The Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship

           The nine elements of digital citizenship forms the baseline for helping us be successful in today's digital society.  Dr. Mike Ribble’s nine elements are: Digital Access, Digital Commerce, Digital Communication, Digital Literacy, Digital Etiquette, Digital Law, Digital Rights and Responsibilities, Digital Health and Wellness, and Digital Security. 

            Educators, administrators, and technology leaders need to work as a team with their school district to create and design the framework for instructing digital citizenship in their schools.  When creating this framework the nine elements from Dr. Mike Ribble need to be embedded in policies, plans and instruction.

            There needs to be an understanding of who has access to technology devices in their homes. Do students have access to a public library to use the computer? Understanding what access students have can help the teacher create appropriate accommodations in school. Registration and any other school forms should be accessible two different ways; paper based and online through the school website.

            Students should be informed how to research and find secure and reputable websites before purchasing or giving out private information online. There should be many different learning opportunities for students; face to face or through a distance education course. This goes along with the saying “college is not always for everyone”.  I think as a society we should also include with this statement, “the regular school framework is not for everyone”.  Every child learns differently. School districts need to have many different learning environments in place for students to be successful. 

            Students need to be informed when it is appropriate to use their technology device. Educators and administrators have banned the use of phones in their schools and classrooms. This sends a mixed message to students. If students can use their phone outside of school, they are confused as to why they can’t use it at school.

            Instead of banning phones, I think educators should implement the device into their instruction and teach students about digital citizenship when using their phone. Students can learn how to use their phone appropriately in class through education social media sites and etiquette; voice, conversation and appropriate words when communicating to another student.  Students who have this opportunity in school may will use their phones more appropriately in other environments outside of school. This will also give students the understanding of how to be a digital citizen. With this understanding, students will be able to create guidelines for the policy at their school. If students are given a chance to help create the policy, they will follow their guidelines rather than someone else's.

            When I was in school technology was starting to evolve.  I had to teach myself how to be a digital citizen, and continue to do so today. As an educator it is important to me that I teach my students how to be a digital citizen. 

            I was never taught or told about websites that provide access to music that can be illegally downloaded. It wasn’t until college that I learned about limewire.com This is a website that can search for any song and download it instantly without any cost. A lot of my friends were doing this and didn’t see any harm in it. I researched information about this website, because something didn’t seem right. What I found was not very much information on how illegal this website was.

           If you were to Google Limewire today, you would find a posting that explains how the company has a “court order from October 6, 2010 and that anyone who has this software should remove it from their computers immediately and this is illegally downloading music.” A lot of students at the university I went to had their computers confiscated because they were using this program. Some students were even expelled. As an educator having this experience it drives me to teach my students about etiquette use when in a digital community.

            I don’t want my students to end up with consequences because they didn’t have the baseline of knowledge on how to be a digital citizen. It is important for educators to receive professional development on technology devices and programs that will be used in our classroom. When educators know how to use the technology and understand the risks that face our students we can create lessons and educate our students to be a successful digital citizen.

            For future study I plan on taking as many professional development classes on new technology devices and programs that will be used in the classroom. I will model how to be a good digital citizen to my students and colleagues. 

Digital Footprints

            What is a digital footprint, and how can we help students cultivate a digital footprint that is both safe and helpful?  

            Digital footprints consist of items posted online. These items could include images that were shared on a social media website, information that was uploaded and commented on, YouTube videos or schoolwork from educational portfolio’s and many other things.

            A digital footprint is best visualized by viewing footprints in the sand or on snow while hiking. The person is not seen, but we know there has been someone on the same path due to the footprint that was left behind. 

            This is the same idea for a digital footprint with the following important difference- you know who made the footprints, or who the footprints refer to.  Photos, documents, and information that have been uploaded or shared by someone else online can be visible to anyone. The person is not seen online, but their history of usage is.

            A digital footprint can be seen as negative and positive. Students need to remember what we post online can be viewed by anyone. Student resumes are becoming only “a Google search.”  Employers are using Google and social media websites to screen their employees.  As a college athlete, our assistant coach would search our names on Facebook during the day. If something was posted inappropriately or didn’t represent the school in a positive way, a meeting would be held and further consequences would be in order. It was amazing how many athletes were in trouble from posting a picture or writing a negative comment about their coach on a social media website.

            A YouTube video "Digital Dossier" explains how "Andy's" digital footprint is formed. The video shows how the trail of data can begin before someone's birth from an ultrasound picture and follow from someone's death from an online obituary. Buying items online, completing a survey or writing an email are all components of a digital footprint. The important point here is that students need to understand how pervasive a digital footprint can be and that it consists not just of what they post, but also what others post and collect about them. What is our role as teachers in helping students navigate this territory? We need to help students become aware of a digital footprint and help them create one that will help them be successful in life. We should provide opportunities for them to upload their best work into an ePortfolio, YouTube video or other online venue. They can maintain an educational blog and share employment history with future employees through a site called “Linkedin.”  

            Above all, students need to do their best to make sure that their digital footprints are positive. The only time it can be negative, is if we do not screen what is shared or uploaded online. The next time you are online, ask yourself, “What information will be visible when someone Googles my name?"

           It is important to think before we speak and before we post online. Students should ask themselves two questions before hitting the send or upload icon. Would family members be ashamed from this?  What will my future employers think?

            Even then, other can post negative things about them that they have no control over. We need to help them learn how to address these situations, as well as how to create a deliberate, positive online presence. I plan on sharing this information with my colleagues and students. It would be interesting and fun to see how much information could be found from “Googling” each other’s names during a staff meeting.  I would also have my students Google their name, see what information is available online and have them write how they plan on keeping a positive digital footprint.

            

Mission Statements

           What is a mission statement? A mission statement typically contains similar aspirations, such as a desire for students to be safe, respectful, responsible and successful. The length of a mission statement varies. It can either be long or short. Whatever the mission statement is, it needs to be clear, concise, to the point, and regarding a local, global and digital community.

            Students need to understand what their school mission statement is. As an educator when I was asked to find my school’s mission statement so that I could modify it, this turned out to be a difficult task. My school didn’t have a mission statement. The district’s mission statement was one sentence long and very open ended. It didn’t mention anything about cyberspace and how to be a digital citizen.

            It’s important when creating mission statements to keep in mind the digital lifestyle our students have. If a mission statement is created and doesn’t include how to be a safe, respectful contributing member to a local, global and digital community, then the mission is incomplete. 

            Mission statements are informative and help guide students. A mission statement doesn’t have to be written solely in typical prose. Another approach is to construct a mantra or motto, which is typically no longer than a sentence. While conversing with my peers this week, I read a mission statement that stuck with me. It explained how to be a contributing member in a digital community and remind students about the National Educational Technology Standards. This mantra was written by, Alison Gryga:

“Nice

Ethical

Technology

Safety”
We want our students to be safe, respectful and a contributing member. With an understanding of what this means, our students will be a digital citizen.

            I plan on showing this mantra to my colleagues. I think it’s important for all educators to explain to their students how to be a digital citizen.  I will also have my students create a mantra of their own on how to be a contributing member in a local, global and digital community. When students create their own they will understand and follow the guidelines more than if someone else required them to.