Discuss what digital citizenship means to you and how this will be demonstrated in your classroom. Choose a division (grade level) and discuss what aspects you would include that are appropriate for this level. Would you focus more on rules and regulations or on educating the members? How do you find a balance?
- Digital Citizenship encompasses the same qualities that active and responsible citizenship does, except online with technology. It means understanding what responsible citizenry looks like, what the positive/negative implications are, and how to use it appropriately.
- As I've requested junior high, grades 7-9, that's the division I'm imagining here:
- I'd love to implement what my TA from PS1 did. Every day, students (by rotating through the class list) would update the class Facebook account and class Twitter account. They'd write about what they did that day, what they learned, and/or if there are any updates/reminders/due dates that parents and students should know about. I'd love to have a classroom where social media is embedded, student-friendly, and parent-friendly. I think that this provides students with the opportunity to understand these platforms, and provides teachable moments on how to use them.
- I also love the idea of classroom blogging. I think that each student should have their own individual blog that they can personalize, but I also think that the teacher should model this with their own blog.
- I think it'd be best to find a balance between setting rules/regulations on these platforms, but also having fun with it. By the junior high level, most students would be familiar with these platforms, so the teacher could talk about what the students may not know: extra features, privacy settings, etc.
- I'd implement the THINK motto, and have it visible in the classroom with any of the following graphics:
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Resources:
- Alberta Education - Digital Citizenship Technology Briefing
- Alberta Education - Digital Citizenship Policy Development Guide
- Alberta School Library Council - Digital Citizenship
Significant Comments:
http://gregstyles.weebly.com/blog/topic-9-web-awareness-2
http://erinhildebrandt.weebly.com/the-impact-of-the-internet-on-education---a-teachers-blog/web-awareness-ii
