Information is Valuable

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle “Information about you on the Internet will be used by somebody in their interest — including against you”. They are designed to be independent and flexible, so you can incorporate them into any size lesson plan. Student resources are available at https://teachingprivacy.org/information-is-valuable/.

Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can give examples of how their data may be used to benefit others; students can investigate and evaluate how different online services use data, in order to make informed choices.

Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Students can give examples of personal data that services or sites may share with other services or companies, and examples of how those “third parties” may use that data. Examples should include both information they explicitly post and supposedly hidden information.
  2. Students can give examples of how having their personal data might benefit any of the following: friends/family, acquaintances, businesses, institutions, governments, and cybercriminals.
  3. Students can explain the business model that allows companies that provide free or cheap online services to make money by selling consumer data to advertisers and/or data brokers.
  4. Students can explain the difference between “opt-in” and “opt-out” models for information sharing, and relate those models to the lack of comprehensive laws regulating data sharing by companies, institutions, or governments.
  5. Student can investigate how online services use data and who they share it with, and explain how they would use this information in choosing which services to use and which data to give those services access to.
  6. Students can identify potential consequences of choosing particular privacy settings on apps, sites, and devices, in terms of how their data could be used by the parties who can see it — and whether those uses would likely be beneficial, neutral, or detrimental to themselves.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.11

Model and demonstrate behaviors that are safe, legal, and ethical while living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world.

UP:DLCS18.HS.11

Vocabulary

  • ethics
  • digital world
a.
    cookies
  • virus
  • malware
  • packet sniffing
  • spyware
  • phishing
b.
  • browser history
c.
  • personal data
d.
    data mining
  • digital marketing
  • online wallets
  • personal information
  • data accessibility
  • passwords.
e.
  • cyberbullying
  • harassment
  • sexual communication
f.
  • online safety

Knowledge

Students know:
  • safe, legal, and ethical behaviors for online behavior.
a.
  • tracking methods are often used to improve digital tools and advertising.
  • hazards exist when unknown entities have access to a user's digital habits.
b.
  • methods to counteract the use of tracking.
c.
  • that often, end-user licensing agreements (EULA) are often written to protect the entity that created the digital tool, rather than the user of the digital tool.
  • that EULAs and terms of service agreements can grant access to the user's personal data.
  • that personal data can include images, posts, personal information (phone number, address, birth date, access to friends), and browsing data.
d.
  • often there exists an inverse relationship between online privacy/personal security and convenience.
e.
  • that inappropriate digital behavior can have physical, legal, and ethical consequences.
f.
  • that negative digital behaviors can have lasting consequences.
  • that some behaviors are illegal.
  • strategies to lessen the impact of negative digital behaviors and assess when to apply them.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • interact digitally while exercising safe, legal, and ethical behaviors.
a.
  • identify tracking methods used to gather data.
  • identify hazards that exist when tracking methods are used.
b.
  • list techniques to avoid tracking.
  • apply techniques to avoid tracking.
c.
  • interpret the terms of EULAs and terms of service agreements.
  • make an educated decision to agree to EULAs and terms of service agreements.
d.
  • weigh the risks of using a digital tool to one's personal security.
  • identify potential risks to using various digital tools.
  • evaluate a digital tool's security.
e.
  • identify inappropriate digital behaviors.
  • identify consequences of inappropriate digital behaviors.
f.
  • identify negative digital behaviors.
  • share strategies to to lessen the impact of negative digital behaviors.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • because the Internet can be such a persisting environment, it is vital to interact with safe, legal, and ethical behaviors.
a.
  • entities use tracking methods to make products more appealing to their users.
  • hazards exists when tracking data can be tied to individual users.
b.
  • privacy can be violated when tracking is used.
  • techniques exist to mitigate the effects of tracking methods.
c.
  • nothing is free—you often give up data to use digital resources for no charge.
  • it is important to educate yourself on EULAs and terms of service agreements.
d.
  • free digital tools can compromise one's privacy and security.
  • it is important to be aware of what one is trading for use of a service.
e.
  • inappropriate digital behavior can have physical, legal, and ethical consequences.
  • consequences of inappropriate digital behaviors can have life-altering consequences.
f.
  • digital identity is tied to online digital behavior.
  • negative digital behaviors can have lasting consequences.
  • some digital activity is illegal.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.12

Describe how sensitive data can be affected by malware and other attacks.

UP:DLCS18.HS.12

Vocabulary

personal data, malware, cyber attacks

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how malware works.
  • how sensitive data can be affected by malware and other attacks.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify when a computer issue is potentially caused by malware.
  • remove malware from a computing device.
  • explain ways to protect computing devices from malware.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • malware is harmful to computing devices and personal data.
  • software exists to remove malware from computing devices.
  • software exists to protect computing devices from a malware attack.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.16

Identify laws regarding the use of technology and their consequences and implications.

UP:DLCS18.HS.16

Vocabulary

  • net neutrality
  • hacking
  • intellectual property
  • piracy plagiarism

Knowledge

Students know:
  • technology changes at a rapid rate.
  • all things that are possible with technology may not be ethical.
  • that laws exist or are created to encourage individuals and entities to operate in an ethical manner.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify laws relative to the use of technology.
  • identify consequences of violating laws relative to the use of technology.
  • identify implications of laws relative to the use of technology.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • technology changes at a rapid rate.
  • all things that are possible with technology may not be ethical.
  • that laws exist or are created to encourage individuals and entities to operate in an ethical manner.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.19

Prove that digital identity is a reflection of persistent, publicly available artifacts.

UP:DLCS18.HS.19

Vocabulary

  • digital identity

Knowledge

Students know:
  • what data can be found about a person on the internet.
  • people can judge a person based on the Internet postings attached to his/her digital identity.
  • inappropriate postings can have lasting consequences.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • research implications of irresponsible digital postings.
  • correlate online postings to one's digital identity.
  • argue that digital identity is a reflection of online content that is tied to a person.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • school personnel, people, and future employers may judge you based on online content before ever meeting you in person.
  • it is important to be proactive about what data is available online.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.20

Evaluate strategies to manage digital identity and reputation with awareness of the permanent impact of actions in a digital world.

UP:DLCS18.HS.20

Vocabulary

  • digital identity

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that often individuals are judged by their publicly visible online presence prior to meeting people in person.
  • that strategies exist to manage what is publicly posted online about you.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify both positive and negative posts online.
  • identify consequences associated with negative online posting.
  • manage their digital identity and minimize negative repercussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • data posted online may not remain private.
  • all data shared online will have some impact on one's digital identity.
  • one must be mindful of the data attached to one's digital identity.

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

International Computer Science Institute

License Type

Attribution
ALSDE LOGO