What is Digital Citizenship?

To understand "Digital Citizenship" we have to first understand what it means to be a good citizen! According to Chad Lagana (2010), a sixth grader who won first place in the Santa Clarita Valley essay competition, "To be a good citizen anywhere you have to be a good person. That means showing respect, having a good attitude or just helping out". To be a good "Digital Citizen" we simply have to be a good citizen online! According to Terry Heick (2017) from "teachthought", it means "the self-monitored habits that sustain and improve the digital communities you enjoy or depend on". In simpler terms, it means being polite and respectful to others, showing netiquette, protecting your private information and respecting the private information of others, carefully managing your digital footprint, and standing up to cyber bullying when necessary. It also means observing copyright laws and avoiding plagiarism.

Don't forget, being a good Digital Citizen still requires you to be a "Good Citizen" here in the real world! It is extremely important to balance your digital time with your real world time! This means don't text and drive, avoid taking technology to the bathroom with you, and be conscientious of what is going on in the world around you!