For me as a parent, Ribble’s 9 elements make sense; it helps a lot for my kids because they may be aware of what to do and not to do when it comes to using digital technology in social media. They may think first about what they should post on their Facebook or other social media apps if it is appropriate or not. For school purposes, they should know how to evaluate and choose the right digital references and studies. And it helps to secure their networked devices by using strong passwords to avoid being hacked.

As a teacher, I am aware that my other students have Facebook, Gmail, and TikTok accounts. I always remind them that they have to be careful with what they share or post. Especially if they have a problem or conflict with their classmates, they should not post it on social media because this will lead to cyberbullying. Also, when it comes to self-learning, they have to be aware that not all digital literacy is valid for learning. I tell them that they have to evaluate first if the digital literacy that they chose is appropriate or not.

We, as teachers, are also dependent on digital technology, which we also apply to teaching students and assessing and evaluating their learning. But still, how aware are we when it comes to disseminating the assessment or evaluation online to the students, especially in research, essays, etc. that they need to answer at home sometimes? Aren’t they cheating using AI or copying and pasting from the digital references of other’s work? Also, how do they communicate with us using chats and email? How do they behave on social media?  How long do they use their devices that may affect their health?

Well, it is better for us to remind them that, as digital citizens, according to Mike Ribble, “there is law in proper image use, proper citations, plagiarism, and respecting the intellectual property of others. And we must ensure that our students can access digital technologies. For example,  some students can give them or lend them a device that they do not use anymore and can also access Wi-Fi or a hotspot. And also, students must learn digital etiquette by following the rules and expectations of websites they visit.” This shows Respect for self and others. Next, we must remind them to “learn to select the best digital tool for the job and to use that tool efficiently. And in communication, they should be reminded to learn to organize their thoughts so they can be understood by others. When they communicate, it must be different from friends to professional ones, and they must use the right word. And we should also guide them on how to use e-commerce sites safely to ensure the sites are legitimate and protect personal and financial information.” this shows Educating self and others. And lastly, “we must educate them to practice the need for strong passwords and keep their passwords confidential to avoid the spread of viruses and other malicious software. And remind them to avoid cyberbullying by posting unnecessary content about other people. And even with the guidance of parents, when at home, they have to limit their children’s use of devices that leads them to addictions; they have to balance their time spent using devices with other physical activities.” That shows Protecting self and others.

If we adapt these elements of Mike Ribble in our teaching and at home, our students will be more knowledgeable about protecting themselves and others, especially the community, as digitalized citizens. And violations and damages from using technologies will be less.