What is digital citizenship?
Literature, whilst extensive, fails to pinpoint a singular definition of Digital Citizenship. Whilst all suggest similar themes, the definitions vary. Below provides a synopsis of a number of definitions and themes central to Digital Citizenship.
Lindsay & Davis (2013) suggest that Digital Citizenship encompasses the many aspects of life with technology, however, asserts that it is not simply limited to the ‘computer’ (p. 99). The human is a central imperative to Digital Citizenship, with access to the technology required for an individual to be able to become a digital citizen (Lindsay & Davis, 2013, p. 99). To be deemed a good digital citizen, Lindsay & Davis (2013) suggest that awareness must be heightened around the following five areas of awareness;
- Technical awareness – do you know how to use the technology
- Individual awareness – how will you behave in the digital environment
- Social awareness – Are you able to interpret social situations, and the inherent norms and behaviours?
- Cultural awareness – Are you aware of cultural norms of others? Can you identify the differences?
- Global awareness – Are you aware of global events and significant social and cultural events? (p. 101)
Lindsay & Davis (2013) suggests that further to the five areas of awareness, making good decisions in the digital environment is reliant upon knowledge of the four key rays of understanding;
- Safety, Privacy, Copyright and Legal
- Etiquette and Respect
- Habits of Learning
- Literacy and Fluency (p. 101)
It is suggested that these key understandings/behaviours can be taught and it is the responsibility of the educators to provide positive experiences and education through online learning (Lindsay & Davis, 2013, p. 102).
Digital citizenship is a concept that provides guidelines for appropriate digital behaviour, and Copeland (2020) suggests that a good digital citizen is someone who understands the rights and responsibilities that come with being online and someone who uses technology in a positive way (p. 48). Copeland (2020) focuses on various important themes of digital citizenship and highlights the 9 key p’s of digital citizenship that ensure protection and reinforce appropriate behaviours
- Passwords
- Private Information
- Personal information
- Photographs
- Property
- Permission
- Protection
- Professionalism
- Personal Brand (p. 50)
Copeland (2020) also highlights the definition by Kristen Cole, that suggests that digital citizenship is how we should act when we are using digital tools, interactive with others online, and what should be taught to help the next generation be better stewards of this technology’ (p. 53).
Fingal (2020) suggests in the article for ISTE ‘The 5 competencies of digital citizenship’, a contemporary interpretation of Digital Citizenship, that focuses on the skills that an individual requires to thrive in a contemporary digital environment. Whilst I see the relevance with the awareness and understanding approach of Lindsay & Davis (2013) and those highlighted by Copeland (2020), I feel the positive and pragmatic competencies suggested by Fingal (2020) provides a simplified approach to both integrating and teaching these competencies. The five competencies of digital citizenship are as follows:
- Inclusive
- Informed
- Engaged
- Balanced
- Alert
Overall, my own approach to digital citizenship skills and knowledge development and awareness in my learners is through a pragmatic demonstrative approach that allows them to become participatory digital citizens.
References
Copeland, J. (2020). The Challenges of Digital Citizenship. In S. Huffman, S. Loyless, S. Albritton, & C. Green, Leveraging Technology to Improve School Safety and Student Wellbeing (pp. 47-64). IGI Global. http://doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-1766-6
Fingal, J. (2020). The 5 competencies of digital citizenship. https://www.iste.org
Lindsay, J., & Davis, V. (2013). Citizenship. In Flattening classrooms, engaging minds: move to global collaboration one step at a time (pp. 97-125). Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon Publishers.