Digital Citizenship

As I was researching the topic of Digital Citizenship I found it extremely easy to become engulfed with a wealth of information.  So, I decided to narrow my search to what would pertain to my current students.  This decision helped shrink my search due to the fact that majority of my students are ELL and live in low socioeconomic environments.  Here is a quick snap shot of the information I found and the background knowledge I have on Digital Citizenship.

A question that always arises during any discussion of curriculum is: When will we find time to teach it?  Time constraints really put a clamp down on all parts of the curriculum.  I have to be creative when adding anything to my day.  Our students are growing up in a digital society and need to be taught about the importance of digital citizenship.  Since this topic is not fully integrated into my curriculum I have made it a point to discuss digital citizenship anytime a computer is used.  This discussion is usually a quick mini lesson, which pertains to the use of the computer for the day.   

Another question discussed is: How will it be taught?  Keeping the kids interested and engaged is the biggest obstacle.  Showing them videos or pictures that represent digital citizenship will catch their attention.  In an article by Jacqui Murray (2013) (http://www.aplatformforgood.org/blog/entry/how-to-teach-your-students-digital-citizenship) she mentioned to teach kids to treat their digital neighborhood as though it is their physical neighborhood.  I took four of the topics she discussed into consideration.  Don’t talk to strangers.  You don’t know who you are talking to when you are in a chat room or on Xbox live.  Don’t bully the people you are chatting with.  You may not realize you are hurting peoples feelings, so think before you type.  Don’t get distracted by all the advertisements and bling.  You are not the 1 millionth customer and you did not win the new computer, so don’t click on the ads.  Don’t overdo your time on the computer.  Your mind and body needs to take breaks.  Use the computer in moderation.  All four of these seemed to fit my current students very well.  I have discussed each one of these multiple times and find them extremely important for my kids to know.  So many kids today think if they don’t see the person then everything they type is ok. 

The more our technology advances the more I need to understand how to use it appropriately.  Why is it important to understand digital citizenship?  I need to teach my kids about their digital footprints.  Yesterday words were said on the playground, today these same words are said but in writing.  This digital footprint is never erased; it is permanent and hard to take back.  My students need to understand just because they removed it from their posts, does not mean it is totally gone.  Caroline Knorr (2010) (http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/be-good-digital-citizen-tips-teens-and-parents) explained that information cannot be controlled.  What you post can be copied, shared, and even altered.  It generally cannot be totally erased.  Finally, I must inform my students about being in cyberspace.  They need to understand they are talking with an invisible anonymous audience.
          Over my vast years of teaching I have been a witness to many changes in the new digital society.  Not only do I need to teach my kids about digital citizenship, but I must also teach the parents.  Some of my parents did not grow up with all the technology so they do not have the background knowledge.  In order to assist them, I thought of creating bulletins on the school website as well as my website to give them resources.  I could send home flyers when we go over certain topics in class.  There could be a Go Digital” night at school where different computer/internet professionals could be to talk about digital citizenship.  I believe if things were offered to our parent’s majority of them would take advantage of it.