Description
Lesson Overview
Students examine the safety and security issues related to text messaging and instant messaging (IM). They discuss ways to safely use messaging apps (includes mobile phones).
Lesson Objectives
Students will:
• understand text and instant messaging and their associated vocabulary
• understand the need for basic safety rules and netiquette usage when text or instant messaging
Set-Up & Preparation
• a resource page for each student
• activity page for each student group
• parent tip sheet for each student
Introduction
Note: You may need to distinguish between “text messaging” and Instant Messaging (IM) prior to presenting poll questions.
- Text messages use mobile service to transmit messages from a cell phone or smart phone.
- Instant Messaging (IM) started as a computer software application but mobile apps also provide Instant Messaging services (e.g. Apple’s iMessage or Facebook Messenger).
Take an informal poll.
Ask students to indicate, with a show of hands, their response to the following questions:
- Have you ever used text messaging?
- Have you ever used Instant Messaging (IM)?
- Who sends text messages at least once a month? Week? Daily?
- Who sends Instant Messages (IM) at least once a month? Week? Daily?
Inform the students that, in this lesson, they will examine some safety and security issues associated with text messaging and Instant Messaging (IM).
Lesson Sequence
Discussion
• Ensure that all students have printouts of the newsletter reference page and the informational page
on netiquette.
• Engage students in a brief discussion in which they identify how and why they use instant messaging
and/or text messaging. Use the following to guide the discussion:
◆ How many students use IM and/or text messaging?
◆ Why is IM so popular?
◆ List some personal dangers in conversing via IM (cyber bullying, misconstruing comments, grooming
by predators, etc.).
◆ List some computer security dangers in conversing via IM and/or text (attachments containing computer
viruses, Trojan horses, spyware, etc.).
• Informal Poll: Take an informal poll of students regarding how much time they spend instant messaging
each day, week, or month.
• Compare and contrast communication in the physical and online communities (specifically via messaging).
Cover the following:
◆ the different rules for online communication
◆ the need to be more careful in online communication (can’t see each other, may not have met
physically)
• Read the reference sheet on instant/text messaging as a class.
Discussion 2
• Discuss the term "netiquette."
◆ Ask students to define netiquette.
◆ Netiquette: informal rules of Internet etiquette or how to behave in a polite way online
◆ Ask why netiquette is necessary for safe and secure online communication.
◆ Ask how netiquette can help preserve computer security.
• Ask: What is the effect of netiquette on cyber bullying and other online dangers? Discuss.
• Stress that just as there are guidelines for how to act and behave in the physical community, the online
community has similar unofficial rules in place.
• Ask students: What happens when someone breaks guidelines or social rules in the physical community
(can be ostracized, punished, fewer friends, etc.)?
• Ask students: What could happen if you break the guidelines or social rules in the online community?
Group Activity – Netiquette Rules
1. Divide students into small groups, and hand out the reference sheets.
2. In their small groups, students should brainstorm some basic rules of netiquette for instant messaging.
Wrap-Up
Presentations and Follow-Up Discussion
- Students present their digital etiquette rules to the class.
- Discuss students’ digital etiquette rules.
Parent & Family Engagement
Provide students with the Parent & Family Tip Sheet: Text Messaging Safety to share what they have learned with their parents.
Empowerment
Youth Empowerment
ISAFE Youth Outreach and Empowerment programming students with an opportunity to exercise digital citizenship. Students engage in age-appropriate project-based learning activities to share with others on campus, online and in their local communities. By providing students with an authentic audience, they gain a greater sense of purpose for their digital citizenship and e-Safety projects and presentations.
Teachers: send student work to teachers@isafe.org.
Student Handout 1 - Reference Page: Text Messaging
Students examine the safety and security issues related to text messaging and instant messaging (IM). They discuss ways to safely use messaging apps (includes mobile phones).
Student Handout 2 - Worksheet: Digital Etiquette
Students examine the safety and security issues related to text messaging and instant messaging (IM). They discuss ways to safely use messaging apps (includes mobile phones).
Parent & Family Tip Sheet - Text Messaging Safety & Responsible Use
Students examine the safety and security issues related to text messaging and instant messaging (IM). They discuss ways to safely use messaging apps (includes mobile phones).