Now Available - 'Internet Safety for Educators' Course
For Immediate Release
PULLMAN, WA, January 15, 2008 – The Internet has become an important and useful part of our lives, yet on a daily basis headlines warn that online financial scams, identity theft, bullying, and sexual exploitation are on the rise, and young people are especially vulnerable. Several states have recognized the critical need for Internet safety education for both teachers and students. In 2006, Virginia became the first state to mandate the integration of Internet safety topics into school curricula. New Jersey, Florida, California, and Connecticut are also calling for a similar approach. Not to be left behind, the Washington State Attorney General’s office is currently working on its own initiative to get online safety education into its schools.
One challenge has been the lack of quality educational materials for teachers. Up till now, balanced, comprehensive, and authoritative education that teaches how we incur risks and what we can do to avoid them has been difficult to find. In response to that need, internationally recognized Internet safety expert Linda Criddle, who has advised groups such as the FBI and British House of Lords, along with technology authors Nancy Muir and Earl Boysen, has developed an online course on Internet Safety for Educators offered through Washington State University. K-12 educators, after school program personnel, school librarians and counselors, parents and others who work with children now have access to in-depth training about online safety.
”Internet Safety for Educators" is a new, comprehensive, six-week online course developed and offered by Washington State University’s Center for Distance and Professional Education. The course can be taken for undergraduate or graduate education credits, to meet in-school teacher clock hour requirements, or by people interested in learning how to keep themselves and their families safer. The course teaches real solutions to help teachers, students, families, and schools to collaborate and create an environment of Internet safety. You can register for the course by visiting http://capps.wsu.edu/InternetSafety.
Criddle and Muir, who co-authored the book “Look Both Ways: Help Protect Your Family on the Internet” from Microsoft Press, believe that knowledge about Internet safety, not fear or denial, is the right approach to keeping children safe online. “Although the Internet can present real safety risks, it has become an important and useful part of our lives. Identifying risks and teaching young people to 'look both ways' online allows them to safely reap the positive opportunities the Internet offers for education, research, ecommerce, and recreation.”
The course provides great insight into one big challenge faced by parents and teachers alike: how to talk to kids about online safety. That insight comes from Criddle’s frequent talks at local schools where she has learned what works: invariably during her presentations students shift from being initially resistant to becoming believers in her message.
Criddle’s credentials include 13 years with Microsoft where she was the child and personal Internet safety expert for MSN for the last several years. She is the author of the award winning book "Look Both Ways: Help Protect Your Family on the Internet" from Microsoft Press, and co-author of numerous patents in the areas of emerging technology and online safety. Criddle’s passion for consumer safety led to establishing her own company, LOOKBOTHWAYS Online Safety Consulting LLC, which focuses on building informational materials and tools for families, young people, seniors, and educators. In addition, Look Both Ways LLC provides consulting to prominent government and law enforcement organizations, several State Attorneys General, international law enforcement agencies, and leading technology companies. You can visit her Web site at www.Look-Both-Ways.com.
Co-instructor Nancy Muir is the author of more than 50 books on technology topics such as Distance Learning For Dummies, as well as co-authoring "Look Both Ways: Help Protect Your Family on the Internet." Muir holds a certificate in distance learning design from the University of Washington. She is currently working with Criddle to develop a Senior Online Safety Workshop that they hope to offer through community colleges throughout the country.
Earl Boysen is an engineer and 20 year veteran of the computer industry who brings both teaching and tutoring experience to the instructor mix. Boysen runs educational Web sites on electronics and nanotechnology topics at www.buildinggadgets.com and www.understandingnano.com.
"Internet Safety for Educators" is taught online in an asynchronous format allowing 24/7 access to course materials. Course participants interact with fellow students and instructors via discussion boards and email. The course has been approved for 30 clock hours or two graduate or undergraduate credits. Course sessions begin every six weeks. To register or learn more, visit http://capps.wsu.edu/InternetSafety.
Published Sunday, January 20, 2008 4:01 PM
by
Linda Criddle
