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What is digital citizenship?
Let's see how several pioneers in the field have defined the term:
ISTE includes Digital Citizenship as a component of their NETS-S (see #5) and NETS-T (see #4). For students, the NETS-S describe digital citizenship as the following:
The concept of digital literacy can fall under the umbrella of digital citizenship. Although the lines are blurred in defining these two terms, digital literacy has more to do with information literacy skills around the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create messages with digital media. Media scholar Renee Hobbs refers to four areas of digital literacy: 1) Computer Skills and Access Issues; 2) Issues of Authorship; 3) Issues of Reputation; and 4) Online Social Responsibility. Being an informed media consumer and creator--essentially, being digitally literate--is an important aspect of digital citizenship.
Most schools are including digital citizenship (often framed as "Internet safety") as part of their Acceptable Use Policy, as part of the agreement in using technology at school.
ISTE includes Digital Citizenship as a component of their NETS-S (see #5) and NETS-T (see #4). For students, the NETS-S describe digital citizenship as the following:
The concept of digital literacy can fall under the umbrella of digital citizenship. Although the lines are blurred in defining these two terms, digital literacy has more to do with information literacy skills around the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create messages with digital media. Media scholar Renee Hobbs refers to four areas of digital literacy: 1) Computer Skills and Access Issues; 2) Issues of Authorship; 3) Issues of Reputation; and 4) Online Social Responsibility. Being an informed media consumer and creator--essentially, being digitally literate--is an important aspect of digital citizenship.
Most schools are including digital citizenship (often framed as "Internet safety") as part of their Acceptable Use Policy, as part of the agreement in using technology at school.
Internet Safety
Internet safety refers to staying safe from online risk, such as avoiding risky online talk with others; protecting against online scams and schemes like phishing; avoiding encounters with inappropriate content online; using powerful passwords and secure websites; protecting from viruses and spyware, and learning how to protect personal information online. Although Internet safety can also include other risks such as cyberbullying, here it's more narrowly focused on behavior that puts a child's safety at risk, and falls under the larger category of digital citizenship.
Read/watch the following resources:
Read/watch the following resources:
Cyberbullying, Communication, and Relationships
In the early days of the Internet, there were utopian visions of how this wonderful technology would bring people together as part of thriving, empowering communities. And although that indeed is the case, we also have seen the opposite--the Internet (and other digital media like cell phones) as a place to spread hate and cruelty. Just like bullying occurs on the playground or in school hallways, it now happens online. So what is cyberbullying?
"Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones." (Stop Cyberbullying.org). One important distinction is that cyberbullying has to do with minors. When adults are involved it falls into the realm of harassment or stalking.
Examples of cyberbullying include mean posts (via text, email, social media site); spreading rumors, sharing embarrassing or private pictures, videos, or information; impersonation; forwarding something that was private; and creating a "slam" page to demean someone.
You probably have heard of terrible stories about cyberbullying on the news or maybe even in your school community. One of the reasons cyberbullying can be so devastating is that it is different from face-to-face bullying. Take a moment to consider the ways that cyberbullying is different. (Check out some of the key differences here.)
Increasingly states are passing laws, and schools are having policies regarding bullying and cyberbullying. See The Cyberbullying Research Center's Bullying and Cyberbullying Laws Fact Sheet to see where your state stands.
When teaching kids about cyberbullying, it's important to focus on how cyberbullying is broader than the target and the bully--there are also bystanders and upstanders. Here are the roles define (vocabulary taken from Common Sense Media's high school lesson, Taking Perspectives on Cyberbullying) :
Kids should be encouraged to move from being bystanders watching bullying happen, to being upstanders to stop the bullying and/or support the target. Also keep in mind that kids can play different roles in a cyberbullying situation, and those roles can change.
"Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones." (Stop Cyberbullying.org). One important distinction is that cyberbullying has to do with minors. When adults are involved it falls into the realm of harassment or stalking.
Examples of cyberbullying include mean posts (via text, email, social media site); spreading rumors, sharing embarrassing or private pictures, videos, or information; impersonation; forwarding something that was private; and creating a "slam" page to demean someone.
You probably have heard of terrible stories about cyberbullying on the news or maybe even in your school community. One of the reasons cyberbullying can be so devastating is that it is different from face-to-face bullying. Take a moment to consider the ways that cyberbullying is different. (Check out some of the key differences here.)
Increasingly states are passing laws, and schools are having policies regarding bullying and cyberbullying. See The Cyberbullying Research Center's Bullying and Cyberbullying Laws Fact Sheet to see where your state stands.
