"In the Age of Wonder": Musings on Digital Citizenship.....(Or Week 4 Assignment)

Technology is everywhere. It saturates our lives these days. I personally use it for everything. Even as I sit here writing this, I am listening to music stream from WAAF, talking to friends from around the world, and researching what I want to say. Yet, for all of my time spent on the Internet and utilizing technology, I had never really thought about digital citizenship until this moment. It was a concept I was aware of, but, I have never thought about it. I had definitely never heard about the Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship. Honestly, it made me think of Internet mystics, a la The Dark Crystal.

"In the age of wonder"

Yet, the concepts of digital citizenship all make sense, and should be something we address as a society all the time. But, some people still wonder, why should we address it like this? Who should teach children about this? When should it be introduced as a concept? MIND EXPLOSION! I am just going to answer each one using one of my favorite things in the world: a list!

• When should digital citizenship be introduced as a concept?

  I think with the way we as a society use technology makes this question almost too easy to answer. Digital citizenship is necessary at an early age. I see my godsons playing their Wii or unlocking a smart phone to play Angry Birds at the ages or four and five. They need to be taught to respect technology and to respect those around them while using technology. Their roles as digital citizens evolve with age, and so will the things they will learn. But, it needs to start early, and the concepts need to be introduced. 

I am just moved on to the smart phone

• Who should teach children about this? 

It is a group effort. It is just like any other aspect of raising a child. Things are adapting in our world, and so are what is required in a child's upbringing. It isn't just a teacher's job to ensure children learn about technology and how to use the Internet respectfully. It has to be enforced at home as well. To be a good digital citizen, it requires so much more than learning to use a computer and how to cite work.

• Why should we make such a big deal of addressing digital citizenship?

Not everyone knows what digital citizenship is. I didn't really know until just recently. I am still learning about it each day. The only other option is to ban the use of technology, which accomplishes nothing. It is like banning books, and then also banning the libraries. It is banning progress. That has been tried in the past. As Jacqui Murray said in her article, 17 Topics to Teach K-8 About Digital Citizenship

"This vast landscape of resources is offered digitally (more and more), freely (often), and equitably (hopefully), but to take that cerebral trek through the online world, children must know how to do it safely, securely, and responsibly. This used to mean limiting access to the internet, blocking websites, and layering rules upon rules hoping (vainly) that students would be discouraged from using an infinite and fascinating resource."

We can't stop them from using technology, and nor should we. But, we can teach them how to use it, and how to use it productively, safely, and respectfully. It can help them learn how to treat people with decency on the Internet, how to acknowledge other peoples' works, and just how to be a well-rounded citizen of the world. Also, maybe teach them that duckface selfies are just horrible....

The Duckface: the bane of the internet

P.S.- Thanks Hussain for the whole banning libraries idea!