Digital Citizenship: What It Means

Digital Citizenship's 3 R's

Copyright Common Sense Media 

Digital Citizenship has meaning and purpose in the lives of anyone who participates in any social context whether something as simple as texting to a group of friends to a mom posting pictures of her daughter's recent recital.  According to Media Smarts, digital citizenship is defined as, "the ability to navigate our digital environments in a way that is safe and responsible and to actively and respectfully engage in those spaced" (Media 2022).  It involves using the internet safety and carefully creating our digital footprint while also knowing how to respect the rights of others.  

In exploring some of the resources for digital citizenship provided in this module, I found the infographic to summarize the key concepts of digital citizenship to perfectly outline what we should know as school librarians as well as guide our instruction to learners.

The infographic of being a digital citizen perfectly summarizes the key concepts to teach all learners which include being inclusive and engaging with others in a respectful manner; being informed and able to evaluate the validity of information online; being engaged and using the digital world for good; being balanced with knowing when and when not to engage in media; and being alert with creating safe spaces and being safe online.  The divide the exists between educators and students on digital citizenship is an important obstacle to navigate and find a solution for, especially in a time where digital usage is at an all time high in our educational system in all grades from kindergarten to high school.  It is interesting to note that beyond the education of internet safety and ethical and responsible usage, three new forms of digital citizenship have emerged under the concepts of digital agent, digital interactor, and digital self (ISTE 2017).  These include being careful on the creation of a digital identity as well as knowing the impact that the influence has on society.

Digital Citizenship involves the 

three R's for how to use technology:

Reasonably, Respectfully, and Responsibility  

In my K-3 school, all grades are taught to use technology reasonably.  This involves using technology for an intended purpose that is appropriate to the media form.  The first step requires a user learn how to identify the validity of the information gained.  We talk about how not everything on the internet is true.  The basic understanding of using resources that the school district gives, such as Pebble Go, are what are taught to learners.  For our third grade classes, we have a more in depth series of lessons that teach digital citizenship topic: reliable sources and giving credit to sources used in research.

The third grade lesson begins with the read aloud: But I Read it on the Internet by Toni Buzzeo.  For librarians who do not have access to the book, the book read aloud can be accessed on YouTube through several providers such as Kurtz Elementary School (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQoq1Dx3aIs).  It teaches students to highlight information that needs to be checked through another source (especially if it seems like it would not be factual).   

Using technology respectfully involves being considerate of others even in an online atmosphere.  People tend to lose a level of respectful interaction when a distance or anonymity separates them making it less personal.  Students are just as vulnerable to this.  Our students are read the book: Nerdy Birdy Tweets by Aaron Reynolds.  Elementary Booknerds has a great read aloud on YouTube that can be accessed at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32CaTEaa8Xo.

This picture book shows students how sometimes we spend too much time on electronics and we disregard relationships because of it.  It also depicts a situation involving a photo that Nerdy Birdy tweeted about his best friend, Vulture.  The tweet embarrassed Vulture and Vulture became mad and left.  Nerdy Birdy turns to his Tweet account to ask his "follower friends" but only three responded of the hundreds and all three comments were "unhelpful" and hurtful.  Nerdy Birdy realized he needed to walk away from his technology, find his real-life friend, and apologize.  

Using technology responsibly involves having safeguards and limits built in to protect the user from threats outside as well as protecting them from their own decisions in posting thoughts and revealing personal information.  Technology brings voices into the open world and creates a platform for anyone to be heard.  This is a power that can be yielded for both good and bad.  It is necessary to curate a positive digital footprint.  A great read aloud to pair with this concept is the book: Once Upon a Time Online by David Bedford.  The following link will take you to the read aloud by Book Hauls and Food: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IndMalNxLXU.  This book uses a great rhyming sequence to teach young readers about using the internet and technology responsibly by asking a grown up before going online.  

Did you know: It takes just 10 percent of the people in a community to set its values. Even a single voice can make other people less likely to conform and more likely to speak out (Media 2022).

References:

“What Is Digital Citizenship?” MediaSmarts, 8 Aug. 2022, https://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/general-information/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/what-digital-citizenship.