Common Sense Education

Common Sense Education offers a comprehensive, free curriculum that includes lessons, videos, and interactive activities aimed at helping students use the digital world responsibly. The topics addressed include privacy, online conduct, cyberbullying, and evaluating information available on the internet. The lessons encourage students to think about the impact of their online actions and support careful decision-making. Students acquire knowledge about making ethical and safe technology choices through engaging in discussions and activities. This curriculum aligns with ISTE Standard 1-2 by providing structured learning experiences that encourage responsible digital behavior, foster respectful communication online, and increase understanding of how digital actions affect individuals and others. Teachers can readily incorporate these resources in their classrooms to effectively promote digital citizenship in an engaging way. 

Digital Passport by Common Sense Media

Through interactive activities, the Digital Passport initiative teaches upper elementary students about internet safety, privacy, and responsible behavior. Students engage in activities that emphasize topics such as protecting personal information, understanding digital footprints, and using social media safely. The program offers prompt feedback and promotes effective decision-making on the internet.  Engaging in these activities allows learners to understand the effects of their actions in a controlled setting. The Digital Passport aligns with ISTE Standard 1-2 by fostering responsible digital behavior, encouraging ethical online practices, and teaching students how to use technology in a safe and respectful manner. It provides teachers with helpful resources to teach lessons on digital citizenship in an engaging and memorable way.  

iKeepSafe: Digital Citizenship for K–12 Students

iKeepSafe offers lessons, activities, and resources designed to teach students at all grade levels how to be responsible and safe online users. Students study topics such as privacy, cyberbullying, media literacy, and the responsible use of technology. The curriculum encourages students to think about and discuss their online activities, helping them recognize the long-term impacts of their actions in the digital world. iKeepSafe follows ISTE Standard 1-2 by promoting the responsible, ethical, and safe use of technology.  It provides teachers with resources to help students build positive digital habits. Educators can utilize these resources to create classroom environments that emphasize respect, responsibility, and accountability in online contexts. 

CyberWise: Digital Literacy and Responsibility

CyberWise provides materials for educators, learners, and families to improve digital literacy and promotes responsible online behavior. The materials include tutorials, videos, and guides aimed at helping learners evaluate online content, manage their digital presence, and comprehend the impact of their online behavior. The platform encourages students to consider their use of technology thoughtfully and emphasizes the importance of being responsible while online. This program aligns with ISTE Standard 1-2 by teaching students about how their online actions affect others, promoting safe and respectful communication, and supporting teachers in guiding students to make informed decisions in a digital setting. CyberWise helps people use technology safely and efficiently. 

GoGuardian  

The platform analyzes the content and provides educators with timely information to facilitate discussions on online safety, respectful communication, and personal responsibility. Students become more aware of their online actions, and teachers demonstrate how to use digital tools in a responsible manner. This program aligns with ISTE Standard 1-2 by educating learners about the significance of their digital footprint and providing opportunities for them to use technology safely, respectfully, and knowledgeably.    

NetSmartz

NetSmartz is a program that offers free videos, games, and lesson plans to promote online safety and responsible use of digital technology. The material is designed for students and makes complex topics—like cyberbullying, digital footprints, responsible sharing, and online respect—easy to understand. Through relatable stories and real-life examples, students learn how to make smart, responsible choices when using technology. This program also supports ISTE Standard 1–2 by guiding students to take part in positive online interactions and helping them reflect on how their decisions affect both themselves and others. Teachers can use NetSmartz resources to encourage discussions in the classroom and support safe behavior online. 

Google’s Be Internet Awesome  

Be Internet Awesome is a free initiative developed by Google that features an interactive online game named Interland and provides a detailed curriculum intended for teachers. Students gain knowledge about password safety, digital traces, recognizing false information, and participating in respectful communication online. The game's design presents the concepts of digital citizenship in an engaging and memorable way, and the teacher guides offer organized lessons for classroom use. This program aligns with ISTE Standard 1-2 by helping learners take responsibility for their digital identities and make informed and ethical choices online. Be Internet Awesome helps students learn to navigate the internet safely, confidently, and respectfully by integrating gaming with practical skills. 

BrainPOP

BrainPOP offers a collection of animated videos, interactive quizzes, and classroom activities that teach students about digital safety, online conduct, cyberbullying, and intellectual property. This program is designed for students in elementary and middle school. It makes difficult concepts easier to understand by presenting them in a straightforward and engaging way that keeps younger students interested. Teachers can use the provided activities to help students reflect on their choices, discuss the results, and practice responsible behavior online. This program aligns with ISTE Standard 1-2 by teaching students to show respect for others online, safeguard their privacy, and create a positive digital footprint. It also provides teachers with easy-to-implement tools for fostering digital responsibility. 

