Digital Citizenship

Digital citizenship is the appropriate use of technology. (Arcay, 2022).  

Digital citizenship feels more important each year as technology continues to evolve. When I was in school, we only had access to computers once a week for forty minutes. Fast forward to students now a days, they have their own computer or iPad with their name on it! Students in my school utilize technology multiple times a day. Although this is the world we live in, it is so important that as teachers, we make sure students are aware of all the risks that can come with using technology. 

According to the article WHY IS DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP IMPORTANT IN EDUCATION? by John Arcay, digital citizenship can be split into three categories. This feels like a great way to teachers to break down an important topic to students. Arcay breaks this topic down into educate, protect, and respect. As an aspiring teacher without a plan on the "right" way to teach this to students, I feel breaking down is a great starting point.

Educate:

• teach students how to choose the correct resource/platform to convey their message
• teach students how to find and evaluate the resources they need to use
• teach students how to effectively make a purchase online

Protect:

• ensure students understand their rights as a technology user
• ensure students know how to keep their personal information safe
• ensure students know how to have a healthy balance between the internet and the real world

Respect:

• all students should have equal rights online
• all students should know how to be respectful online
• all students should understand what is appropriate when it comes to other's digital property

(Arcay, 2022).

Now, when it comes to teaching this, it can be challenging. First, some students may have knowledge on this topic, some may have negative knowledge, and some may have no knowledge at all. However, it is so important to teach all students the same important knowledge. The website Common Sense Education has amazing lessons tailored to the grade level you are teaching. A lesson I will be conducting with my class is This is Me. I think this is such an important lesson for students to learn so they always think twice before posting, and are aware that things may not always be perceived the way they intend it to.

Although this topic can be a lot to teach, it is truly so important that students of all grade levels are aware of how they are accessing the internet in and out of school!

Reference

Arcay, J. (2022, January 24). WHY IS DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP IMPORTANT IN EDUCATION? TASIS. Retrieved March 8 2024, from https://www.tasisengland.org/about/blog/post/~board/blog/post/digital-citizenship 

Everything You Need to Teach Digital Citizenship. Common Sense Education. (n.d.). https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenshipLinks to an external site.