EdCircuit Staff 
San Francisco, CA [August 30, 2016] — To help educators teach their students how to use technology safely, respectfully, and responsibly, Common Sense Education and Public Consulting Group (PCG) have partnered to offer Digital Citizenship courses through Pepper, PCG’s online professional learning network.
The Digital Citizenship courses (tailored for elementary, middle, high school, and school leaders) will build educators’ understanding of eight core digital citizenship topics that include:
- Privacy and Security
- Internet Safety
- Self-image and Identity
- Digital Footprint and Reputation
- Relationships and Communication
- Cyberbullying and Digital Drama
- Information Literacy
- Creative Credit and Copyright
The curriculum will also provide a guided, interactive experience with high-quality instructional materials to teach digital citizenship in the classroom and effective ways to engage parents and families.
With Pepper, teachers will be able to access the Digital Citizenship courses anytime, anywhere. Educators and administrators can take a course concurrently with other educators, opt for facilitated or blended delivery, or can work independently through a self-paced course. Teachers will have an opportunity to extend their learning through unlimited access to Pepper’s online community customized to promote collaboration, information sharing, and support around digital citizenship topics.
“We are excited to partner with PCG to offer these robust courses to help schools and districts build their capacity to implement digital citizenship. Educators learn to take a whole-community approach to digital citizenship by educating students and engaging parents, building a positive culture around media and technology” says Dr. Kelly Mendoza, Director of Professional Development at Common Sense Education.
“Students today use the power of digital media in their daily lives to learn, communicate, and create. This power provides extraordinary opportunities for students, but it also comes with potential pitfalls like cyberbullying, plagiarism, and over-sharing,” said Dr. Jack McLaughlin, Manager at PCG Education. “These issues highlight the need for educators to teach digital citizenship in the classroom, and we are so pleased that our partnership with Common Sense Education will help bring this critical curriculum to millions of students across the country.”
About Common Sense Education
Common Sense Education provides teachers and schools with research-based classroom tools to help students harness technology for learning and life. They provide K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum and interactive games that teach students how to make safe, smart, and ethical decisions in the digital world. They also offer educational ratings and reviews to help educators discover, use, and share high-quality digital products that propel student learning. Common Sense Education works with more than 340,000 teacher members in over 110,000 schools to help ensure all children have the opportunity to thrive in the 21st century.
Common Sense is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to helping families and educators thrive in a world of media and technology. To see all of Common Sense’s education resources, visit https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators.
About Public Consulting Group
Public Consulting Group, Inc. (PCG) is a leading public sector consulting firm that partners with health, education and human services agencies to improve lives. PCG Education offers consulting solutions that help schools, school districts, and state education agencies/ministries of education to promote student success, improve programs and processes, and optimize financial resources. (www.publicconsultinggroup.com)
Pepper is a vibrant, online learning community where educators engage with high-quality, interactive content while collaborating with coaches and peers. Pepper is built on the powerful edX platform, the Cambridge-based education partnership founded by Harvard University and M.I.T. to support two important missions: improving online education, and advancing teaching and learning through research. (www.pepperpd.com)
Contact
Public Consulting Group (Pepper)
Dr. Jack McLaughlin, Manager
(775) 313-3121
