Digital Citizenship and the Curriculum

This past week in class, we talked about digital citizenship. According to Digital Citizenship– “Digital citizenship is the continuously developing norms of appropriate, responsible, and empowered technology use.” This is made up of 9 elements that can be used in multiple different subject areas. The elements are listed below:

1. Digital Access
2. Digital Commerce
3. Digital Communication and Collaboration
4. Digital Etiquette
5. Digital Fluency
6. Digital Health and Welfare
7. Digital Law
8. Digital Rights and Responsibility
9. Digital Security and Privacy

Here is a fun, short video explaining it a little more:

While taking a look at the Saskatchewan Curriculum, I am able to find connections made to different subject areas that can connect to using digital citizenship in the classroom.

From the English Language Arts grade 8 curriculum:

CR8.4 View critically and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of visual and multimedia texts including videos, television broadcasts, informational presentations, dramatic presentations, websites, and news programs to locate and interpret key messages and details, to develop conclusions, opinions, and understanding, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the text.

b. Demonstrate ability to navigate and process information
when viewing websites, films, videos, and presentations.

d. Identify creative uses of language in visual and multimedia
texts including those associated with popular culture (e.g.,
animation, video, computer games).

f. Compare various styles of data displays for clarity and
effectiveness.

g. Evaluate the overall effectiveness and impact of a range
of individual visual and multimedia texts (including digital
texts).

Within English class, we can teach our students how to be respectable and responsible with technology and teach them the skills they need but with also being safe online.

From the Health Education grade 8 Curriculum:

USC 8.7 Assess the social, cultural, and environmental influences on and supports for sexual health knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, and decisions.

f. Examine how the social, cultural, and environmental
influences may determine people’s knowledge and access to
sexual health information.

In health class we can assess our students and teach them what they need to know in class instead of allowing them to do research by themselves. As educators we need to educate our students on a subject matter such as this one and be there for them with any questions or concerns that may come come up.

With integrating digital citizenship in the classroom, my hopes and goals are to teach students about the use of technology and why we should not take it for granted. Technology is a privilege to have and students should understand that concept in their everyday lives. With allowing students to do projects and their own research we need to trust that they will be using their time and online properly and for the right reasons. I will be using technology in my classroom as it is a great concept for students to learn and understand different medias and information in a unique way.