Internet Etiquette for Students

My granddaughters (ages 6 and 8) each received an iPod Touch for Christmas. I was fascinated at how comfortable they were with each of the technologies included on the Touch and how adept they were at communicating with their parents, friends, siblings and their grandparents. But I was also reminded about the importance of Internet etiquette and of learning how to use new technology in a safe and responsible way. I've included a link to a recent article in USA Today about how schools recognize the importance of teaching "digital etiquette" to students. It describes initiatives underway in several schools to address this issue. One principal described the importance this way. "Handing a kid a computer without safety training is a bit like handing over a car and expecting a driver to emerge." The article reminds each of us of the need to help the "digital natives" in our classrooms learn how to use these marvelous technologies in productive and appropriate ways.