When teaching kids about cyberbullying, it's important to focus on how cyberbullying is broader than the target and the bully--there are also bystanders and upstanders. Here are the roles define (vocabulary taken from Common Sense Media's high school lesson, Taking Perspectives on Cyberbullying) :
Kids should be encouraged to move from being bystanders watching bullying happen, to being upstanders to stop the bullying and/or support the target. Also keep in mind that kids can play different roles in a cyberbullying situation, and those roles can change.
Privacy, Digital Footprints, and Identity
Each time a young person fills out a profile, comments on something, posts a video, or texts a picture of themselves to friends, they reveal themselves to the world. Understanding how to protect online privacy goes beyond knowing how to customize privacy settings. Privacy settings aren't a cure-all in a world where anything posted can be copied, pasted, taken out of context, and sent to millions of people in a heartbeat. And, privacy not only has to do with the information we share about ourselves and how this might affect our reputation, but also understanding:
Check out this infographic and consider the range of issues that fall under privacy: Understanding your online privacy: a (really long) infographic
But most parents - and teachers - are concerned with what kids post about themselves and how this affects them not only now, but in the future. From the moment they start sharing information online, kids are building digital footprints that will stay with them for life. Those decisions to post something not-so-smart can haunt a kid years later. And, increasingly college admissions officers, scholarship committees, and employers are "googling" people as part of their applications process. Read this article: Beware: Potential Employers are Watching You (Wall Street Journal, 2012).
Finally, being responsible for online privacy means not only protecting our own privacy, but protecting the privacy of others. Students may share information, such as a photo of their friend at the mall (when they were supposed to be doing homework!), without thinking about how it affects their online privacy.
But most parents - and teachers - are concerned with what kids post about themselves and how this affects them not only now, but in the future. From the moment they start sharing information online, kids are building digital footprints that will stay with them for life. Those decisions to post something not-so-smart can haunt a kid years later. And, increasingly college admissions officers, scholarship committees, and employers are "googling" people as part of their applications process. Read this article: Beware: Potential Employers are Watching You (Wall Street Journal, 2012).
Finally, being responsible for online privacy means not only protecting our own privacy, but protecting the privacy of others. Students may share information, such as a photo of their friend at the mall (when they were supposed to be doing homework!), without thinking about how it affects their online privacy.
Copyright and Fair Use
Kids live in a "copy/paste culture" where they often think, if it's online, it's mine! Most teachers have experienced some kind of problem with student plagiarism and/or improper citation (or lack thereof). Palfrey et al. (2009)found, in research with 12-22 year-olds, young people are fairly ignorant of their rights and restrictions with copyright law, but yet show an interest in the rights and livelihoods of creators. In a digital age, it's more important than ever that students learn about copyright, fair use, and attribution. And, in a digital age we no longer cite just the quotes we use from a book or article, but the images, videos, and websites we use too.
Read and/or watch the following resources to get familiar with fair use and copyright:
Another aspect that falls under copyright is learning about the legal and ethical issues regarding piracy (illegal downloading of music, movies, software, etc.). Read this article to get a background on how piracy affects everyone, and why education is an important part of the solution (Forbes, 2012).
Teaching about copyright does not have to be one-sided in having students learn their responsibilities as creators in a digital world. They also should learn about their rights as creators--particularly their rights to fair use. One question that most students get invested in is: How would you allow others to use your work (can others share it, alter it, make money from it, etc.)? Students can also learn about Creative Commons, an alternative to copyright that gives people the right to share, use, and even alter and build upon a work. Watch this short video about Creative Commons and explore the different types of licenses.
Additional resources
Easy Bib: Free automatic bibliography and citation maker
Copyright and Fair use lessons for high school (Media Education Lab)
Read and/or watch the following resources to get familiar with fair use and copyright:
Another aspect that falls under copyright is learning about the legal and ethical issues regarding piracy (illegal downloading of music, movies, software, etc.). Read this article to get a background on how piracy affects everyone, and why education is an important part of the solution (Forbes, 2012).
Teaching about copyright does not have to be one-sided in having students learn their responsibilities as creators in a digital world. They also should learn about their rights as creators--particularly their rights to fair use. One question that most students get invested in is: How would you allow others to use your work (can others share it, alter it, make money from it, etc.)? Students can also learn about Creative Commons, an alternative to copyright that gives people the right to share, use, and even alter and build upon a work. Watch this short video about Creative Commons and explore the different types of licenses.
