Creating a Safe Virtual Learning Environment

Online Safety Resources

• Common Sense Media
• Federal Trade Commission - Protecting Kids Online
• Internet safety age-based guidelines
• Internet Safety Rules video for parents
  
• PA Guide to Protecting Yourself Online
  
• Parent's guide to cyberbullying
• Safe2Say Something
• The Internet Safety 101 Information Guide

Virtual Backgrounds

Teaching and learning remotely has invited many people (virtually) into home settings. Some staff, families, or students may not be comfortable with this for a variety of reasons. Adding a virtual background can help participants feel more connected and be able to appear on the screen for periods of time without inviting the rest of the group to have a window into their personal lives.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has created a collection of virtual backgrounds that are available to download for free via Flickr. Visit the collection often, as backgrounds are added weekly.

Select a platform below to learn more about how to add a virtual background while using that platform:

• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams
• Skype
• Google Meet: Does not currently allow for virtual backgrounds but you can use a workaround with a Chrome extension
• Chromacam
• GoToMeeting (YouTube)
• WebEx (YouTube)

Tutorials/How-To Guides

The following virtual meeting platforms offer tutorials and related resources to help you learn how best to use them:

• Zoom (YouTube)
• Microsoft Teams (YouTube)
• Schoology
• Skype (YouTube)
• GoToMeeting
• Google Meet (YouTube)