What do you know about Digital Citizen?
Digital citizenship refers to the responsible use of technology by everyone who interacts with society on any level using computers, the Internet, or digital gadgets.
Who are digital citizens?
Person who interact and participate in society and politics by using digital technology and the internet in acceptable and responsible ways.
Anyone who makes use of modern digital technology is effectively a digital citizen. A good digital citizen, on the other hand, is someone who is aware of the myriad challenges that come with technology's amazing benefits. This is why teaching digital citizenship in schools and other educational institutions is so important.
Why is digital citizenship important?
When we realize that virtually everyone who has access to the internet is a digital citizen, the concept of digital citizenship becomes an important component of our life. Knowing how to stay safe, respect others, and participate meaningfully in our digital culture becomes a must for everyone, regardless of age.
Because we are a global community
According to the most recent figures, over 4.66 billion people utilize the internet, accounting for roughly 65.6 percent of the global population. As a result, there is a global community of people who are all trying to figure out how to navigate the digital world. We can communicate with people we may never meet, share content and stories with a large audience, and access information, news, and media on demand because to this extraordinary level of connectivity. However, with this access comes the possibility of danger.
Because there are risks that come with digital technology
The risks posed by technology are vast and diverse. The internet may be a hazardous place, whether it's because of cyber security threats to our personal data, wealth, and identity, or because of the spread of misinformation or unlawful goods.
There are nine elements of digital citizenship
1. Digital access
Although we live in a digital era, not everyone has access to technology. As teachers, we should be aware of this digital divide. Not all students can afford a computer, a smartphone and Internet access. That’s why educators need to provide suitable alternatives for each student's needs.
2. Digital communication
Online communication has become so common that students forget they are doing so in a virtual space, where miscommunication happens often. The Internet has given a voice to anyone who needs it. In turn, this requires empathy and appropriate reactions from its users.
3. Digital Commerce
Digital commerce highlights the necessity to tackle safety issues related to using money in the digital world. Technology is also used in the classroom to teach students about the various career paths that they could choose in the future. Understanding how e-commerce works is a must, both as consumers and as potential entrepreneur.
4. Digital literacy
Digital literacy also includes the ability to differentiate between real and fake content, which can have a negative impact on the lives of your students. They need to learn which content is good for them and what they should avoid in order to lead a balanced life.
5. Digital etiquette
We should teach students to become “digitally fluent”. Digital etiquette shapes their online behavior to respond positively to online content. In this way, their online attitude is reflected in the real world and vice versa.
6. Digital law
The online environment has room for both positive and negative interactions. Digital law deals with legal rights and restrictions governing technology usage. To prevent any kind of online crime, no matter how serious, students as digital citizens need to know the law and how it applies to them in particular.
7. Digital Rights and Responsibility
The online world has its regulations and a user has rights and responsibilities. The Internet can also be used for harmful purposes and anyone needs protection against cyber bullying, for instance. Schools should approach this subject in classrooms, hold students accountable for their actions and also report any misconduct in the virtual environment.
8. Digital Health and Wellness
Students should be taught to protect themselves and others from potential harm and ask for help if they need it. Making use of online resources is a plus, but everyone should be aware of the dangers as well.
9. Digital Security
Security in the online world is important. When using devices at school or at home, students should be aware of potential malware attacks. Teachers should explain how to prevent them from happening and how to protect their devices as much as possible.
As the rate of technological advancement continues to increase, the world as a whole is becoming more dependent on the Internet for day-to-day activities.
That can mean checking a bank account, purchasing a product, or simply keeping in touch with a friend.
As a result, there’s a major difference between good digital citizenship and bad digital citizenship.
Good digital citizenship engages young students and shows them how to connect with one another, empathize with each other, and create lasting relationships through digital tools.
Bad digital citizenship, on the other hand, entails cyber bullying, irresponsible social media usage, and a general lack of knowledge about how to safely use the Internet.
what's the role of teacher in digital citizenship?
As a digital citizen in country and more over as an educator we can teach digital citizenship to our students by focusing on these three key concepts:
- Empathy
- Practicing digital literacy
- Practicing digital wellness
1. Empathy
Teaching empathy is an excellent place to start when teaching students how to be good digital citizens.This is because empathy is essential for comprehending how people communicate and act online.Because the Internet is mostly used for text-based communication, it's impossible to hear someone's vocal tone, observe their facial expressions, or grasp other nonverbal indications that you would get while chatting face-to-face. As a result, it's all too simple for Internet users to pass snap judgements on someone's online statements. That means that Internet users (including your pupils) can trade rapid verbal or text-based blows intended to damage someone's feelings instead of having a normal discourse over the phone or in person. In the worst-case scenarios, this type of behavior can descend into cyber bullying, which has been identified as a particularly serious issue among younger Internet users.This is why empathic teaching has the ability to make a huge difference in the lives of your pupils.
2. Digital Literacy
Digital literacy also includes the ability to differentiate between real and fake content,
which can have a negative impact on the lives of your students. They
need to learn which content is good for them and what they should avoid
in order to lead a balanced life.
Fake news
refers to any news organization that publishes highly skewed or purposefully incorrect material.Fake news is most commonly employed with click bait titles to entice readers and influence their opinions with ineffectual claims or outright lies. It's also an important component of any information literacy program.In other words, if kids read something that appears to be heavily biased toward one perspective over another, it's fake news.Any piece written by admittedly biased entertainment sources, tabloids, gossip blogs, rumor mills, or social media posts is subject to the same scrutiny. As a general guideline, if your pupils see an unpleasant photograph of someone with text pasted across the top and/or bottom, it's probably fake news and should be ignored.
3. Digital wellness
These technologies may, for example, include "do not disturb" features that block out focused work hours and silence smartphone notifications, or warn users when their daily screen usage exceeds healthy boundaries. Other digital wellness solutions are geared toward enhancing the employee experience within a digital office. Automation and micro apps are among the digital wellness technologies that remove distractions.
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