Click, Connect, Protect: A Puzzle About Life Online

Why I Chose These Topics for My Connections Puzzle

As a high school teacher and a father of two, I think about technology a little differently than I used to. It's not just about what's new or exciting anymore; it's about what shapes our children, our students, and our culture. Social media and emerging technologies have permanently altered the way we communicate, learn, and grow. When I created the Connections puzzle (Click, Connect, Protect: A Puzzle About Life Online), I wanted the topics to reflect the conversations we need to be having not just in classrooms, but around dinner tables, in faculty meetings, and in our own minds as parents and educators. Each of the four themes I selected for the puzzle highlights a critical dimension of our digital lives.

Image Source: Author Created (https://connections.swellgarfo.com/)

Internet Laws and Regulations (COPPA, CIPA, Privacy, Safety)

We live in an age where kids are online before they can even spell "privacy." As both an educator and a parent, understanding laws like COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) and CIPA (Children’s Internet Protection Act) isn’t optional, it’s essential. These regulations are designed to create guardrails, but they also remind us how vulnerable young users are. Privacy and digital safety aren’t just classroom topics anymore; they are life skills. Teaching students how to protect their information and navigate online risks safely is one of the greatest responsibilities we have today.

Building Networks and Collaboration (Crowdsourcing, Collective Intelligence, Personal Learning Network, Community)

One of the most hopeful aspects of technology is its ability to connect people. Whether it's forming a professional learning network (PLN) as a teacher or watching students work together through online collaboration, the power of collective intelligence is real. Crowdsourcing information, sharing ideas, and building communities across boundaries are now a part of everyday life. These topics reflect how the best of the digital world can foster growth, connection, and innovation when used thoughtfully.

Digital Footprint Concepts (Digital Tattoo, Online Reputation, Footprint, Permanent Record)

When I think about my own children, one already navigating early social technology, the other not far behind, the concept of a digital footprint becomes personal. Everything we post online leaves a mark, a "digital tattoo" that doesn’t easily fade. In school, we talk about reputations and choices, but today those choices can follow someone for years. Helping young people (and reminding ourselves) to think critically about their online presence is crucial. The idea that every action, every post, every like can contribute to a permanent record is something I want my students and my own kids to fully understand.

Core Themes in Technology and Media (Social Media, Technology, Media Literacy, Communication)

At the center of all these conversations are the fundamental tools: social media, communication platforms, and emerging technologies. Yet tools are only as powerful or as dangerous as the literacy of the people using them. Media literacy, in particular, has become a non-negotiable skill. Students must be able to question what they see, understand how information is shaped, and communicate responsibly. As an educator, I see it as my duty not just to teach content but to help build discerning, thoughtful citizens who can thrive in a digital world.

Image Source: Author Created (https://connections.swellgarfo.com/game/-OOtjwZ5kF49iyKz590j)

Why It Matters

In creating this puzzle, I wasn't just building an academic exercise. I was highlighting the conversations we need to prioritize as teachers, as parents, as participants in an increasingly digital society. Social media and emerging technologies aren't going away; they are growing faster than ever. Our job is to prepare students not just to use them, but to understand them, to question them, and to respect the power they hold. At the end of the day, it’s about stewardship. Stewardship of our students’ futures, stewardship of our children's wellbeing, and stewardship of the kind of digital world we’re helping to shape. These topics remind me of that responsibility and I hope they inspire others to reflect on it too.