Intro to Digital Citizenship - Week 1 Reflection and Resources

Terry Heck defines digital citizenship as “the self-monitored habits that sustain and improve the digital communities you enjoy or depend on” (2018). Mike Ribble defines digital citizenship as “the continuously developing norms of appropriate, responsible, and empowered technology use” (2017). And, for this course, lecture defines digital citizenship as “the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use” (Meeuwse, 2021). In reflecting on all of these definitions, I have determined my own definition of digital citizenship is as follows: Digital citizenship is responsible, equitable, and appropriate interaction with the digital world and its people. 

Digital citizenship is a broad and, in my opinion, undervalued in my district. To open up the conversation and help my colleagues see the importance and value would be difficult, but it is necessity and a conversation I hope to lead in my organization very soon. 

If I were to explain what digital citizenship is to my colleagues, I would start by referring them to Domain 3 of the ISTE Standards for Educators. Domain 3 outlines the teacher as a citizen and their responsibility to “inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world” (2021). 

Another resource I would refer my colleagues to would be Common Sense Media, a platform that has free digital citizenship curriculum for students K-12 grade. Our district also has access to these lesson through Nearpod, a service that we already subscribe to that has a plethora of resources for digital citizenship. 

The Texas Computer Education Association also has a great archive of resources for digital citizenship including lesson ideas, strategies, and other blog posts with help for teachers understanding digital citizenship. One blog post says this about digital citizenship, “It’s all about staying safe while staying connected and understanding the realities of the digital world that we spend so much of our time in. Being aware of one’s actions online is a lot like our behavior in face-to-face society. That is, a good citizen should also be a good digital citizen.

And finally, the last of the five resources I would refer my colleagues to in an effort to help them understand the value and importance of digital citizenship would be Youtube, where educators can find an unlimited amount of resources to help them understand digital citizenship and teach the elements of digital citizenship to their students. 

Digital citizenship is no longer negotiable. It is essential for teachers to intentionally integrate varied digital learning experience that give students the ability to develop their digital citizenship skills. It is vital that they understand the fact that digital citizenship is citizenship now go hand in hand. If we, as educators, are to teach students how to be good citizens of the world, we cannot forget to incorporate the digital component of that responsibility to help them transfer that understanding into responsible use online. (Roush, 2020)

Resources:

ISTE Standards for Educators | ISTE. (2021). Retrieved June 7, 2021, from Iste.org website: https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators

Meeuwse, T. (2021). Week 1 Lecture EDLD 5316. [Microsoft Word Document]. Retrieved from https://luonline.blackboard.com/ 

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students should know (3rd ed.). Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education

Roush, A. (2020, October 19). It’s Digital Citizenship Week. Retrieved June 7, 2021, from TechNotes Blog website: https://blog.tcea.org/digital-citizenship-week-2020/