Colleges are incorporating digital citizenship in their curricula as higher education accelerates the adoption of new technologies and strategies in the new blended learning world.
Technology is changing higher education and the way students come to classrooms. The tools that faculty and students use make tasks such as creating or sharing documents, presentations, or video more streamlined.
While this brings new opportunities, there can occur issues that are linked to not fully understand the tools at hand. Often, knowledge and rules to use such tools are not fully established or known by those who use them.
It is important that educators understand and begin to make alterations to how technology is viewed and integrated into the classroom. Understanding digital citizenship and digital literacy is an integral part of today’s blended education.
Digital citizenship is the continuously developing norms of appropriate, responsible, and empowered technology use. Digital citizenship includes not only learning digital skills but also becoming digital literate as well as navigating the digital world as an extension of the real world.
Due to lockdowns, college students around the globe have been attending a great number of online classes in virtual environments. Virtual conference-like settings have taken over the usual classroom and the teachers’ room alike. What is the best way of navigating and interacting with others within these online settings?
Today’s graduates are required to be good digital citizens as much as they need to be prepared to face the current and future labor market. Universities are asking academics to prepare the workforce of the future to be both ready to be an integral part of the work life ahead as well as graduating as good or better digital citizens.
Being a good digital citizen or having digital literacy is not about being able to use Instagram and the Internet all day long. Digital citizenship is the ability to engage with the Internet and technology in a safe and meaningful way.
Digital literacy involves applying critical thinking when being and acting online. It means not to trust everything one sees or reads on social media. A good digital citizen acts responsibly in how they communicate and behave online.
Ideally, good digital citizens conduct themselves in the virtual world with the same correctness and respect for others as if they were in the real world. The virtual world is just an extension of the real world, thus social behavior must remain the same.
Good digital citizens avoid harassment and hateful speech while interacting with their peers online. A good digital citizen respects digital property.
The book Digital Citizenship: The Internet, Society, and Participation, written by researchers Karen Mossberger, Caroline J. Tolbert, and Ramona S. McNeal, argues about the benefits of society online as an economic opportunity and as a tool for civil engagement.
In the same way there is a difference between knowing and understanding, there is a difference between having digital skills and being digital literate. Digital literacy implies having a range of skills, abilities, and behaviors which show both knowledge and understanding of how things work in the digital world.
Some students will argue they are digital literate or digital citizens because they know the ins and out of Instagram and can create an email account. However, for someone to be considered a digital literate they must --at the very least-- be able to recognize spam, know the harm phishing emails pose, and know how to prevent a phishing attack.
The nine elements of digital citizenship include:
- Digital Access: The equitable distribution of technology and online resources. Teachers and administrators need to be aware of their community and who may or may not have access, not only in school but also at home. Educators need to provide options for lessons and data collection such as free access in the community, or provide resources for the home.
- Digital Commerce: The electronic buying and selling of goods. It focuses on the tools and safeguards in place to assist those buying, selling, banking, or using money in any way in the digital space. Career and technical education use the tools of technology to show students the path for their future.
- Digital Communication and Collaboration: The electronic exchange of information. Users need to define how they will share their thoughts so that others understand the message. For students struggling to understand their place in the world, technology can help them find their own voices and express themselves.
- Digital Etiquette: The electronic standards of conduct or procedures. It has to do with the process of thinking about others when using digital devices. Teachers can include Digital Etiquette as part of the classroom rules, or academic goals. Whether in the classroom or online, being aware of others is an important idea for everyone.
- Digital Fluency: The process of understanding technology and its use. The better educated or digitally fluent students are, the more likely they are to make good decisions online, such as supporting others instead of making negative comments. Digital literacy includes the discussion of media literacy and the ability to discern good information from the bad, such as fake news from real news.
- Digital Health and Welfare: The physical and psychological well-being in a digital world. Technology provides many opportunities and enjoyment; knowing how to segment use with the needs of ourselves and others is key to a healthy, balanced life.
- Digital Law: The electronic responsibility for actions and deeds. It has to do with the creation of rules and policy that address issues related to the online world. Just as in the real world, the online world needs structure to protect those using digital devices from harm. Support for issues such as cyberbullying and sexting needs to be available. Administrators need to come up with positive approaches to these issues.
- Digital Rights and Responsibility: The requirements and freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world. This area of Digital Citizenship is about helping students understand that when they are provided opportunities, such as the access to the Internet and use of online products, they need to be diligent in helping others as well, such as informing of potential problems. Educators must help students understand that protecting others both online and in the real world are essential skills to have.
- Digital Security and Privacy: The electronic precautions to guarantee safety. Viruses, worms, and other bots can be passed along from one system to another just like an illness. When using devices it is essential to understand and be aware of attacks and how to prevent them.
In this digital era, it is paramount to educate digital citizens by implementing these elements into the virtual classroom.