We are officially in the middle of the digital age and as we prepare to begin down the road of teaching this is an issue that we will have to deal with immediately. We have talked about different ways to use social media in the classroom and how the internet can benefit a teacher and the students. It is no secret that most kids today are savy when it comes to dealing with all the new technology as they play video games, listen to ipods, surf the internet, etc. but most of them are not taught digital ethics. It is important that the students learn to become good digital citizens know about intellctual property, privacy, and security issues.
Digital citizenship is something that I think is important in all schools. As we move forward in the digital age I think it is a good idea to teach students about the risks of technology as well as etiquette and what is considered right and wrong. If we just let students surf the web, without being told what is considered appropriate it is like handing a child keys to a car without ever teaching them road laws or how to drive. There are many instances in which a student may use technology inappropriately in school and there is a responsbility on educators to explain what is considered to be proper behaviour.
Some examples of being poor digital citizen include:
- e bullying
- copy and pasting info from the net
- friends exchanging passwords
- stealing tests from a teachers computer
- texting or talking on the phone in class
These are just a few of a long list of examples where students may cross some lines in the digital world. Digital citizenship is defined as appropriate responsble behaviour with regards to technology use. I truly believe that as the technological world continues to evolve along with the education system it will not be long before there are outcomes created based on being a good digital citizen because of the amount students will be using technology in the classroom. This is an issue that we should just be aware of as we enter the profession.
Wellll....be seein yas!
Digital citizenship is something that parents and teachers will have to start teaching. With more and more students sharing and being online, it's important to discuss how to behave properly online and when it's appropriate to use your cell phone, etc. Some good points Jay Sun D
ReplyDeleteWell placed Jay. This is the one major cure to all the hangups we or administrators have in opening up the internet in schools. If we teach students at a young age to be responsible and to maintain good digital citizenship things will go a lot more smoothly. Obviously, students won't know what 'digital citizenship' means without us breaking it down, but you have a good start there on your post. This is a new realm for students, and therefore this is a new realm for teachers and parents to have to address. Students often don't understand the repercussions of their actions so we have to make sure they are aware that their actions are not without consequence. My belief is that positive digital citizenship is the magic bullet that will bring down the firewalls in schools.
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