The Fifth Post - Digital Citizenship

As a prospective teacher, two essential digital topics that I think are important for my students and myself to learn and understand are Digital Literacy and Ethics and Cyberbullying. It is important to remember that as teachers we should be proactive examples of digital citizens for our students as well.

Digital Literacy and Ethics

It is important that we teach our students how to act responsibly online. We can do this by helping them understand privacy and what things should not be shared on the internet and when it is safe to share certain information. Help your students understand that whatever they post/comment/share online is part of their “digital footprint”. They leave a mark in the digital world, so make sure it is a positive and safe one.

Teach your students that not everything they read online is true and help them develop skills to research proactively. Just as we try to teach our students how to be safe outside in the world, we need to teach them how to be safe in the digital world as well as it becomes more and more accessible. Teachers should be concerned with their students’ safety.

Cyberbullying

It is essential for students to understand that treating others the way you want to be treated applies to inside and outside of the digital world. It is easy to hide behind a screen and say things online that you would never say in person. Bullying is bullying no matter where it takes place. Students should stand up for others if they see bullying online. We should encourage our students to have a positive online presence and be a good example to their peers.