Module 2 - 2: Blog

In your Blogger blog, reflect on your own digital footprint and personal thoughts on digital citizenship, as well as the necessity of teaching students about digital citizenship in school. Also, discuss your thoughts on an appropriate age of introduction to digital citizenship.

Digital citizenship is become increasingly more important as individuals create more of a digital footprint by sharing more about themselves over the internet. With the expansion and frequency of use of the internet, many users are creating more accounts. Accounts can be for shopping, work, social media, or hobbies, but internet users are becoming more connected. As internet users begin creating accounts, some of these accounts allow users to share a lot of information about themselves. Users must be aware of the information they are sharing, and make conscientious decisions about what type of internet should be shared, and who information should be shared with.

Educating students to make conscientious and aware digital choices is an important aspect of schools, and digital citizenships. Students need to be aware of what information is shared, and who information is shared with. As a computer teacher, I frequently see students unaware that information is public or accessible by users other than their "friends". Helping students become aware, while also teaching students how to make better choices allows schools to help students mature and develop, while also creating better critical thinking skills.

The appropriate age to introduce digital citizenship would be as young as kindergarten or 1st grade. Allowing students to understand basic features about the internet should be expected by all individuals that use the internet. Goals of 1st grade students could be to understand the capacity of the internet (unlimited information/a resource), and also to understand that it can connect people. Allowing a 1st grader to be aware of digital citizenship allows a teacher or parent to have ease that if a student was using the computer, and accidentally came across uncomfortable information or someone trying to reach out to a child; the student would react appropriately. Discussing digital citizenship is also important due to the type of computer games, and accounts that are available to students of all ages and levels. Internet games or accounts can allow students to have chat features, therefore, help students become aware of how to act appropriately on the internet is important even at a young age.