What is digital citizenship? Why is digital citizenship important to learn? How could digital citizenship be taught and modelled in K-12 schools? (What would you teach?)

“Digital citizenship refers to the responsible use of technology by anyone who uses computers, the Internet, and digital devices to engage with society on any level” (Zook, n.d.).

I decided to begin by citing a definition of digital citizenship. The key term above is ‘responsible’. One must be a responsible user of digital mediums in order to be considered a good citizen. What factors make one a good digital citizen? What exactly are we talking about? For clarity, we should first look at the term digital citizenship. Let’s break it down. The word ‘digital’ refers to the medium with which one is using to communicate (the Internet, cell phones, etc.). The word ‘citizenship’ refers to the virtuous, good, responsible individual. In short, the good citizen. So, how can someone be considered a good digital citizen? What makes one responsible in the online environment?

Several factors come to mind when looking at citizenship. Responsibility is key here. But, what makes one responsible? My first thought is that one must portray accurate information and facts (63 Things, 2018; Davis, 2017). Speaking the truth, so to speak, is essential in being responsible for one’s actions, words, and thoughts. This is especially important in the online environment. Communication is a huge theme when it comes to Digital Citizenship (63 Things, 2018; Davis, 2017). When a world of information is available at your fingertips, it can be overwhelming. The urge to just blindly share news stories and theories can be strong, but doing the adequate background checks can prevent one from misrepresenting a topic.

One must also be sure to only post what is appropriate (culturally, pedagogically, and otherwise) for their audience. Racially-charged, prejudiced, highly political, and otherwise inappropriate content is not advisable, especially in light of how open communication is today. This is an important guideline for new (and experienced) teachers to understand. Being a part of a profession means that you are viewed through the lens of the collective peoples’ values.

Digital citizenship can be taught at a relatively young age – ideally, at the same time that students are developing their digital literacy. I would like to share some important topics for teaching digital citizenship in the classroom from Zook (n.d.).

If you want to teach digital citizenship, you’ll want to focus on seven key concepts:

  1. Empathy
  2. How the Internet works
  3. Understanding user data
  4. Practicing digital literacy
  5. Acknowledging the digital divide
  6. Practicing digital wellness
  7. Securing digital devices

Unfortunately, I do not have the space to get into the details for each topic as one could easily write a blog about each topic in turn. In summation, teaching digital citizenship is essential in the pursuit of knowledge, safety, and equity for all.

References:

63 Things Every Student Should Know In A Digital World. (2018, August 12). Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/63-things-every-student-should-know-in-a-digital-world/

Davis, V. (2017, November 01). What Your Students Really Need to Know About Digital Citizenship. Retrieved November 30, 2020, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/digital-citizenship-need-to-know-vicki-davis

Zook, C. (n.d.). What Is Digital Citizenship & How Do You Teach It? Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/what-is-digital-citizenship