Classroom Resource

Search Is Improving

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

Every day more data is being put online. Search engines are getting better, allowing “deeper” the searching of more types of data. Techniques for extracting and connecting information from different sources are getting more powerful. Furthermore, information that is not retrievable today may be retrievable tomorrow due to changes in terms of service, public policy, law, and technical privacy settings.

The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle “Just because something can’t be found today, doesn’t mean it can’t be found tomorrow.” 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/search-is-improving/. 

Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can explain how changes in technology and regulations can affect who has access to their data; students can use techniques to monitor and limit the exposure of their data.

Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Students can describe (in general terms) how a search engine works, including that results are constantly being refreshed to include new information and that the search engine itself is continually updated to deal with newer types of information.
  2. Students can provide examples of offline data that can be digitized and put online.
  3. Students can give example scenarios describing how changes to laws and regulations could affect the availability of personal information.
  4. Students can briefly summarize the purpose of privacy policies and the effects that their ever-changing nature has on users’ privacy.
  5. Students can investigate what information about them is available online, and assess which types of information — social, financial, etc. — are currently available to different entities.
  6. Students can monitor changes in privacy policies and default privacy settings and evaluate how those changes might affect who can see what information about them.
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.

Unpacked Content

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.16

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

Unpacked Content

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.

Unpacked Content

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.

Unpacked Content

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.
Link to Resource
https://teachingprivacy.org/module-6-search-is-improving/

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

Other

Resource Provider other

International Computer Science Institute
Accessibility
License

License Type

BY

Approved Date

ALSDE LOGO

This site may contain links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THIS SITE.
Alabama Learning Exchange © 2002-2023 by Alabama State Department of Education is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Design by Adaptive Theme