Additional resources
Easy Bib: Free automatic bibliography and citation maker
Copyright and Fair use lessons for high school (Media Education Lab)
Effective Searching on the Web
Image created with tagxedo.com
Students have all had the experience where they've searched for information online and the search brought back over 2 million results in 0.9 seconds. Now comes the daunting task of narrowing down these results to find the exact information they were looking for.
With information on the visible web growing each day, learning how to search more effectively is more important. There are several techniques that will help to narrow the results of a search.
These and other tips as shared in the articles listed below will help students to refine and better define their searches.
Tips to Effective Internet Searching (Southern Oregon University)
Building Good Search Skills: What Students need to Know (KQED Mind/Shift)
Watch this short video on Web Search Strategies in Plain English to get more information on how to search the Internet more effectively.
With information on the visible web growing each day, learning how to search more effectively is more important. There are several techniques that will help to narrow the results of a search.
These and other tips as shared in the articles listed below will help students to refine and better define their searches.
Tips to Effective Internet Searching (Southern Oregon University)
Building Good Search Skills: What Students need to Know (KQED Mind/Shift)
Watch this short video on Web Search Strategies in Plain English to get more information on how to search the Internet more effectively.
Evaluating Credibility and Trustworthiness
Microsoft ClipArt
Ever heard the one commercial that touts: "They can't put anything on the Internet if it isn't true!"? Just reading that statement has to make one wonder about the reliability of information found online. Remember, almost anyone can post information online. It is important that educators continue to help their students understand how to evaluate online information to determine if the information is accurate.
Below are some key things to look for when evaluating a website or webpage:
Additional Resources
Below are some key things to look for when evaluating a website or webpage:
Additional Resources
The Importance of Modeling
As a Digital Educator, it is important you consider your own digital citizenship skills and online practices, and how you model these to students. How do you conduct yourself online - both professionally and personally? If your students were to "Google" you, what would they find? How are you building a positive digital footprint? Read the following articles and consider what your "best practices" will be in digital citizenship...and how you can model these to students.
Your Professional Reputation (UK Safer Internet Centre)
Fired over Facebook (Huffington Post)
Your Professional Reputation (UK Safer Internet Centre)
Fired over Facebook (Huffington Post)
Digital Literacy and Citizenship Curriculum
There are several curriculum resources available for schools teaching digital literacy and citizenship skills. Some of the things you should consider when choosing which curriculum to use is:
Below is a list of curriculum offerings for digital citizenship. Browse at least two of these resources while considering the above questions.
Below is a list of curriculum offerings for digital citizenship. Browse at least two of these resources while considering the above questions.
What Does Teaching Digital Citizenship Look Like?
Digital citizenship can be integrated into a variety of subjects, including english language arts, social studies, history, library, technology, health and wellness, and character education. There are even connections with math and science. Watch one the videos below to see an example of what digital citizenship looks like being taught at your grade level. Questions to consider: How are teachers engaging students? How are they meeting ELA Common Core and ISTE's NETS-S standards? How do you think your students would respond to this lesson?
Student Media Creation
Students begin to "own" digital citizenship when they create their own media, collaborate with other students, and participate in student-led campaigns. Young people at Radio Rookies, a youth-based radio show, tackled a subject that had been going on in their communities but no one discussed: sexual cyberbullying. Listen to this powerful Radio Rookies broadcast.
When young people share their voices about these topics, especially to a larger audience than the classroom, it not only creates awareness and a space for conversation, but it can be a powerful experience for the students who created it. By including student-produced media creation projects as part of learning, digital citizenship comes full circle because students get to enact responsible decision-making in the messages they create.
The Digital ID project, for instance, encourages student media creation about digital citizenship issues. Students can even submit their work to be featured on Digital ID. See examples from Digital ID of student-created work, including posters, newscasts, public service announcements, and poetry (and learn how your students can submit their work to Digital ID). Watch the student-produced PSA below, "Wanted," about cyberbullying and being an upstander.
When young people share their voices about these topics, especially to a larger audience than the classroom, it not only creates awareness and a space for conversation, but it can be a powerful experience for the students who created it. By including student-produced media creation projects as part of learning, digital citizenship comes full circle because students get to enact responsible decision-making in the messages they create.
The Digital ID project, for instance, encourages student media creation about digital citizenship issues. Students can even submit their work to be featured on Digital ID. See examples from Digital ID of student-created work, including posters, newscasts, public service announcements, and poetry (and learn how your students can submit their work to Digital ID). Watch the student-produced PSA below, "Wanted," about cyberbullying and being an upstander.
