This article via Common Sense Media got me thinking about the bare minimum that our community can be doing as a first step to protect their data online. With more and more news about privacy violations it can feel daunting to know where to start. Rather than look at a big list and feel overwhelmed, one good first step is to pick one thing to work on. A good suggestion from the Common Sense Media article (see below) that is easy to start with is passwords:
Use tough passwords and change them frequently. The best practice for passwords is to use real words or phrases you can remember easily — but spell them incorrectly. They should be at least eight characters and have a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters, such as 5pEAzhawh$ for “five pizzas.” Even better, use a password manager like Lastpass.
We all have multiple passwords to keep up with at Pike and in our personal lives. Many in our community use LastPass and find that it is a great help with this challenge. If you would like help getting started with a password manager let us know and we can help. Please reach out because if there is enough interest we could organize something that is useful for multiple people in the future. Keep in mind that getting a handle on your passwords could be a useful step towards using some technology resources and tools in your classroom with ease to amplify learning.