What Is Digital Citizenship
The greatest software invented for human safety is the human brain. It's time that we start using those brains. We must mix head knowledge with action. In my classroom, I use two essential approaches in the digital citizenship curriculum that I teach: proactive knowledge and experiential knowledge. Proactive Knowledge
I want my students to know the "9 Key Ps" of digital citizenship. I teach them about these aspects and how to use them. While I go into these Ps in detail in my book Reinventing Writing, here are the basics:
Do students know how to protect their private information like address, email, and phone number? Private information can be used to identify you. (I recommend the Common Sense Media Curriculum on this.)
3. Personal Information
While this information (like the number of brothers and sisters you have or your favorite food) can't be used to identify you, you need to choose who you will share it with.
Are students aware that some private things may show up in photographs (license plates or street signs), and that they may not want to post those pictures? Do they know how to turn off a geotagging feature? Do they know that some facial recognition software can find them by inserting their latitude and longitude in the picture -- even if they aren't tagged? (See the Location-Based Safety Guide)
Do students understand copyright, Creative Commons, and how to generate a license for their own work? Do they respect property rights of those who create intellectual property? Some students will search Google Images and copy anything they see, assuming they have the rights. Sometimes they'll even cite "Google Images" as the source. We have to teach them that Google Images compiles content from a variety of sources. Students have to go to the source, see if they have permission to use the graphic, and then cite that source.
Do students know how to get permission for work they use, and do they know how to cite it?
Do students understand what viruses, malware, phishing, ransomware, and identity theft are, and how these things work? (See Experiential Knowledge below for tips on this one.)
Do students understand the professionalism of academics versus decisions about how they will interact in their social lives? Do they know about netiquette and online grammar? Are they globally competent? Can they understand cultural taboos and recognize cultural disconnects when they happen, and do they have skills for working out problems?
9. Personal Brand
Have students decided about their voice and how they want to be perceived online? Do they realize they have a "digital tattoo" that is almost impossible to erase? Are they intentional about what they share?
During the year, I'll touch on each of these 9 Key Ps with lessons and class discussions, but just talking is not enough. Students need experience to become effective digital citizens. Here's how I give them that:
Truth or Fiction
To protect us from disease, we are inoculated with dead viruses and germs. To protect students from viruses and scams, I do the same thing. Using current scams and cons from Snopes, Truth or Fiction, the Threat Encyclopedia, or the Federal Trade Commission website, I'm always looking for things that sound crazy but are true, or sound true but are false or a scam. I'll give them to students as they enter class and ask them to be detectives. This opens up conversations of all kinds of scams and tips.
Turn Students into Teachers
Students will create tutorials or presentations exposing common scams and how to protect yourself. By dissecting cons and scams, students become more vigilant themselves. I encourage them to share how a person could detect that something was a scam or con.
Collaborative Learning Communities
For the most powerful learning experiences, students should participate in collaborative learning (like the experiences shared in Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds). My students will collaborate with others on projects like Gamifi-ed or the AIC Conflict Simulation (both mentioned in a recent post on game-based learning).
Students need experience sharing and connecting online with others in a variety of environments. We have a classroom Ning where students blog together, and public blogs and a wiki for sharing our work with the world. You can talk about other countries, but when students connect, that is when they learn. You can talk about how students need to type in proper case and not use IM speak, but when their collaborative partner from Germany says they are struggling to understand what's being typed in your classroom, then your students understand.
Digital Citizenship or Just Citizens?
There are those like expert Anne Collier who think we should drop the word "digital" because we're really just teaching citizenship. These are the skills and knowledge that students need to navigate the world today.
We must teach these skills and guide students to experience situations where they apply knowledge. Citizenship is what we do to fulfill our role as a citizen. That role starts as soon as we click on the internet.
The safest and easiest way for educators to connect and collaborate with students, parents, and each other.
Scope & Sequence: Common Sense K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum
comprehensive Curriculum is designed to empower students to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly in our digital world. From lesson plans, videos, student interactives, and assessments, to professional learning and family outreach materials, our turnkey Curriculum provides schools with everything they need to take a whole-community approach to digital citizenship.