Reflection

Completing Part II of my Digital Portfolio has increased my understanding of digital citizenship and how I can help students become responsible users in the online environment. Before this project, I mainly thought of digital citizenship in terms of online safety. This involved teaching students how to protect their passwords, not share personal information, and stay away from harmful websites. While these aspects are important, I have found that digital citizenship encompasses a wider variety of subjects. It involves encouraging accountability, respect, ethical behavior, and critical thinking in all aspects of online communication (ISTE, 2020).

One of the most significant takeaways from this module is the idea that students need to see their digital presence as an extension of themselves. ISTE Standard 1-2 highlights the need to assist students in making informed choices, being responsible for their online behavior, and recognizing how their actions affect others (ISTE, 2020). Videos like Digital Footprint emphasized that online content can have a long-term effect, highlighting the importance of students actively creating a positive online reputation (ISTE, 2020). I would like to incorporate activities like digital footprint mapping, allowing students to visually monitor their online presence, and then have discussions about managing and improving their online reputation.

The resources I selected broadened my understanding of teaching digital citizenship. NetSmartz, provided by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (2025), and Be Internet Awesome from Google (2025) offer interactive lessons aimed at different age groups. The lessons emphasize online conduct and effective strategies to avoid cyberbullying. GoGuardian (2025) offers tools that allow for real-time monitoring of student activities, encouraging conversations about responsible usage rather than just enforcing restrictions. BrainPOP's Digital Citizenship (2025) animated videos and quizzes make complex ideas easier to understand for young students, encouraging them to think critically about their choices. These tools show that teaching digital citizenship can be engaging, useful, and focused on the students. I have observed that it is essential to connect digital citizenship to students' experiences beyond the classroom. In today's context, online interactions can influence future opportunities such as college admissions and job prospects (Google, 2025; National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2025). I intend to include practical learning experiences that allow students to apply their knowledge in real-world situations. This could include tasks like creating simulated social media accounts that demonstrate proper conduct or examining actual cases of ethical issues online.

This project has shifted my view of digital citizenship from seeing it as a set of rules to recognizing it as a skill that is cultivated throughout life. I can support students in developing skills to evaluate information critically, appreciate the contributions and perspectives of others, and manage their online presence, which will help them succeed in a connected world (ISTE, 2020). In the future, I will incorporate digital citizenship into my teaching regularly, integrating it into daily lessons instead of addressing it as a separate subject. This method teaches students how to stay safe and interact positively and ethically within their online communities. 

References

BrainPOP. (n.d.). Digital citizenship [Animated video and classroom resources]. BrainPOP. https://www.brainpop.com 

Common Sense Education. (n.d.). Digital citizenship curriculum. Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsense.org/education 

Common Sense Media. (n.d.). Digital passport [Interactive online modules]. Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-passport 

CyberWise. (n.d.). Digital literacy resources for parents and educators. CyberWise. https://www.cyberwise.org 

GoGuardian. (n.d.). Digital classroom management platform. GoGuardian. https://www.goguardian.com 

Google. (n.d.). Be internet awesome: A program to teach kids online safety [Curriculum and game]. Google. https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com 

ISTE. (2020, January 10). Digital citizen 2a: Digital footprint [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/bXnbjQy7HJY

ISTE. (2020, January 10). Digital citizen 2b: Online behavior [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/h2XH_qS2N2M

ISTE. (2020, January 10). Digital citizen 2c: Intellectual property [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/cOD-WwVZ0bE

ISTE. (2020, January 10). Digital citizen 2d: Digital privacy [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/iWEA0xvYlyE

iKeepSafe. (n.d.). Digital citizenship curriculum and resources. iKeepSafe. https://ikeepsafe.org

Things Explained. (circa 2021). Digital citizenship | Things explained [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfZN4_gP5kQ&t=1s 

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. (n.d.). NetSmartz educational resources. NetSmartz. https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz

Santee School District. (n.d.). Digital citizenship. In Parent resources. Santee School District. Retrieved August 23, 2025, from https://www.santeesd.net/resources/parent_resources/digital_citizenship

Things Explained. (circa 2021). Digital citizenship | Things explained [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfZN4_gP5kQ&t=1s