More than ever, the students of today are spending a good amount of time online. In order to ensure students, especially the younger ones, are conducting themselves responsibly and safely, digital citizenship must be understood.
But, what exactly is digital citizenship?
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the evolving digital citizenship in regard to the online education sector. We’ll start with a simple definition and move forward into understanding how digital citizenship is currently being taught in schools and what needs to be changed in the future.
What Is Digital Citizenship?
How students should be behaving and navigating through the online world is depicted through the guidebook known as digital citizenship.
The digital citizenship of the past might have been as simple as teaching students to be on the lookout for online predators, but today it encompasses so much more. While safety remains a key component of digital citizenship, responsibility is another invaluable aspect.
The Importance of Digital Citizenship
It’s important to remember the value in digital citizenship for students, as their involvement with the online world only just begins through their education. After graduation, they will continue to operate on both a professional and personal level with the online world.
Digital citizenship helps protect students from:
Online predators
Relying on non-credible sources of information
Social irresponsibility
How Digital Citizenship Should Be Taught in Schools
While safety is a prevalent theme throughout how digital citizenship is taught in schools, there is much more to relay to students.
The Three S’s
Additional education, beyond simply safety alone, should pull from the three S’s, according to the author of The Digital Citizenship Handbook for School Leaders, Mike Ribble.
A complete digital citizenship curriculum framework should include aspects of:
Social
Savvy
Safety
Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship
According to Ribble, there are nine elements of digital citizenship that should be taught in schools.
1. Digital Access
The element of digital access focuses on the equal distribution of digital and technology resources for all students. It’s important for institutions and educators to be sensitive to their community and respond accordingly by providing access to everyone equally.
2. Digital Commerce
The element of digital commerce is centered around students using money online (banking, buying, and selling). Understanding safe practices around digital commerce help students now and in the future.
3. Digital Communication and Collaboration
The element of digital communication and collaboration focuses on the exchanging of information electronically. Some students find that online space can help them express themselves, especially those who may struggle to do so in other areas.
4. Digital Etiquette
In teaching students about digital etiquette, the focus is on understanding conduct online as well as thinking about others in doing so.
5. Digital Fluency
The concept of digital fluency is to promote students making good online decisions. One primary example of digital fluency comes with students knowing when to support others, rather than making or contributing to negative comments.
6. Digital Health and Welfare
The digital health and welfare element of digital citizenship comes with understanding psychological and physical well-being online.
7. Digital Law
For students to comprehend digital law means understanding policies and rules surrounding behavior online. It’s equally as important for students to understand why these rules come to fruition in the first place.
8. Digital Rights and Responsibility
The element pertaining to digital rights and responsibility focuses on maintaining the responsibility of having freedom. At the same time, students must understand this come with trust that they will be informing adults of any possible online threats.
9. Digital Security and Privacy
Lastly, digital security and privacy means being aware of cyberthreats and knowing how to prevent and report them.
Considering Digital Citizenship Future Forward
When it comes time to purchase new technology for educators and students, the decision makers for institutions should be considering digital citizenship at the forefront. In order to keep digital citizenship front of mind during the decision making process, keep these factors in mind.
Acknowledge the Challenges for Students
Although nearly all adults today have integrated into the online world, they do not know all of the challenges that students face today. It’s important to recognize and acknowledge the various struggles they may be facing and that they are different from what adults face. This factor helps encourage the need for digital citizenship in the education space but helps this responsibility spill over into their personal lives as well.
Remember Not Everyone Has Access
During the pandemic, students were forced to learn from an online environment. But, it’s important not to forget what we learned from this time - that not all students are created equal. While everyone may not have the same access to technology, it’s important to find ways to provide access as well as the learning tools to come with it.
Promote Digital Citizenship Throughout All Learning
Digital citizenship must be fully integrated across the curriculum considering students’ lives and responsibilities moving to online platforms. Promoting digital citizenship doesn’t have to be boring. Instead, consider tools that help encourage students to find credible sources for English writing projects.
Be Selective About Choosing Tools
Although online tools are the new shiny things of education, it’s important to remain vigilant and selective about which to choose. Promote authentic interactions across platforms to ensure you are not just bringing in technology for tech’s sake.
How Gamified Learning Can Promote Digital Citizenship
There’s no denying the impact personalized learning and gamification has on the education sector. That’s why, it comes as no surprise that gamification can help in terms of promoting digital citizenship as well.
In fact, there are a number of big name tech companies that have already integrated gamification into digital citizenship.
Google’s Interland
Common Sense’s Digital Passport and Digital Compass
U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s Admongo
Final Thoughts
Having a thorough understanding of digital citizenship helps encourage students' mental and physical health. As educators, it is crucial to promote digital citizenship across all learning in order to help optimize both learning and safety for all learners.