I often think about the ways in which people are using technology, and how the emergence of the Internet has impacted things such as bullying, where when I was young, you used to be able to escape bullying by going home after school. For these reasons (and more), I wanted to chat a bit about the concept of Digital Citizenship.
What is digital citizenship?
Digital citizenship is relates to societal norms and responsible use of digital technology and the Internet.
Who is a digital citizen?
A digital citizen can be considered any individual who is using technology and the Internet to participate socially (e.g. reading and writing blogs/wikis, participating in social media, etc.).
What constitutes responsible use?
Responsible use as it relates to digital citizenship would involve using digital technologies in a manner that will not negatively impact other individuals or which are illegal. For example, cyber bullying negatively impacts those individuals on the receiving end of the bullying, plagiarizing someone’s work is unethical, and downloading pirated films/tv shows/software is illegal.
But there’s so much more!
Digital citizenship isn’t just about being a responsible user of digital technology, it also involves being responsible when it comes to how you use digital technology. For example, using ergonomic principles and best practices, you can set up your workstation so that it does not negatively impact your muscles and body.
Resources
Nine Themes of Digital Citizenship from digitalcitizenship.net
Digital Citizenship: Developing a Culture of Trust and Transparency by A. Marcinek
5-Minute Film Festival: Teaching Digital Citizenship by A. E. Borovoy
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