TECHNOLOGY

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

Digital citizenship is defined as the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use. Google has a site dedicated to internet safety and digital citizenship for kids. Just visit the link below to check it out.

Be Internet Awesome

The following video from TeachInCtrl.org explores how students can practice good digital citizenship.

How to Protect Yourself Online 

  • Never share your password

  • Create a strong password with numbers, letters and special characters (!@#$%^*())

  • Change your password every six months, and never use the same password for more than one site

  • Make sure your Antivirus is up to date 

 Standing Up to Cyberbullying

This video from the Federal Trade Commission, shows students how they can stop cyberbullying by standing up for themselves and others.

The Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship

According to digitalcitizenship.net, the nine elements (or themes) of digital citizenship are:

  1. Digital access. This is perhaps one of the most fundamental blocks to being a digital citizen. However, due to socioeconomic status, location, and other disabilities- some individuals may not have digital access. Recently, schools have been becoming more connected with the internet, often offering computers, and other forms of access. This can be offered through kiosks, community centers, and open labs. This most often is associated with the digital divide and factors associated with such. 

  2. Digital commerce. This is the ability for users to recognize that much of the economy is regulated online. It also deals with the understanding of the dangers and benefits of online buying, using credit cards online, and so forth. As with the advantages and legal activities- there is also dangerous activities such as illegal downloads, gambling, drug deals, pornography, plagiarism, and so forth.

  3. Digital communication. This element deals with understanding the variety of online communication mediums such as email, instant messaging, Facebook messenger, the variety of apps, and so forth. There is a standard of etiquette associated with each medium.

  4. Digital literacy. This deals with the understanding of how to use various digital devices. For example, how to properly search for something on a search engine versus a database. How to use various online logs. Oftentimes many educational institutions will help form an individual’s digital literacy.

  5. Digital etiquette. As discussed in the third element, digital communication, this is the expectation that various mediums require a variety of etiquette. Certain mediums demand more appropriate behavior and language than others.

  6. Digital law. This is where enforcement occurs for illegal downloads, plagiarizing, hacking, creating viruses, sending spams, identity theft, cyberbullying, and so forth.

  7. Digital rights and responsibilities. This is the set of rights digital citizens have such as privacy, speech, and so forth.

  8. Digital health. Digital citizens must be aware of the physical stress placed on their bodies by internet usage. They must be aware to not become overly dependent on the internet causing eye strain, headaches, stress problems, and so on.

  9. Digital security. This simply means that citizens must take measures to be safe by practicing using difficult passwords, virus protection, backing up data, and so forth.