Teaching Responsible Digital Citizenship and Online Safety

EVERFI by BlackBaud is dedicated to helping organizations tackle intractable social issues by providing the missing layer of education. EVERFI leverages the combined power of their platform, people, and partner networks--like ELB Learning--to make sure learners have the tools and skills to drive ecosystems of change and inspire lifelong success.

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This course was designed to teach students about the importance of online safety and how to be responsible digital citizens.

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In this course, students are taught that although the internet can put the world at one’s fingertips, being connected comes with risks. It teaches students that it’s important to know how to balance the benefits of being online while keeping oneself safe.

Throughout this course, students are guided through a series of custom, interactive lessons covering content that focus on:

• Connections and Community
• Safety and Privacy
• Screen Time vs. Offline Time
• Technology and Data
• Rights and Literacy
• Evaluating Content

The course includes six modules, each containing 20-25 minutes of lessons.

The special balance between custom course design, artwork and development is what sets this course apart from the typical online learning course, leading to higher engagement, ultimately resulting in increased learner retention.

Players begin the course by selecting their avatar which introduces a customized gaming experience. From there, each module presents a different subject, all following a similar flow:

1. Introduction to the concept, including an animation sequence to excite learners from the beginning and draw them into the subject at hand through custom visuals.
2. Assessment questions
3. A series of interactive activities and games that utilize custom artwork and development, which remain unique across the six modules.
4. A series of polls geared toward the lesson content without a correct or incorrect answer. After submitting their response, players are able to see how their fellow peers responded in order to spark discussion and self-reflection.
5. The module concludes with a carousel of digital tips summarizing key takeaways from the lesson before leading the user onto their post-assessment, then back to the home screen to choose their next lesson.

This course also includes a glossary that students can access at any time in order to review terms and vocabulary acquired throughout the modules.

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