San Francisco (October 6, 2023) - The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is recognizing October as Digital Agency Month to empower SFUSD students, staff, and families to navigate and evaluate digital spaces, leveraging resources adeptly and responsibly in order to develop the skills and competencies of the SFUSD Graduate Profile.
Throughout the month, SFUSD students will engage in lessons, activities, and projects to navigate the digital landscape safely and efficiently. Curriculum for all grade levels breaks down content from six main Common Sense Education topics: Media Balance & Well Being; Privacy & Security; Digital Footprint; Relationships & Communications; Cyberbullying, Digital Drama, & Hate Speech, and News & Media Literacy. SFUSD was the subject of a 2018 case study by Common Sense Education.
New this year, all elementary teachers will provide SFUSD students 30 minutes of Digital Agency instruction each month during their Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)/Health/Digital Agency block. The new curriculum provides teachers with essential questions, discussion questions, and family letters to provide parents with information about the topics and tips to support their students. Each month focuses on a new topic adapted from Common Sense Media for elementary grades, including My Digital Life, Digital Footprint, Media Balance, Privacy & Security, Media Literacy, Relationships & Communication, Digital Kindness and Digital for Good. We hope to have more conversations with students at home and at school about their digital lives and identities.
“SFUSD has always been on the cutting edge of new approaches to learning, including teaching our students to be upstanding digital agents,” said SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne. “Through new curriculum for some of our youngest students and lessons for all students throughout the month, we can lead our students toward our vision: All SFUSD students will graduate as independent thinkers with a sense of agency who have attained academic and creative skills to lead productive lives and contribute to our community.”
Examples of Digital Agency include protecting personal information and data privacy; considering the benefits and risks of online sharing; and playing the active role of upstander to build positive, supportive online communities. It also includes balancing media and sources of information.
Digital Agency focuses on maintaining the safety, security and well-being of SFUSD students, which is essential to creating opportunities for effective teaching and learning for every student, every day. The learning the district facilitates for students must also give them the tools to thrive in college and career, and also in interactions that are increasingly digital.
Families can access resources curated by SFUSD all year round. Learn more about Digital Agency at SFUSD.
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