Leaving a Good Footprint
Would others follow where you have led?
What is Digital Citizenship?
Digital citizenship is using technology in a safe, responsible and respectful way. What does safe look like? People need to know the ins and outs of managing privacy, security, self-image, identity, reputation and digital footprints. What does responsible technology use look like? People must understand the legalities of information consumption and consequences of their online actions. What does respectful technology use look like? Users must be technology literate and be able to use technology to strengthen their relationships and facilitate communication rather than diminish their personal interactions.
Invest Now for Big Payoff Later
With pressure from parents, administration and educational agencies to pack more and more rigor into the school day, teachers may feel that Digital Citizenship is something that they just don't have time for. However, making Digital Citizenship and its associated skills and ideals a priority will enable students to become for effective in the classroom. Ensuring that students understand and practice the eight components of digital literacy and citizenship (as organized by CommonSense Media) will put students and teachers in a better position to facilitate success in the 21st century. Privacy and Security, Self-Image and Identity, Relationships and Communications, Cyberbullying, Digital Footprint and Reputation, Creative Credit and Copyright, Information Literacy and Internet Safety are skills that are imperative for all learners. If there is a computer in the classroom or in the home, teachers, parents and students need to understand the expectations and responsibly of technology usage.
What does Digital Citizenship Include?
Citizenship is a concept that parents teach their children from birth. Beginning with making eye contact with the child when talking to them, moving on to "Don't hit," "Be nice," "Say please and thank you," "Don't take it if it isn't yours," and "Tell the truth," we teach our children 'good manners' - how to interact with others in person. However, society has failed to extend these concepts to the technological world in which children are immersed. In raising Digital Children (Raising a Digital Child: A Digital Citizenship Handbook for Parents by Mike Ribble), this new opportunity for education must not be neglected. According to the Zero to Eight Research Study conducted by Common Sense Media (based on research for 2012), three-quarters of all 0 to 8 year old children have access to mobile devices. Kids are using them to play games, watch streaming video and are using apps. Children are taught to behave as citizens in their personal interactions and generally, they do so. Parents shouldn't be shocked by children's questionable behavior in the digital environment if they haven't taught them how to behave in it. How would they know if no one told them?
Your Attention Please!!!
It is impossible to give more than 100% attention to a subject. This is especially apparent in today's classroom with the integration of technology into the high school curriculum. In a 1:1 classroom, one of the most important skills that a student can learn is resource management. The number one resource in a classroom is attention. It is very rare to see a student 'daydreaming' any more. The days of staring out the window while the mind wanders willy nilly has passed. Students now stare at their laptops, tablets or phones while scrolling through their Facebook feed. The result is the same, the majority of the student's attention is not on the teacher or the material, but is being diverted to other things. Teachers are fighting for a larger piece of the students attention, but ultimately, it is the student who decides what gets each allotment of their focus. Getting a student to realize that they really need to be mentally as well as physically in the classroom and to use their device to enhance their learning rather than to detract from it is the biggest challenge that our society is facing. Allowing the students to recognize that the more attention to turn to the classroom and what is going on there the bigger the payoff is in their academic achievement.
What Role Does Digital Citizenship Play in School Curriculum?
Follow the rules! The educational setting is based on rules. Educators who get student buy-in to the rules have better learning environments. Students buy-in to rules when they understand that by following the rules they are facilitating their own success. Children need to understand why they are doing something and see a positive result in order to want to repeat the behavior. Why do I need to learn math? Why do I need to wash my hands before eating? Why do I need to be keep some information private instead of sharing it online? The heavy lifting of building a successful educational environment has already been done in most school systems. Teaching digital citizenship in school curriculum is a perfect fit and it will benefit students, parents and educators.
What about parent and teacher buy-in? This is such an important aspect of Digital Citizenship. Parents and teachers need to appreciate that laying the foundation for children to become good digital citizens will make classroom management easier in the future. High school teachers don't spend a lot of classroom time teaching students to keep their hands to themselves because elementary teachers have done that job. Wouldn't it be amazing if students have the foundation for digital citizenship built in elementary school as well? It is much easier to learn the correct behavior from the beginning rather than to be constantly reteaching an correcting behavior.
What About Me?
Email: heatherp@sheridan.k12.mt.us
Website: http://www.sheridan.k12.mt.us/page/170
Location: Twin Bridges, MT
Phone: 406.596.2002
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hdpuckett