August 14 as National Navajo Code Talkers Day.

During WWI, the Choctaw language had been used to transmit U.S. military messages. With this thought in mind, Philip Johnston, the son of a missionary grew up on a Navajo reservation and spoke the Diné tongue fluently, brought the suggestion of a similar code to General Clayton Vogel early in 1942. The Diné language has no alphabet, uses no symbols and one sound may hold an entire concept. The idea was tested and proved to be faster and more reliable than the mechanized methods. The language has more verbs than nouns, that helps to move the sentences along and makes it far more difficult for outsiders to learn – making it the most ingenious and successful code in military history.

(more…)

How to Teach Middle School Students to Spot Deepfakes

An artificial intelligence deepfake is a highly realistic image, video or audio that can depict people, places and events. Advances in AI have made these creations increasingly realistic, making it difficult to distinguish between authentic and manipulated content.

Even if middle school students have seen deepfakes, they may not understand the dangers these creations pose. Teachers are uniquely positioned to educate them about algorithmic manipulation and improve their AI media literacy. (more…)

Top of mind–right after quality of educational tools–is security. Here’s a great article from Ask a Tech Teacher contributor, Melissa White. She is a technology writer and security specialist at TechCommuters. With extensive experience in digital safety, data protection, and threat intelligence, she creates insightful content that helps readers navigate the evolving technology landscape. Melissa focuses on online privacy, secure computing practices, emerging risks, and practical solutions for businesses and individuals.

This is longish, but worth the read–in a sentence:

Is your laptop camera spying on you? Learn the warning signs, how to check for spyware, and simple steps to protect your privacy right now.

How To Know If Your Laptop Camera Is Spying On You?

Your laptop camera may look harmless. It sits quietly above your screen. Most people barely notice it. But in some cases, it can become a privacy risk.

Hackers and harmful software can sometimes access your webcam without permission. Certain apps may also use the camera in the background. The worst part is that you may not notice anything unusual while it happens.

This type of attack is often called camfecting. It happens when someone remotely takes control of your webcam. They may watch you, capture photos, or record videos without your knowledge. In some situations, the camera light may not even turn on. Security experts continue to find many devices affected by these attacks every year.

The good part is that there are warning signs you can look for. There are also simple ways to secure your laptop and block unwanted access. In this guide, you will learn how to spot suspicious webcam activity and what steps to take if something feels wrong. (more…)

Hacking, cracking, malware–all these are the reality of life on the internet. Here are a couple of ideas from the Ask a Tech Teacher team ripped from the headlines:

From Social Apps to Classrooms: How the Telegram Hacked Case Can Inspire Cyber Awareness

Telegram is one of the top social media apps globally, with over 1 billion monthly users. Features like encryption, message self-destruction, and Secret Chats have made it popular. Hackers have proactively learned how to hack this platform and succeeded in many cases. Some users lose accounts, others are frauded and others are exploited. 

Educational institutions have a lesson to learn and proactively teach cyber awareness. Educators should teach students how to practice cyber safety and secure everyone. They can present real Telegram hack cases to inspire learners in social media cybersecurity.

Image credit: Unsplash

Lessons students can learn from Telegram hacked cases

Telegram security compromises happen through malware, phishing, hijacking, etc. These social media cybersecurity issues happen due to device security gaps. Such gaps may allow physical access or online malware infection. Weak default settings, like a lack of multifactor authentication, also make devices vulnerable. 

Young users stay active online, and real hacking cases help them understand the seriousness. The first thing users should learn is the signs of the hacked Telegram account. Next, understand how to remove devices from Telegram. Another lesson is how to delete Telegram account if its security is compromised. No platform is entirely cybersecure as long as it is connected to the internet. (more…)

In these 169 tech-centric situations, you get an overview of pedagogy—the tech topics most important to your teaching—as well as practical strategies to address most classroom tech situations, how to scaffold these to learning, and where they provide the subtext to daily tech-infused education.

Today’s tip: Email Phishing

Category: Parents

Q:  I got an email that looks legitimate, but I’m not sure. How do I check?

A: You’re right to take a step back. Email has become the most popular method of hacking individual computers—because most people use email and usually aren’t as vigilant as they need to be.

‘Phishing’ is an attempt to steal your personal information by posing as a trusted source (a friend, your bank–like that). Why is it so popular with crooks? Because it works.

As an educator, you want to teach students how to protect themselves as soon as they start using open email networks. Here are six suggestions:

1. Don’t open attachments.
2. Don’t click links in emails.
3. Check the email address of the sender. Does it match the name? Does it fit the sender?
4. Check for misspellings and mis-phrasings.
5. If you know the sender, does the email sound like their communication style?
6. Hover over the link to see the address. If it doesn’t match the text or look legitimate, don’t click.
7. Don’t hesitate to email the sender and ask if they sent you the email.

Got those? Here are a few more:

1. Slow Down: Phishing often pushes you to act fast—“Your account’s locked, fix it now!” Take a second to think. If it’s urgent, contact the company directly using a number or site you already know.
2. Don’t Share Sensitive Info: No legit company will ask for your password or full credit card number over email or text. If they do, it’s a scam.
3. Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add an extra step (like a code sent to your phone) to logins. Even if they get your password, they can’t get in without the second piece.
4. Keep Software Updated: Hackers exploit old systems. Update your phone, apps, and computer regularly to stay protected.

