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DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION |
Team UK attending social media training, at Google HQ in London
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Digital Citizenship Education
Often, we hear mention of “digital natives” when discussing the aptitudes and lifestyle of young people. Having never known a world without the internet, mobile phones, Wi-Fi, tablets and laptops, we can easily assume that their digital skills are automatically acquired, outstripping those of their parents and grandparents, who have had to learn these new life skills through necessity and trial and error. |
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This perception of younger (and older) generations is little more than a stereotype. For every young person with easy access to technology, there will be another with less experience, opportunity and aptitude. The pace of technological change can be equally challenging for every generation, with the skills required going beyond effectively using devices and applications.
Presentations made by students for the
Thinking Otherwise Virtual Student Conference (March 2021)
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Digital Citizenship Education explores the importance of staying safe online, protecting well-being and using the online world responsibly. Digital literacy plays a big part in supporting young people to ask questions, identify bias and evaluate information they encounter online. The need to look beyond the superficial message and take a sceptical, analytical approach chimes well with critical thinking and critical literacy approaches. Where, or who, is this message coming from? What is their aim or motivation? How is language or emotion being manipulated? Where is this message leading to? Does it have limitations or omissions? Are there alternative perspectives? Questions like these lie at the heart of challenging the spread of disinformation and misinformation online. How do we support young people to develop the digital literacy skills needed to stay safe and benefit from the inevitable online connections which will come their way? Developing critical thinking and a questioning mindset, alongside resilience and positive self-esteem play a valuable role in this process. |
The Council of Europe and education ministries worldwide recognise the need to take a strategic, staged approach to Digital Citizenship Education. What policy or educational planning is in place in your jurisdiction, to build in digital citizenship awareness and progression into the curriculum? Look for the guidance and frameworks already in existence and make use of them.
Start with the positive. Young people are enraptured with online interaction for a reason. Does it give them a sense of belonging or achievement? Is it giving them a sense of security and the ability to control how they portray themselves? Do they find it easier to make friends online? Asking them what they get out of it and listening to the responses, with an open mind, are key for productive discussions and open communication.
Start with the positive. Young people are enraptured with online interaction for a reason. Does it give them a sense of belonging or achievement? Is it giving them a sense of security and the ability to control how they portray themselves? Do they find it easier to make friends online? Asking them what they get out of it and listening to the responses, with an open mind, are key for productive discussions and open communication.
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Provide opportunities for young people to share their experiences and knowledge with each other – identify your digital champions who can advise their peers responsibly on topical issues such as online safety.
Avoid assumptions. A dedicated gamer may have strong skills in one area, but little interest in another. Are young people aware of how their online activity is tracked and moulded for advertising purposes? Do they understand the power of hate speech and the impact online interaction can have on themselves and others? Explore digital citizenship across the curriculum – it is not purely responsibility of the computer teacher! What sources of information can be relied upon in your subject area? How can information be checked or challenged? How and where are we accessing our news and information? What is fake news? What do we mean by bias and opinion? How can we be exposed to a range of viewpoints and avoid being trapped in echo chambers? Drip feed digital citizenship across everyday interaction and help young people see interconnections. |
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Further reading:
