Finn Goes Online – An App for Digital Literacy

$2.99!

Finn Goes Online offers a “choose-your-own-adventure” style narrative that is designed to teach young users about being safe online, with a particular focus on data privacy, cyberbullying, and password security. The narrative opens with Finn being in outer space, and his space shuttle crashes on earth. Using his parachute, Finn is able to safely land in a major city, and that is where his adventure begins.

To help Finn, two other characters who live in the building where Finn crashed landed provide him a cell phone and assistance in his journey. As the narrative unfolds, users are presented choices, such as choosing what information to share and actions to take, along with a variety of activities, including setting passwords and locating materials, in order to help Finn repair his space ship and be on his way.

When launching the app, users will need to first select if they wish to engage the app in German or English by selecting the corresponding flag on the home screen.  Next, users should tap the “Play” button, and the narrative will load. When users leave the app, their progress is automatically saved. When they reload the app, users can choose to continue the narrative they started or begin a new one. This app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.

Instructional Ideas for Finn Goes Online

1. When teachers are developing their students’ digital literacy skills, they can have students use this app by themselves for a portion of time in class or as homework. Next, teachers can have a full class conversation to check their students’ comprehension regarding what they did in the app and the skills they learned from it.
2. As students progress through the app, teachers can create quizzes and checks for knowledge about the topics students encountered in the app. For example, teachers can ask students if they should ever share their password and similar questions. In addition, for advanced students, teachers can have them create their own quiz questions about the app.
3. Based on this app, teachers can have students make posters about digital safety and other topics addressed in this app. Students can draw these posters or use Canva, SketchPad, and other artwork production tools to create them. Once they are made, teachers can post their students’ work in the classroom and other places in the school.

Screenshots of Finn Goes Online

Ratings for Finn Goes Online

Blanks indicate the dimension is not applicable to this app.