The curriculum is designed to be interactive, discussion filled and allow students to learn through hands-on and scenario activities. Each workshop contains a resource booklet for both educators and students that can be downloaded in PDF form, presentations to accompany the lesson and animated videos to help frame the conversation.LESSON PLANS INCLUDED
GET wise ABOUT ONLINE SAFETY
Cyberbullying, the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person, can be an unfortunate byproduct of digital communications. Although it’s usually easy to spot — a text message or social network post appears threatening or cruel, for example — sometimes it can also be less obvious. A bully might impersonate a victim online, for example, even opening a fake account for the purpose of posting hurtful or embarrassing information about another.
The Digizen website provides information for educators, parents, carers, and young people. It is used to strengthen their awareness and understanding of what digital citizenship is and encourages users of technology to be and become responsible DIGItal citiZENS. It shares specific advice and resources on issues such as social networking and cyberbullying and how these relate to and affect their own and other people's online experiences and behaviours.
Video Playlist: Digital Citizens
New Guide from National School Boards Association Helps School Boards Navigate Student Data Privacy Concerns in the Cloud Computing Era - See more at: http://www.nsba.org/newsroom/press-releases/new-guide-national-school-boards-association-helps-school-boards-navigate#sthash.AiYpghC3.dpuf
9 resources for teaching digital citizenship
Digital Citizenship: Resource Roundup
Resources by Topic:
Digital Literacy Resources
Use the taxonomy on the left to search the repository of resources by topic, skill, format, and skill levle
Level 1: RCSD Digital Citizenship Lesson
Level II: RCSD Digital Citizenship Lessons
A Directory of Lesson Plan Web Sites for Computer and Internet Use Instruction
Teaching Digital Citizenship To Elementary School Students
Resources for Teaching Digital Literacy Search Tools
15 Top Resources On Digital Citizenship for 2014
Super Digital Citizen (3-5)upper Digital Citizen (3-5) Lesson Plans
How can people help others be good digital citizens
Summary Description : Providing students with a direction-in their use of technology.
Digital literacy resources
9 Netiquette Guidelines Online Students Need to Know
Want to know how to use the Web safely 6 Savvy Digital Literacy Skills to Use in Your Job Search
Social Media Do's & Don'ts: 10 Tips for Keeping Your Profiles Professional
Digital Citizenship : A Project-Based Activity
Fifth Grade Lesson Materials
Digital Citizenship Resources
Digital Citizenship for elementary students slide show
Elementary / Middle School Computer Assisted Educational Resources
Atlanta, GA., New Orleans, LA., Detroit. MI., Jackson, MS., Dallas, TX., New York, NY, Orlando, FL.
Richard Mentor / Founder / Computer Instructional Curriculum Development - Design
Digital Citizenship Worksheets
Students will also explore what it means to be responsible and respectful to their offline and online communities as a step toward learning how to be good digital citizens.
Digital Citizenship Lessons Grades K-5
Lesson 1 - Introduction to Digital Citizenship
Citizenship in a Digital World Lesson Guide and Lesson Plans
Tons of online resources
K-12 Digital Literacy and Citizenship Curriculum
Video- -Elementary School Curriculum Training / Digital Citizenship
Video--Middle School Curriculum Training / Digital Citizenship
Video--High School Curriculum Training / Digital Citizenship
Scope & Sequence: Common Sense K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum
UNIT ASSESSMENTS Online
Videos on all digital citizenship learning standards
Professional Learning Communities
Have questions about how to implement digital citizenship in your classroom? Or looking for advice on teaching with technology? Connect with other educators and participate in lively discussions in one of our PLCs. Join the community that's right for you -- or, better yet, participate in them all! Bonus: The edWeb communities offer free monthly webinars.
Are you a responsible citizen?
DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP GAMES
Anne Bubnic's List: Digital Citizenship/Games and Activities
5 Ways You Should Integrate Digital Citizenship Into Your Classes
Here are a few ways we all can bring digital citizenship to our classrooms seamlessly.
Resources by Topic:Digital Citizenship Resources
Online Etiquette lesson Plan Digital Lesson Plans For Elementary School
Curriculum, Instructional Videos, Interactives, and Assessments
An Introduction to Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship Worksheets
Our free comprehensive Curriculum is designed to empower students to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly in our digital world. From lesson plans, videos, student interactives, and assessments, to professional learning and family outreach materials, our turnkey Curriculum provides schools with everything they need to take a whole-community approach to digital citizenship. Ready to introduce our curriculum to parents? This customizable introduction letter (en español) can help to inform parents more about our Digital Citizenship Program