Digital Citizenship
Digital Citezenship is a way to prepare students/technology users for a society full of technology. Too often we are seeing students as well as adults misusing and abusing technology but not sure what to do. The issue is more than what the users do not know but what is considered appropriate technology usage. It is time to stop policing and start teaching good digital citizenship.
Digital citizenship can be defined as the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use.
1. Digital Etiquette: electronic standards of conduct or procedure.
Technology users often see this area as one of the most pressing problems when dealing with Digital Citizenship. It is not enough to create rules and policy, we must teach everyone to become responsible digital citizens in this new society.
2. Digital Communication: electronic exchange of information.
One of the significant changes within the digital revolution is a person’s ability to communicate with other people. Now everyone has the opportunity to communicate and collaborate with anyone from anywhere and anytime. Unfortunately, many users have not been taught how to make appropriate decisions when faced with so many different digital communication options.
3. Digital Literacy: process of teaching and learning about technology and the use of technology.
While schools have made great progress in the area of technology infusion, much remains to be done. As new technologies emerge, learners need to learn how to use that technology quickly and appropriately. Digital Citizenship involves educating people in a new way— these individuals need a high degree of information literacy skills.
4. Digital Access: full electronic participation in society.
All people should have fair access to technology no matter who they are. Places or organizations with limited connectivity need to be addressed as well. To become productive citizens, we need to be committed to equal digital access.
5. Digital Commerce: electronic buying and selling of goods.
Technology users need to understand that a large share of market economy is being done electronically. Legitimate and legal exchanges are occurring, but the buyer or seller need to be aware of the issues associated with it. Users need to learn about how to be effective consumers in a new digital economy.
6. Digital Law: electronic responsibility for actions and deeds
Digital law deals with the ethics of technology within a society. Unethical use manifests itself in form of theft and/or crime. These laws apply to anyone who works or plays online. Hacking into others information, downloading illegal music, plagiarizing, creating destructive worms, viruses or creating Trojan Horses, sending spam, or stealing anyone’s identify or property is unethical.
7. Digital Rights & Responsibilities: those freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world.
Digital citizens have the right to privacy, free speech, etc. Basic digital rights must be addressed, discussed, and understood in the digital world. With these rights also come responsibilities as well. In a digital society these two areas must work together for everyone to be productive.
8. Digital Health & Wellness: physical and psychological well-being in a digital technology world.
Eye safety, repetitive stress syndrome, and sound ergonomic practices are issues that need to be addressed in a new technological world. Beyond the physical issues are those of the psychological issues that are becoming more prevalent such as Internet addiction. Users need to be taught that there inherent dangers of technology.
9. Digital Security (self-protection): electronic precautions to guarantee safety.
In any society, there are individuals who steal, deface, or disrupt other people. The same is true for the digital community. It is not enough to trust other members in the community for our own safety. As responsible citizens, we must protect our information from outside forces that might cause disruption or harm.
Checking Your Digital Citizenship
- Scenario #1 – A student sends a harassing e-mail to another student. The receiving student retaliates with a “flaming e-mail.” Is sending harassing and flaming e-mail messages wrong?
- Scenario #2 – When hanging out with friends, one of the students gets a cell phone call and conducts a loud conversation. Is talking in a loud voice on a mobile phone in a public place right?
- Scenario #3 – A student logs on to a file sharing website and downloads the newest song. Is downloading music from a file-sharing site wrong?
- Scenario #4 – A student follows a questionable link to a website and downloads a malicious script which releases a Trojan Horse virus on to the school network. Is downloading material from unknown sites appropriate?
- Scenario #5 – An hour before class, a student remembers that a writing assignment is due. The student goes to the library, logs on to a website, and copies/pastes information without giving credit to the authors. Is using Internet materials without giving credit to the authors wrong?
- Scenario #6 – At home, a student uses a software package to copy movies and games from DVD’s for his or her friends. Is copying copyrighted materials right?
- Scenario #7 – A student logs into the schools’ course management system to download a copy of the course syllabus that they had lost. Is online learning appropriate for K-12 students?
- Scenario #8 – Two students use text messaging on their cellular phones to pass information with each other during class. Is it wrong to send text-messages during class?
- Scenario #9 – A team of students create a website for a teacher at school, but the website cannot be read by students with special needs (disabilities). Is it right to make websites that are not accessible to students with disabilities?
- Scenario #10 – A student brings a USB flash drive to school with all their assignments. The student checks with the teacher before connecting the drive to the schools’ computer. Is it appropriate for students to bring foreign materials to be connected to school property?
- Scenario #11 – During class, students uses their handheld computers to share answers to an assignment. Is it wrong to share information during class?
- Scenarios #12 – Students obtain a copy of the final exam for the teacher’s computer by "hacking" the password. Is hacking into the teacher’s computer wrong?
Directions: After reading the 9 elements to digital citizenship read the following scenarios. In groups or individually writing using Wynn or Word, students will discuss the implications of each scenario.
When you are finished try the advanced computer terms crossword
