R E S P E C T , C O N N E C T & C H A N G E T H E W O R L D
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP A N
O V E R V I E W F O R T E A C H E R S & A D M I N I S T R A T O R S
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Maya Angelou
TABLE OF
contents 1
Why?
9
Change the World
3
Respect
11
Act Now
5
Educate
12
References
7
Protect
Why?
As technology progresses and our ability to connect increases, the world gets smaller. But it also gets a little bit scarier.
Snapchat. Twitter. Kik. Facebook. MySpace. Instagram (Finsta for those of us who are cool enough to know the lingo). The list continues to grow. And as the list of social media grows, it seems our students' attention spans shrink and "issues" arise. Rather than trying to deny the inevitable and ban technology, maybe something more can be done. Technology isn't going away. The old policy of "off and away" cannot be enforced and teachers and teenagers are constantly squaring off in a test of wills. We have to stop fighting the losing battle. This is not to say we have to embrace social media and all forms of technology, but we have to stop demonizing it. Let's try to use it to our advantage.
Digital citizenship allows digital natives and digital immigrants to come to an understanding of what it means to be an active and involved member of the dynamic community that technology has created. Mike Ribble defines digital citizenship as "the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use” (2017, par.1). We can go further and say digital citizenship is using technology to be active and worthwhile members of an expansive society - one without walls, oceans, a society that has the potential to rid the world of such barriers.
1
Schools are desperate to prepare their students with 21st century skills. But if we are ignoring the space where most students "live," we are doing a great injustice. Danah Boyd (2014) suggests that social media is just another form of a public - to teens, connecting with their friends online is more similar to the spaces we gathered in the 90s than we realize. Teens want to find their place in society and technology is what they turn to for help.
"Teens are looking for a place of their own By teaching our students the key components of digital to make citizenship, we are preparing them for a future of endless sense of possibilities. As a starting point, we, as teachers, have to the world understand this: teaching digital citizenship is just as important (maybe more) as teaching our content. And like any other aspect beyond of teaching, it is on us to be the role models of what a “good” their bedrooms." digital citizen says and does, especially in a time like this, when we can’t look to powerful leaders to provide any sort of positive (Boyd, modeling. All content areas need to be responsible for teaching 2014) elements of digital citizenship. We cannot put the responsibility solely on lower grade levels nor can we assume our students know what “appropriate, responsible behavior” entails.
The following pages follow Digital Citizenship guru Mike Ribble's principles of digital citizenship. As a school, we can decide what this looks like in our classrooms, we can decide how to integrate each element, but we can no longer ignore this.
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Respect Kindness matters. The first principle of Respect includes elements that impact the overall school environment: etiquette, access, and law. Digital citizenship is not something that is just meant to educate students. Staff, parents, and anyone involved in the school community need to be aware of acceptable behavior. At first glance, access may seem like something students, teachers, or parents can't control. However, as a responsible digital citizenship, it is up to all of us to ensure equal access to technology. Understanding the law when it comes to digital citizenship can get heavy. The ins and outs of copyright laws and infringement and fair use or plagiarism can make a person's head spin. However, the laws are necessary and teachers can decide which ones to include depending on the content being covered.
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Respect Must be modeled. Digital etiquette is one of the 9 elements that seems to get and need the most attention. Long gone are the days when kids could leave the playground bullies on the playground. Home was a safe haven and even the kids who were tormented at school could escape the hurtful taunts we’ve all experienced. Cyberbullying can be defined as “‘willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices’” (Hinduja & Patchin, p. 11).
While it is important to recognize the devastating impacts cyberbullying can have on a student, family, school, or community, it is just as important to not quickly blame technology. The technology is simply amplifying something that has always existed and making it harder to escape from the “bully.” That begin said, it is very clear students need a regular reminder and model of what it means to behave appropriately.
4
Educate Literacy goes well beyond the words on a page.
Educating yourself and connecting with others encompasses two elements that should be the impetus of our digital citizenship program. Literacy, Communication, and Commerce all potentially impact students' ability to learn. Most likely, commerce (the buying and selling of goods online) is not likely to come up in an ELA class. However, if students are not getting the right information at home, where are they getting it? Laws and ethics are sometimes at issue, and students need to be aware of potential hazards.Â
5
Educate Yourself and others.
The idea of digital literacy should be at the heart of a digital citizenship program at the secondary level. While we often consider our students to be digital natives, some are actually more naive. This element not only covers teaching students how to use new technologies, but also teaching students how to learn in this new age. Appropriate digital communication is the piece of the puzzle that needs much more than a cursory glance. Understanding this element means understanding when to use a cell phone, how to compose an email, and when text lingo is acceptable. With so many options for communication, students sometimes choose poorly.Â
6
Protect Digital footprint or tattoo - it's there to stay.
Protecting oneself and others online must be taught at all levels. Rights and responsibilities, digital security, and digital health and wellness affect our students' lives outside of school, but clearly can impact the whole community. Â Just like citizens of the United States are protected by the Bill of Rights, students need to be aware that rights and responsibilities are extended to electronic platforms.Â
Becoming a member of an online community allows users to be protected by rights, but with this membership comes responsibilities (Ribble, 2015).
"Users need to understand the difference between what is possible for the individual and what should be done for the good of the group� (Ribble, 2015, p. 151).
7
Protect Firewalls, passwords, safety
Digital safety/security is important so students are protected online. Protection can come in the form of firewalls, software updates, and network security. Students need to how to protect themselves in all electronic environments in which they participate. Digital health and wellness is just as important as any other aspect of health and wellness. There are both physical and psychological issues that can be traced back to technology usage. Still have questions? Visit http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/
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Change the World?
Each of the 9 elements build upon and support the next. It is almost difficult to see where one ends and the next begins. But if we are able to take all of those concepts and create our own version of what it means for our staff and students to be active, vibrant, and appropriate members of our digital community, then we will have succeeded.Â
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One such project, The iCitizen Project in West Hartford, Connecticut exemplifies just how much can be accomplished if we embrace the new technologies rather than ban them. Students came together to become leaders both on and off the computer, and came to believe that they really could change the world (Ribble, 2015).Â
If the world is at our fingertips, doesn't it make sense that we could actually change it?
Together, we can integrate what we believe to be the most important elements into our already existing curriculum. This is not about adding units or tests; this is about being aware of what it means to be an active citizen in the 21st century - both behind the screen and in front of the classroom.Â
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An important note to teachers: We have to realize that our actions will speak louder than words. Our own phone usage in classrooms needs to be in step with the expectations we set. Our own online behavior should be something we are proud of. And our digital tattoos should be nothing to hide.Â
Start Now Ostriches don't actually hide their heads in sand. Let's not either.Â
11
References Boyd, D. (2014). It’s complicated: The social lives of networked teens. Yale University Press. Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2015). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyberbullying (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools (3rd ed.). Eugene, OR: International Society of Technology in Education. Images free from Canva.com
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Laura Schilly