What is Digital Citizenship?
In today's world, being a "good citizen" no longer applies to just the normal interaction between people. We must now consider the rights and wrongs of using technology in order to use it effectively and appropriately. According to Mike Riddle, "Digital citizenship can be defined as the norms of approach, responsible behavior with regard to technology use." To help better clarify what digital citizenship is, the concept can be broken down into nine elements.
1. Digital Access: Full electronic participation in society.
2. Digital Commerce: The buying and selling of goods online.
3. Digital Communication: The electronic exchange of information.
4. Digital Literacy: The capability to use digital technology and knowing when and how to
use it.
5. Digital Etiquette: The standards of conduct expected by other digital technology users.
6. Digital Law: The legal rights and restrictions governing technology use.
7. Digital Rights and Responsibilities: The privileges and freedoms extended to all
technology users, and the behavior expectations that come with them.
8. Digital Health and Wellness: The elements of physical and psychological well-being
related to digtial technology use.
9. Digital Security: The precautions that all technology users must take to guarantee their
personal safety and the security of their network.
By learning these nine elements, you are practicing good digtial citizenship, allowing one to identify when inappropriate digital behavior occurs.
1. Digital Access: Full electronic participation in society.
2. Digital Commerce: The buying and selling of goods online.
3. Digital Communication: The electronic exchange of information.
4. Digital Literacy: The capability to use digital technology and knowing when and how to
use it.
5. Digital Etiquette: The standards of conduct expected by other digital technology users.
6. Digital Law: The legal rights and restrictions governing technology use.
7. Digital Rights and Responsibilities: The privileges and freedoms extended to all
technology users, and the behavior expectations that come with them.
8. Digital Health and Wellness: The elements of physical and psychological well-being
related to digtial technology use.
9. Digital Security: The precautions that all technology users must take to guarantee their
personal safety and the security of their network.
By learning these nine elements, you are practicing good digtial citizenship, allowing one to identify when inappropriate digital behavior occurs.
Why is Digital Citizenship Important in School?
As years pass, technology is becoming more advanced and more infused into student's lives. Students today are consistently using technology such as cell phones, computers, tablets, and music players that continuously grant them access to the Internet anywhere in the world. Students can now update their status, send a tweet or even Google a solution or idea for an assignment with a simple click of a button. This constant access brings benefits but also new problems. In this digital age, nearly 62% of children worldwide have had a negative experience online such as cyber bullying or receiving inappropriate photos from strangers. Furthermore, students now have the ability to simply copy and paste text while not citing their sources. These are just a few examples of the problems that are emerging within schools today. It is for these reasons why we must teach students to become digital citizens. With technology growing at an exponential pace, we must teach them about online safety now. These students are the future of America and we cannot wait any longer.
Overview of Website
This Website is designed to teach the staff and students of St. Georges High Technical High School about digital citizenship. Also, this Website can be viewed and used by any teacher, adult, or student looking to understand more about this concept. This Website will offer information and resources on various topics that can be used to teach students and teachers about digital citizenship. These topics include digital access, digital communication, and digital law.
Digital Citizenship by Kevin Stark is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.