Sign up for a new tip each week or buy the entire 169 Real-world Ways to Put Tech into Your Classroom.

What’s your favorite tech tip in your classroom? Share it in the comments below.

(more…)

In these 169 tech-centric situations, you get an overview of pedagogy—the tech topics most important to your teaching—as well as practical strategies to address most classroom tech situations, how to scaffold these to learning, and where they provide the subtext to daily tech-infused education.

Today’s tip: 

Category: Parents

Here’s how to turn on SafeSearch on Google:

1. Open https://www.google.com/ in a web browser.
2. Click Settings at the bottom of the page.
3. Check the box for Turn on SafeSearch.
4. Click Save.

Click here to accept Marketing cookies and load this content

For those who use Duck Duck Go, here’s how to turn on safe search:

Use safe.duckduckgo.com: Searches always have safe search set to “strict”.

Three ways:

1. Using the Search Results Page:
   • After performing a search on DuckDuckGo, look below the search bar for settings options.
   • There should be a dropdown menu labeled “Safe Search.”
   • Select either “Moderate” or “Strict” from the dropdown menu to activate Safe Search. “Moderate” will filter out explicit content, while “Strict” will provide a higher level of content filtering.
2. Using the DuckDuckGo Settings Page:
   • Navigate to the DuckDuckGo website.
   • Click on the three horizontal lines in the top right corner of the page to open the menu.
   • Select “Settings” from the menu.
   • Under the “General” tab, find the “Safe Search” section.
   • Choose either “Moderate” or “Strict” from the dropdown menu to enable Safe Search.
3. DuckDuckGo Browser:
   • If you are using the DuckDuckGo browser app on mobile or desktop, go into the settings by clicking on the three horizontal lines or the gear icon.
   • Look for “More Search Settings” or a similar option.
   • Here you will find the “Safe Search” settings where you can choose “Moderate” or “Strict.”

Click here to accept Marketing cookies and load this content

Sign up for a new tip each week or buy the entire 169 Real-world Ways to Put Tech into Your Classroom.

What’s your favorite tech tip in your classroom? Share it in the comments below.

(more…)

It is important for children to know how to be safe while navigating the digital landscape. It’s easy when teachers present cybersecurity topics properly. Here are ideas from the  Ask a Tech Teacher team:

How to Explain Cybersecurity for Children

Cybersecurity plays a crucial role in our daily lives and will continue to gain importance. Educators can prepare students to protect themselves online. Of course, they should introduce online security topics in an age-appropriate manner.

Each successful teacher can make a big difference. Lousy cybersecurity practices or lack of knowledge about them often affect more than one person at a time. When they teach about safety online, they may affect not only the lives of their students but society as a whole.

Here is how to explain cybersecurity for children as an educator. (more…)

Cloud security boosts online learning by protecting student data while they share their thoughts and submit their assignments. It builds trust so everyone feels safe using the platform. Check out these ideas from the Ask a Tech Teacher team on how this newest game-changer in education will energize online learning platforms:

How Cloud Security Empowers Online Learning Platforms

The number of people using online learning platforms nationally is expected to reach over 63 million within the next five years, and they’re undeniably convenient for students and educators alike. But in leveling the playing field in terms of providing access to learning resources, they also throw up new concerns from a security perspective.

Cloud-powered solutions hold the key to keeping online learning platforms free from the threat of being abused by malicious actors, and here’s a look at how this plays out. (more…)

Now that so many children carry smartphones, do you track your child’s location? If you’re worried that’s akin to spying on them, read on. The Ask a Tech Teacher team has background, pros and cons, and more to help you come to a go-nogo decision:

• Reasons
• Techniques
• Best approaches
• Emergency readiness
• Supervising
• Communication and trust
• Educating your child 
• Addressing privacy concerns
• Importance of parental controls

How to Track My Child’s Location

In today’s world, parents frequently worry about their children’s safety and whereabouts. With the rise of smartphones and other technological advancements, keeping track of your child’s location has become more convenient than before. How can you ensure that you track them effectively and responsibly? This article aims to delve into approaches and factors to consider when monitoring your child’s whereabouts while respecting their privacy and building trust. The quick answer is to look into Scannero. (more…)

Cybersecurity threats in K-12 schools are a growing concern as educational institutions increasingly rely on technology for teaching, learning, and administrative purposes. Some common cybersecurity threats faced by K-12 schools include data breaches, BYOD policies, unsecured WiFi networks, insider threats, and lack of security awareness training. It’s this last that’s addressed by this article from Smartbrief:

Program teaches cybersecurity to K-12 administrators

Ohio’s Sinclair Community College, in collaboration with D2L, a learning technology company, has introduced a free cybersecurity course aimed at K-12 administrators to enhance their understanding of cyberthreats and develop strategies to mitigate these risks. Developed in response to a White House Cybersecurity Summit for K-12 schools, the short course focuses on identifying and addressing cybersecurity threats specific to schools.

Full Story: Dayton Daily News (Ohio) (tiered subscription model) (3/25) (more…)