RICHMOND —
Close to 600 Madison County eighth-grade and high school students have earned their “digital driver’s license,” or DDL, since the beginning of the school year — and there’s no real driving involved.
The district uses DDLs to teach “appropriate online behavior” when interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness, said the district’s technology director Charlene McGee during her technology report at a recent school board meeting.
The DDL exam guides students through the nine elements of digital citizenship: Access, Commerce, Communication, Literacy, Etiquette, Law, Rights and Responsibilties, Health and Wellness, Security and Self Protection. (For more information on each element, visit http://barretttd.wix.com/september2012).
For example, on the Digital Access, Health & Wellness section of the exam, one question is: “If you are riding in a car with someone who is looking at their cell phone, should you ask them to stop and focus their eyes on the road (even if it is an adult)? Yes or No?”
The DDL program is part of the district’s internet-safety policy, which makes it compliant with CIPA, the Children Internet Protection Act of 2000, McGee said. CIPA was enacted to protect students and address concerns of students being exposed to obscene and harmful content over the internet.
Schools must be CIPA compliant in order to receive federal dollars for technology expenditures, she said.
“Not only does teaching digital citizenship to students make us CIPA compliant, knowledge is the first line of defense for our students,” McGee said. “Our students will enjoy the benefit of using technology safely and have the ability to avoid dangerous or unethical activity they may encounter and be confidant to manage those challenges they may face while using the internet.”
The DDL exam was developed through a collaboration between the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Department of Education and is being used statewide and nationwide as well, said Tina Barrett, the district’s technology integration specialist.
Although the district is using the program to teach every student the elements of digital citizenship, some schools can use DDLs as an incentive for use of technology, she said.
For example, students at Madison Southern High School must earn a DDL to use an iPad.
Barrett holds monthly meetings with the schools’ library media specialists to discuss each element of digital citizenship. They take that information back to the schools where a network of “tech teams” continue to spread the information throughout the grade levels.
Elementary students between third and fifth grade will be exposed to digital safety through games and videos. The program introduces digital literacy, critical thinking and respect in the online community, Barrett said.
“If we educate them young enough about digital citizenship, hopefully we can deter cyberbullying,” Barrett said. “Children are online more than people realize.”
District-wide, there are more than 5,500 (Microsoft) Windows work sessions, more than 600 Window-based laptops, around 800 network printers, and more than 800 Apple products, 633 of which are iPads, McGee reported at the board meeting.
After multiple troubles with wireless internet-access points last year, the company that installed them are currently replacing them — at not cost to the district. All schools now have wireless access, she said.
“The excitement of the staff and students to bring their own device, and the vast opportunities we have with the Apple initiative, it is imperative to have wireless up and going,” McGee told the board. “It (wireless) is as stable as the wired network. That is what we’re striving to do.”
There are 5,000 daily “guest” wireless users and more than 300 users authenticating to use the wireless each day, she said.
Crystal Wylie can be reached at cwylie@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 6696.
Local News
Eighth-grade students earn their license to drive … on the internet
- Local News
-
-
White Hall teachers say farewell for the summer
White Hall Elementary kindergarten assistant Patti Von Fischer said she found a poem on the Internet that seemed to fit the last day of school perfectly.
“The teachers jumped out of the windows; the principals ran for the door; the nurse and librarian bolted; they’re not coming back anymore,” Von Fischer read over the loudspeaker Friday before students left for the summer. -
Benson will be state’s third highest paid university president
When Michael Benson begins his tenure as the 12th president of Eastern Kentucky University on Aug. 1, his $400,000 salary plus benefits will make him Kentucky’s third-highest paid state university president.
Benson’s pay will be less only than that of Eli Capilouto, president of the University of Kentucky, $500,000 a year, and Gary Ransdell, president of Western Kentucky University, $423,588 a year, according to figures obtained from the state Council on Post-secondary education. -
Richmond post troopers recognized at annual ceremony
The Kentucky State Police announced the 2012 Trooper of the Year, Detective of the Year, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer of the Year and other awards for acts of bravery, life-saving, professionalism and dedication to duty Friday at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort.
-
Second-grade classroom receives recognition for reading nearly 1,400 books
A project at Mayfield Elementary School has received recognition across state lines from a woman who found a balloon released in celebration of one classroom having read more than 1,000 books.
Second-grade teacher Wanda Wilson started the school year by challenging her 22 students to read a total of 1,000 books by the end of the school year. -
Pets of the Week
This week's cat is an 8-week-old female kitten. This week's dog is 1-year-old Nicki, a spayed female who does not care for horses, according to her previous owner.
-
Father/Daughter Dance is June 14 at RAAC
Dads and daughters will take to the dance floor Friday, June 14, for the second annual Father/Daughter Dance to benefit the Hope’s Wings Domestic Violence Program.
The ball will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Richmond Area Arts Center, 399 W. Water St. -
Three Richmond thefts reported Tuesday-Thursday
Richmond police are investigating thefts reported from Tuesday through Thursday.
An employee of Baptist Health, Eastern Bypass, reported Thursday that her vehicle had been broken into during the evening and a small shoulder purse was stolen. The purse contained several debit/credit cards, $70 in cash, and a Pantech slider cellular telephone. Estimated loss: $595. -
Paul plans re-election bid for U.S. Senate in 2016
Republican Rand Paul will run for re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2016 regardless of any decision to launch a presidential bid. And he will campaign for his Kentucky colleague and Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2014.
-
‘Etta May’s On Her Way’ for Model Lab benefit
Laughter will fill Eastern Kentucky University’s Keen Johnson Ballroom June 8 when southern comedienne Etta May comes to town for Model Laboratory School’s first annual fundraising event.
Half of the ticket proceeds will be donated to help five Model programs: Scholarships, gifted programs, the arts, athletics and extended field trips or exchange programs, said school psychologist Ellen Rini. -
Court hearing reveals errors in trafficking case’s investigative file
A discrepancy in police records led to an unusual hearing in a drug trafficking case Thursday in Madison Circuit Court.
The attorney for 49-year-old Carla Rae Clontz made a motion earlier this month for a bill of particulars hearing. Both the prosecution and defense attorneys had noticed problems with the file numbers in Clontz’ case, and there also were different reports of the number of pills sheriff’s deputies allege were found in her home. - More Local News Headlines
-
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying
Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
Jersey Shore Open for Business
Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington
New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access
First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse
Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys
