About Digital Citizenship
Digital citizenship means “ the evolving norm of appropriate, responsible, and empowered use of technology” (Digital Citizenship Website, 2017). Here is a video of Common Sense Education that will help you better understand what digital citizenship is.
In this blog, I will explain how digital citizenship relates to educators and individuals, the difference between digital citizenship and digital literacy, and how people can develop good digital citizenship.
Digital citizenship to me is the responsible use of technology by anyone who uses computers, the Internet, and digital devices to engage with society at any level. Digital citizenship is such an important topic for kids, youth, and K-12 education. As technological advancement continues to accelerate, the world is becoming increasingly dependent on the Internet in its daily activities. But there is a big difference between good digital citizenship and bad digital citizenship. Good digital citizens can engage young students and show them how to connect through digital tools, empathize with each other, and build lasting relationships. But bad digital citizens entail cyberbullying, irresponsible use of social media, and a general lack of knowledge about using the Internet safely.
Joyce Kasman Valenza, a librarian who cares about education, explains how the combination of research skills with the collaboration and creativity of the Internet allows our students to become global citizens in the below video.
FRANCIS JIM TUSCANO, EdTech coach and digital learning and innovation consultant, mentions the importance of digital citizenship in his article, Why Digital Citizenship Matters?
“…The importance of digital citizenship makes it a necessary area in the framework of a school or district’s technology program. It is not enough to focus on ensuring that the physical infrastructure is ready, or that the entire school or district is wired or has purchased the necessary equipment. It is not enough to simply train teachers or staff on the pedagogical and technological aspects of using high technology for instruction in the classroom. Teachers should also have the skills to instruct students in the proper use of technology. Digital citizenship is not external to the student experience in a technology-rich learning environment. It is an integral part of it…” (Francis, 2017)
Here are the conclusion of the nine elements for digital citizenship in the reading, Nine elements of digital citizenship:
1. Digital Access-about technology and the equitable distribution of online resources.
2. Digital Commerce — the electronic buying and selling of goods.
3. Digital Communication and collaboration — the electronic exchange of information.
4. Digital Etiquette-standards or procedures for electronic behavior related to the process of considering others when using digital devices.
5. Digital Fluency-the process of understanding technology and its use.
6. Digital Health and Well-being — physical and mental health in a digital world.
7. Digital Law — electronic responsibility for actions and behaviors related to the development of rules and policies that address issues related to the cyber world.
8. Digital Rights and Responsibilities — the requirements and freedoms that extend to each individual in the digital world.
9. Digital Security and Privacy — electronic precautions to ensure security.
Many of these elements look familiar in the digital literacy framework presented here. However, digital citizenship should include the development of political and social awareness and active participation online (Ahlquist, 2014). The ability to be an active citizen in a digital world is aligned with character education. Character education is many times an element of leadership development programs for college students. Education should include decision-making methods, ethical and legal activities, safety and security, and being an effective digital community member. Educators' primary concerns about digital citizenship are cyberbullying, sexting, fake news, and digital well-being. I believe that educators should provide adequate online education for our students.
