In my future classroom, I believe it is super important for students to be educated on their digital citizenship. When I first heard the term “digital citizenship” in EDTC 300, I had no idea what it meant, although after discussion I do remember learning about it minimally throughout my middle/highschool education. I think now today more than ever it is important for students to learn about it as society is being more dependent on technology for everyday life. As stated by Nathan Jurgesen, people are becoming more and more logged onto their phones that they aren’t participating in the real world. I plan to create an environment where students understand the benefits and risks of being online.
In Jason Ohler Article, he talks about how schools need to recognize how you “cannot guide students to become digital citizens unless their technologies are incorporated into their routine school lives”. As teachers we cannot expect to educate students on the pros and cons of digital citizenship if we cut out their access to digital platforms. I believe it is important to have discussions about their own responsibility with their digital footprint and not scare them by banning them on apps.
Like outlined by Matt Ripple, I will educate students on digital communication by teaching them how to communicate respectfully to each other on apps. I will teach my students about digital security and the ways they can protect themselves on technology with strong passwords.
I think the most important thing to educate students about is digital etiquette. A lot of what students are ingesting these days is harmful hate from each other as it’s a lot easier to be hateful over the internet than in person. As an educator that wants to lead my classroom in a way where everyone is valued and kind to each other I think its also important for students to recognize those values extends to online as well.