Digital Citizenship Integration Plan

Introduction

Digital citizenship refers to the responsible use of technology by anyone who uses computers, the Internet, and digital devices to interact with society at any stage. That is why digital citizenship is such a critical subject for today's students to teach. As the pace of technological progress continues to increase, the world as a whole is becoming increasingly dependent on the Internet for day-to-day activities. This can mean checking a bank account, buying a product, or just staying in contact with a friend. According to Karen Mossberger (et al) of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, digital citizenship also refers to those who use the Internet regularly and effectively. As a consequence, there is a big gap between good digital citizenship and poor digital citizenship. Good digital citizenship engages young students and teaches them how to communicate with each other, empathize with each other, and develop long-lasting relationships through digital resources. Bad digital citizenship, on the other side, includes cyberbullying, reckless usage of social media, and a general lack of awareness about how to use the Internet safely. Fortunately, almost every prerequisite to be a successful digital citizen can be learned in the classroom.

S3 Domain  Three Elements of Framework

Be Safe
  • Digital Law includes legal rights and limitations that regulate the use of technology. It requires adhering to the rules of an association you are part of, such as a community while using digital media. For primary schools, this involves how to stop and respond to cyberbullying.
  • Digital Rights and Responsibilities include the right and freedom to use all forms of digital technology in an acceptable and reasonable manner when using technology. It is important to inform students about what their rights and responsibilities are to keep their Internet usage safe and healthy.
  • Digital Security and Privacy include electronic precautions to ensure safety. Understanding and being mindful of threats and how to avoid them are valuable skills for today and in the future when using technology in school or at home.  defined as any steps taken to encourage safe Internet use for children, such as avoiding viruses, scams, and strangers. Practicing Internet safety is especially important for elementary students; they may know how to use technology but not how to protect their information.

Task

Students are expected to participate and engage in all activities and follow the instructions given by the teacher.

  • Digital law- students will create a flyer or poster to stand against bullying.
  • Digital rights and responsibilities- students will be asked to take part in the rings of responsibility.
  • Digital privacy and security- students will be taught to create strong passwords.

 

Process

Classroom Activities

Digital Law

  • Have students create a flyer/poster to stand up against cyberbullying. I will use applications like Canva or Google Drawings or unplug and create paper-based posters. This digital citizenship activity can be turned into a school-wide contest or a fundraiser.
  • The teacher and students will also create a classroom blog. This blog will describe how children in the stories, that the teacher posts on the blog, might feel when scenarios involving cyberbullying happens, and how they should respond.

Digital Rights and Responsibilities

  • At a young age, students use digital media and teachers can make a big difference by teaching them what they should or should not share about themselves online, To teach children and inform them about their rights and responsibilities I will show them a video called Rings of Responsibility. When the video is finished, I will ask them what the rings of responsibilities are. Each ring represents a person or group that you are responsible for (yourself, your community, your world). Being responsible for someone means that you must think about how your actions will impact them.
  • Self: responsibilities you have to yourself, like making sure you are safe and healthy.
  • Community: responsibilities you have to people close to you like your friends, teachers, and family.
  • World: responsibilities you have to people you do not know but who might be impacted by your actions.

Digital Security and Privacy

  • I will first let the students do an internet safety quiz to see what they know about internet safety. I will be using this fun Internet safety game to test their knowledge and correct their misconceptions.
  • Passwords keep our emails, social media, and other accounts secure.  I will explain to the students the importance of having strong passwords. Then I will teach students how to make strong passwords and avoid weak examples like “password” or “12345.” I will be sharing, with them, a few tips for making a strong password from Mental Floss. Some tips I will include:
  1. Add numbers and symbols
  2. Avoid creating short passwords (five characters or fewer)
  3. Choose a nonsense phrase instead of a real word
  4. Do not include personal information (like your last name) in your password
  5. Avoid telling anyone your passwords, except your parents and teachers