Neustar, Inc. today announced a major new initiative to bring social media digital literacy education to students across the state of Kentucky through a program called “My Digital Life.” Neustar will partner with EverFi, Inc., an education technology company, to provide this online student experience to all Kentucky schools interested in teaching and certifying their students in digital literacy skills and responsibility. Neustar’s partnership is making the new program available free of cost to the schools and state.
The My Digital Life launch event, held at Newburg Middle School in Louisville, included remarks by U.S. Representative John Yarmuth, Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Donna Hargens, Neustar President and Chief Executive Officer Lisa Hook, and EverFi Chief Executive Officer Tom Davidson.
"At Neustar we are passionate about STEM education – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math - and what it means for our country’s future,” said Lisa Hook, president and CEO, Neustar. “My Digital Life is our commitment to the communities where our employees live and work. It ensures that our future leaders – our kids - are tech savvy, responsible citizens who understand how to use technology to build their careers.”
“Our teachers and administrators work tirelessly to educate students about being responsible and skillful users of technology," said Superintendent Donna Hargens. "This partnership is another tool that will provide students a deeper understanding of how to take advantage of these digital advances to further academic attainment and how to protect themselves and their identity online."
Developed by EverFi, the My Digital Life Program is an interactive, new-media learning platform that combines the power of cutting-edge instructional design, rich media, gaming and simulations to educate teens and allow them to leverage technology safely and effectively. The 3.5-hour curriculum is designed for students in 8th – 9th grade and aligns with National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) established by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), as well as emerging state standards on Internet Safety and Cyberbullying. The program covers a wide range of topics including privacy, security, cyberbullying, digital relationships, and digital addiction. The curriculum also focuses on building specific digital skills, such as creating a blog, maintaining a responsible social networking profile, and evaluating online research sources for legitimacy. The learning platform tracks both knowledge gain as well as students’ attitudes and behaviors on these important issues.
"As a math, science, and technology magnet school, Newburg Middle understands the critical importance of inspiring today's youth to use technology to learn, advance their careers, and become contributing members of our global community," said Principal Dianna Hicks. "We are very excited to begin using the My Digital Life program this semester."
