Digital Citizen Intro: EDLD 5316
- Candace L. Moffitt
- Nov 24, 2018
- 3 min read
Journal Reflection
Digital Citizenship is a common concept that most people may not know exist or is even a thing. Using technology to access social forums and educational platforms require a certain kind of accessibility, literacy, etiquette, communication, law and security that mandates safe precautions. As a community of digital users however, I am not sure we consider this: the quality of our habits, patterns, and norms surrounding technology and its communities.
Digital citizenship is implemented in many learning environments from educators to the students despite their ages. Students are encouraged to be responsible while operating online and think before making posts of any kinds due to human beings on the receiving end of the post. When we understand this minuscule framework associated with digital citizenship it helps users maintain, respect, educate, and protect ourselves as well others.
The internet coupled with technology simplifies accessibility, weakens etiquette and cultural norms, desensitizes communication with the ability to circumvent security firewalls which leads to the significance of the role and partnership of educators and parents alike share in order to ensure their learner is behaving according to basis of digital citizenship. Parents must be involved in the learning process but also develop an understanding and appreciation for digital citizenship. They must be aware of the types of digital interaction required to be sure their learner’s actions are warranted. Educators are responsible for teaching exactly how to remain ethical and studious while parents operate as the home enforcers. This is a great example of an effective educator and parent alliance.
My question is who manages the content being posted? Is there a proactive measure to sensor information prior to posting? My initial assumption would be no hence the increase in cyber bullying, child pornography, inappropriate internet dating, etc. Although this may be far-fetched to you as the reader, for some this is a reality and an obvious lack of digital citizenship worldwide. It seems with the digital world; reactionary measures are the way to go because it is impossible to adequately monitor each electronic device and its message content prior to posting. I have noticed that on some social media forums when posting in groups, the group’s administrator must approve the post. This may be impossible but just imagine how effective this stratagem could be to alleviate some of the issues associated with technology.
Digital citizenship has set the expectation of digital users’ behavior, message content, and usage. In fact, it is necessary because cultural and social norms vary from person to person and organization to organization. With that, digital citizenship serves as a foundation to what we deem reasonable and rational digital behavior. In the near future, I would like to expand this rationale to enhancing and enforcing a precautionary measure to sensor content to ensure the safety of its users. For now, however, digital citizenship has broadened the educational world by leaps and bounds. As an educator, when my students are using lesson driven technology, my school district has implemented a measure that notifies the teacher when the students attempt access another website. This is helpful and ensures the students are on task. I am an advocate of digital citizenship as with anything else, there will always be those who break the rules and require additional safety measures.
Resources from week 1