inappropriate websites and potentially harmful online situations such as strangers on the Internet and virus infected email.

4-5

• Identify and take a position on basic issues related to responsible use of technology and information; and describe personal consequences of inappropriate use.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5: Discussions and hands on activities provide opportunities for students to demonstrate knowledge of how to appropriately respond to inappropriate websites and potentially harmful online situations such as strangers on the Internet and virus infected email, as well as how to appropriately make use of the Internet as an information resource.
• Can explain the capabilities and limitations of the different technological media and how they influence their communication of messages
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, 3, and 4: Students compare and construct knowledge about the various ways technology enables communication such as through email, instant messaging and chat, and the positive and negative consequences of their use.

6-8

• Demonstrate knowledge of current changes in information technologies and the effect those changes have on the workplace and society
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, 3, and 4: Students compare and construct knowledge about the various ways today's technologies enable communication and facilitate business operations, and the positive and negative consequences of their use.
• Identify, compare, and contrast the impact of the effects of technology
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5: Students identify, compare, and contrast the effects of technology as they relate to (1) communication, and the safety issues presented, and (2) responsible use of intellectual property.

9-12

• Analyze advantages and disadvantages of widespread use of and reliance on technology in the workplace and in society as a whole.
  i-SAFE Pre-Webcast activity and Webcasts 1, 2, and 3: Students analyze and discuss the concept of the Internet as a community and how the workplace and society as a whole are becoming increasingly dependent on technology for communication and day-to-day operation. It is stressed that increasing reliance on technology facilitates the creation of unsafe situations.

Technology as a Tool for Productivity

Grade Cluster Benchmarks correlated to i-SAFE curriculum
6-8

• Use content specific tools, software, and simulations to support learning and research.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, 3, and 5 when used in conjunction with computer based activities.
• Apply productivity/ multimedia tools and peripherals to support personal and group productivity and collaboration and learning throughout the curriculum.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, 3, and 5 when used in conjunction with computer based activities.

Technology as a Tool for Communications

Grade Cluster Benchmarks correlated to i-SAFE curriculum
K - 3

• Describe various technology tools and their functions in communication.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, and 3: Students are introduced to the variety of ways people communicate through the use of technology.

4-5

• Explain the advantages and disadvantages in the use of various technologies to deliver information for a target audience. (e.g., compare communication through video over mass media; e-mail over the Internet, CD-ROM, or person-to-person.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5: Discussions and activities focus on the advantages and disadvantages (mainly elements which pertain to personal safety issues and responsible use actions)

6-8

• Design, develop, publish, and present products (e.g., Web pages, video tapes) using appropriate technology resources that demonstrate and communicate curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, 3, and 5: when used in conjunction with computer based activities which provide opportunities to spread Internet safety information to others via the production of webpages, electronic publications, and broadcasted PSAs.

Technology as a Tool for Research

Grade Cluster Benchmarks correlated to i-SAFE curriculum
6 - 8

• Research and evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of electronic information sources concerning real-world problems.
  i-SAFE lesson 5 focuses on learning techniques to evaluate website resources and use them appropriately.

9 - 12

• Select and apply information technology tools for research, information analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making in learning activities that involve issues or complex topics.
  i-SAFE Webcast 3 focuses on the concepts involved in the responsible use of intellectual property on the Internet.

Technology as a Tool for Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

Grade Cluster Benchmarks correlated to i-SAFE curriculum
4 - 5

• Give examples of how technology can be used in everyday life to solve problems and influence decisions we make.
  i-SAFE lessons 1 and 3: Through a comparison of the physical community to the cyber community students use discussion and hands on activities to demonstrate how technology can be used to solve problems.
• Describe how technology affects our world, our society, and ourselves.
  i-SAFE lessons 1, 2, and 3: Students use discussion and hands on activities to demonstrate how technology affects our world and society, and especially the personal implications that computer use presents.

National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers

The I-SAFE program aligns with NETS for Teachers (NETS-T) in the following ways:

• Technology Operations and Concepts - Teachers are introduced to concepts and information to help them keep abreast of current Internet safety and responsible use issues, and will be provided with resources to further their professional growth in this area.
• Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum - Teachers will be introduced to curriculum which is (a) completely aligned with NETS for Students and existing state standards, and (b) facilitates learner-centered engagement that reaches numerous learning styles, incorporates options into the learning process, and allows for integration into different classroom environments (with computers or without computers).
• Social, Ethical, and Human Issues - Through the analysis of Internet safety and responsible use issues, as well as the observation of student involvement in curricular activities, educators will gain knowledge and skills which will enable them to promote safe and responsible use of technology resources, and will prepare them to model and teach legal and ethical practices in technology.

National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators

The I-SAFE program aligns with NETS for Administrators (NETS-A) in the following ways:

• Learning and Teaching - Through analysis of the need for responsible action in developing technology programs which integrate proactive student engagement in Internet safety issues, as well as through the observation of student involvement in i-SAFE curricular activities, administrators learn strategies for enabling teachers in providing quality, standards-based Internet safety and responsible use curriculum.
• Social, legal, and Ethical Issues - An overview of current Internet safety and responsible use issues, supporting data, and appropriate resources, enables administrators to create strategies to provide quality professional development opportunities for teachers in order to promote online safety and responsible usage in the use of technology.

i-SAFE America and the Federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)

The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act specifically identifies Internet Safety as an area in which school districts with federal funds must devote energy and resources. The NCLB Legislation supports expanded access to technology and the Internet by students in schools and reinforces the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), by stating that any district not already doing so must adopt a policy on Internet safety.

The i-SAFE America program stands as a best practices, research based program to introduce students to common online concepts, basic safety skills and knowledge, and information necessary to be informed, responsible, net wise citizens. i-SAFE integrates with current national standards and easily aligns with curriculum currently in place in the school setting. The curriculum provides a framework for imparting necessary knowledge in this networked world.