Digital Citizenship Focus Questions for Implementation
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Feature Digital Citizenship Focus Questions for Implementation By Mike S. Ribble and Gerald D. Bailey Subject: Appropriate technology use Grades: K–12 (Ages 5–18) Standards: NETS•S 2; NETS•T VI; NETS•A VI (http://www.iste.org/ standards/) 12 Learning & Leading with Technology Volume 32 Number 2 Copyright © ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), [email protected]. All rights reserved. Feature re you irritated at the Personal misuse and abuse of technology have thoughtless technology- reached epidemic proportions in school as well related interruptions in pub- A as in our daily lives. lic places? Are you tired of having to “police” staff and/or students who use technology inappropriately? Are you an Action Plan on p. 14 for several tops, desktops, or PDAs during class. concerned that schools ban certain overall strategies for getting started. Users need to remember that what forms of technology in schools only they do in public affects others. 1. Etiquette: electronic standards of to see students using and misusing Where and when should digital conduct or procedure it after the last school bell rings? A etiquette be taught? Outside school, 2. Communication: electronic ex- growing consensus among technol- violations of digital etiquette are change of information ogy leaders is that we must begin ignored or tolerated by members of 3. Education: the process of teaching society. Inside schools, we create rules educating teachers, students, and and learning about technology and (AUPs) and regulations or even ban administrators in the day-to-day use the use of technology the technology being used inappro- of technology. Simply put, personal 4. Access: full electronic participation priately. The nine themes of digital misuse and abuse of technology have in society citizenship should be discussed and reached epidemic proportions in 5. Commerce: electronic buying and understood in relation to all curricu- school as well as in our daily lives. selling of goods lum areas. Digital Citizenship must become part 6. Responsibility: electronic responsi- of our school culture—not just a class bility for actions and deeds Communication. How does a school or lesson but the way we do business 7. Rights: those freedoms extended to district create a digital citizenship in education. everyone in a digital world program that affords students the The following discussion briefl y 8. Safety: physical well-being in a opportunity to make good decisions reviews the nine categories of digi- digital technology world when faced with many options? Tech- tal citizenship we described in the 9. Security (self-protection): electronic nology leaders need to provide timely September issue of L&L 2004. (See precautions to guarantee safety training on what is available and ap- “Digital Citizenship: Addressing Ap- propriate. The training of teachers, propriate Technology Behavior,” pp. Focus Questions staff, and students on the precepts of 6–11.) The nine categories emerged Etiquette. How do technology lead- digital citizenship should be ongoing from an extensive search of hundreds ers maximize a culture of high tech- throughout the school year. of articles that spoke to the issue of nology use while minimizing poor What form of communication is digital citizenship, which can be de- technology etiquette? Technology most appropriate under any given set fi ned as the norms of behavior with leaders must provide a solid example of circumstances? Use face-to-face regard to technology use. (Editor’s for faculty and students. Students and communication instead of electronic note: See Resources on p. 15 for a teachers should be required to silence communication when the situation partial list.) We follow that with focus (i.e., mute or vibrate) or turn off their involves sensitive, personal, or nega- questions and suggestions by category own electronic equipment (e.g., cell tive information. Electronic com- for how administrators and tech phones, personal digital assistants or munication is used to convey basic leaders can begin to create education PDAs) during class. Students and information for the sake of effi ciency environments conducive to teaching teachers should not play games or use and effectiveness. digital citizenship. Also see Creating instant messaging on portable lap- Education. Students need just-in-time information. This process requires so- Digital citizenship can be defi ned as the norms of phisticated searching and processing behavior with regard to technology use. skills (i.e., information literacy and October 2004 Learning & Leading with Technology 13 Copyright © ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), [email protected]. All rights reserved. Feature Creating an Action Plan Digital Commerce. The rise of the digital economy does not change the Though there is no step-by-step plan for dealing with teaching digital citizenship, technology leaders should consider the following strategies: issue of right and wrong, but it does make buying and selling goods easier, 1. Make digital citizenship a priority in your district and building which magnifi es the issue of illegal technology plan by explaining its importance in society. activities. How do technology lead- 2. Empower your technology leadership teams by providing examples ers ensure that students learn how to of problems that occur in the 10 areas of digital citizenship. Discuss and debate the areas, especially the positive examples. operate in the new digital economy? Students must be taught how to make 3. Enlist all stakeholders by explaining the urgency—both in schools and wise decisions for purchasing goods out—of teaching digital citizenship. Engage parents in dialogue using the focus questions for all 10 areas of digital citizenship. legally and the consequences of not doing so. 4. Empower technology leadership committees to identify and prioritize What are the new technical skills the steps needed to deal with digital citizenship in curriculum, staff development programs, and board policy, by providing a clear required to participate in a digital understanding of what technology and literacy skills are needed in economy? Students should be taught this new digital society. how to electronically purchase goods with emphasis on privacy, identity technology skills). In other words, race, age, ethnicity, and physical or theft, and credit card protection. learners must be taught to learn any- mental challenges? They can be shown how to shop thing, anytime, anywhere because Technology leaders must be aware for the best bargains using specifi c society has begun to learn in this of and support electronic access for research strategies, such as buying manner. How do technology leaders everyone to create a foundation for a book online. teach necessary technology standards? digital citizenship. Providing the Schools and school districts need resources to allow everyone to par- Digital Responsibility. Digital re- to develop information literacy and ticipate in a digital society is neces- sponsibility deals with the ethical technology skill curriculum materials sary. Both elementary and secondary use of technology. What is ethical matched to content standards and a students need to have access to up- or unethical in a digital community plan to implement that curriculum. to-date computers, software, digital (inside school and outside school)? How do schools begin to work cameras, and so on. Assistive tech- Students should not be able to steal with business, military, medicine, and nologies such as page readers for word or cause damage to other people’s government as well as other segments processing, spreadsheets, and Internet work, identity, or property. Creating of the workplace to achieve a mutual use should be provided for students Web sites that are belittling and/or understanding of technology needs with special needs. School libraries are slanderous to others is destructive be- and uses for productive citizenship? open to the public after school and havior. Hacking into another person’s Schools can develop plans, programs, on weekends, which allows for access computer information, downloading and/or partnerships for preparing students may not have at home. music illegally, plagiarizing, or creat- electronic workers for technology-rich How do we provide equal access ing and distributing worms, viruses, work environments. Digital citizen- for those who cannot or choose not to or Trojan Horses are unethical acts ship involves educating a new breed use technology? Some people have the regardless of whether school or per- of person—information workers with resources to allow them to participate sonal property is involved. a high degree of information literacy in the digital society. Others cannot How do school leaders focus on skills. Educators need to take notice afford the technology. Still others the positive side of technology inte- outside their fi eld for help. may choose not to use the technol- gration without over-emphasizing ogy. Schools and society must provide rules and regulations? Students can Digital Access. Digital exclusion access while leaving the choice to be- be taught about ethical and unethi- of any kind minimizes the growth come a participating member in the cal technology behavior in a manner of human beings in an electronic digital community up to the that allows them to make decisions society. Many factors contribute to individual. and understand the consequences of the digital divide, including econom- ic, social, and even personal reasons. How do technology leaders ensure In other words, learners must be taught to learn that everyone has equal access to anything, anytime, anywhere because society has technology regardless of gender, begun to learn in this manner. 14 Learning & Leading with Technology Volume 32 Number 2 Copyright © ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), [email protected]. All rights reserved. Feature Resources Students should be taught how to electronically Articles purchase goods with emphasis on privacy, Fryer, W.