I think some of us in the tech world take digital citizenship for granted. I know I do from time to time. Since I am so involved in social media and technology in the classroom, I sometimes assume that everyone, students included, should just know how to act in online environments and using digital media. This is not the case.
Just like the faulty assumption that all students are digital natives, we cannot assume that all users of digital media have been taught solid digital citizenship skills. Many of us have learned these skills through various trial and error scenarios. Not every person is willing to take the risk and try something in the digital world and hope it works out for them. That is why there needs to be an effort to support all users of digital media on how to properly use these tools. Right now, it is hard to go to any comment section and not see the absolute worst of people. This can change with solid education and support for educators around the world.
Yes, I said the world. Now more than ever, we need to come together and support one another and positive digital citizenship is a start. We need to teach a generation of users how to best leverage digital tools for social good and not spewing hate filled rants. We need to break the power of the trolls by giving people the tools to cope with them and ignore them. We want to create safe environments for everyone to freely share their ideas and connect with others without the fear of harassment. We can do this and we need to work hard.
I'm proud to be helping some great educators plan an event in the UK in the new year. #digcitsummitUK is a great start to the global conversation on how to best support great digital citizenship. Thanks to my great friend Marialice B.F.X. Curran for brining me on board to help make this event a reality. If you want to show your support for this event and global digital citizenship, please share this post with others and sign up here for this Thunderclap.
Just like the faulty assumption that all students are digital natives, we cannot assume that all users of digital media have been taught solid digital citizenship skills. Many of us have learned these skills through various trial and error scenarios. Not every person is willing to take the risk and try something in the digital world and hope it works out for them. That is why there needs to be an effort to support all users of digital media on how to properly use these tools. Right now, it is hard to go to any comment section and not see the absolute worst of people. This can change with solid education and support for educators around the world.
Yes, I said the world. Now more than ever, we need to come together and support one another and positive digital citizenship is a start. We need to teach a generation of users how to best leverage digital tools for social good and not spewing hate filled rants. We need to break the power of the trolls by giving people the tools to cope with them and ignore them. We want to create safe environments for everyone to freely share their ideas and connect with others without the fear of harassment. We can do this and we need to work hard.
I'm proud to be helping some great educators plan an event in the UK in the new year. #digcitsummitUK is a great start to the global conversation on how to best support great digital citizenship. Thanks to my great friend Marialice B.F.X. Curran for brining me on board to help make this event a reality. If you want to show your support for this event and global digital citizenship, please share this post with others and sign up here for this Thunderclap.
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