Digital Citizenship

"Technology opens the door to the world. It's up to us to walk through it in a meaningful and respectful way." -unknown

The rapid advancement of technology has provided us with a plethora of information and has changed the manner in which we communicate and socially interact. Children need guidance on how to navigate the internet as well as how to be safe online, participate responsibly and how to make ethical and positive decisions. "Students who are given the opportunity to interact in online environments for learning, and with the guidance of adults, become empowered as positive and productive digital citizens. "

Digital Citizenship is defined as the norms of appropriate, responsible behaviors with regard to technology use. Digital Citizenship has 4 broad facets which include Online Safety & Privacy, Digital Footprint, Responsible Use and Information Ethics.

What is a Digital Footprint?

Your digital footprint is the mark that you leave behind when using the internet and can shape your online reputation. Your digital footprints are made up of the content you create, post and share; as well as the content that others post, and share, with you and about you.

To help you manage and maintain your online reputation:

  1. Search yourself online: do you know what is online about you? Do a simple web search of your name and see what you can find. If you find something you aren’t happy with, take the necessary steps to get that content removed. Remember if your Facebook or Twitter pages appear you can change this by adjusting your privacy settings.

  2. Check privacy settings: make sure you know what information you are sharing on the websites you use, in particular on social networking sites. Most social networking sites have privacy settings to help you manage the content you share and who you share it with; you can decide if you want your posts to be shared with your online friends and followers only or with the public. Keep in mind that your friend's content and their settings can also affect your digital footprint.

  3. Think before you post: before you post that funny picture of your friend, or make that joke about someone on Twitter, ask yourself do you want everyone to see it; friends, family, grandparents, future employers? Would you be happy for others to post that type of content about you? You should be proud of everything you post online, remember once it is online it could potentially be there forever!

  4. Deactivate and delete: when you stop using a social networking profile or website, it’s a good idea to deactivate or delete your account. This will mean the content is no longer live and should not be searchable online; it will also remove the risk of these accounts being hacked without you knowing.

  5. Make a positive footprint: we hear a lot about the negative footprints left behind online. The best way to keep your online reputation in check is to use your time online to get creative and create a positive footprint. For example why not write a blog to promote all the great things you are doing, fundraise for a charity using an online sponsorship page or create a video to teach others something new.

source: www.saferinternet.org

Ethical Use

Copyright Law, Fair Use Act, and Creative Commons

Technology makes it easier to access, copy, and share information therefore, it is essential that everyone understands the use of copyrighted material (Cennamo et al., 2010). Copyright laws protect an author’s original work. The Fair Use Act permits the use of copyright material for educational and noncommercial purposes. To stay within safe parameters of the Fair Use Act, practice the “10% rule” when using others' work (as cited in Cennamo et al., 2010).

Various types of projects or "works" are shared on the Internet. These "works" (music, video, photos, etc.) are protected by Creative Commons (CC). Creative Commons allows others to build upon your work, remix or even share it, but they must acknowledge you for your original work. It is important that everyone understands these laws to ensure legal use of material in and out of the classroom.

source: educationworld.com

What is meant by Responsible Use?

Responsible use encompasses the proper use of hardware, software, network resources, and passwords. It is important that kids understand that their online actions effects them but can impact others as well.