Be Internet Awesome Takes Digital Citizenship to the Next Level
Pear Deck is proud to partner with Google’s Be Internet Awesome to help take digital citizenship to the next level for students. The internet is an incredible tool for educators and students alike, placing resources and information directly at our fingertips. But unfortunately, not everyone (or everything) on the internet is trustworthy, making digital citizenship and safety skills an absolute must for today’s students.
Be Internet Awesome teaches kids the fundamentals of digital citizenship and safety using research-backed lessons and strategies. This curriculum helps students approach the internet as thoughtful contributors, recognizing that what they do online — whether posting on social media or surfing popular sites — has the potential to impact others, as well as themselves, positively or negatively.
Learn how to be internet awesome
We’re excited to announce Google has leveraged evidence-based research to update and expand their free digital citizenship curriculum to include:
- 35 ready-to-teach Pear Deck activities
- Age guidelines for each lesson
- Additional media literacy vocabulary
- New scenarios and prompts relevant to today’s students
Get the Be Internet Awesome Curriculum
Be Internet Awesome’s five pillars of digital citizenship include:
- Be Internet Smart: being careful about what information you share or don’t share online
- Be Internet Alert: how to spot a potential scam and sharpen critical thinking skills
- Be Internet Strong: best practices for strong, secure passwords and online accounts
- Be Internet Kind: encouraging students to spread positivity online and report online bullying
- Be Internet Brave: encouraging students to talk to a trusted adult if they see something concerning or questionable online
Be Internet Awesome has recently undergone rigorous evaluation by the University of New Hampshire’s Crimes Against Children Research Center led by Research Associate Professor Lisa Jones. Google is the first organization to gather impact data of this kind, highlighting their dedication and commitment to ensuring Be Internet Awesome teaches the most valuable and relevant content to help students become smart, confident online explorers.
The research concluded that Be Internet Awesome positively impacts students’ comprehension of online safety and digital citizenship concepts.
Jessica Covarrubias, Senior Manager at Google, said of the changes,
We know that educational resources about online safety are more important than ever before. Our students are spending more time online and on their devices, and educators are navigating new challenges teaching in a remote environment. That's why we underwent a rigorous evaluation to ensure that our program is providing the best quality digital citizenship lessons. With the latest updates to the Be Internet Awesome curriculum, we reaffirmed our commitment to teaching evidence-backed and relevant digital citizenship content.
Ready to check it out for yourself? Add the Be Internet Awesome curriculum to your Pear Deck library, along with vocabulary lists, certificates for recognition, and more!
