Ensuring student safety and responsibility online should be a priority for schools. While educators often focus on teaching students about citizenship and digital literacy within the classroom, it is important to involve parents and the entire school community. School leaders play a critical role in fostering this.
Digital citizenship reinforces the norms of appropriate and responsible use of technology. Etiquette, security and ethical use of digital resources serve as a framework Using digital tools safely and effectivelyUnderstanding these concepts is crucial to students’ success and safety as they engage in their digital orbit.
Digital and social interaction offers great benefits, and at the same time, the potential risk of having a significant negative impact on children and families. We see this online, every day. Moving to the positive aspects of support networks and online messaging, rather than warning about the detrimental impacts, is the path to success for school communities. Educators have an obligation to teach families how to engage in constructive online interaction.
First, understand the pain points
I recently heard a phrase that goes like this: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” There is some debate about its origin, but it seems to be centuries old and may be derived from Jonathan Swift’s 1710 saying: “Falsehood flies, and truth limps after it.”
What do I mean? All the noise about misinformation on the Internet is something that has always existed in other formats. We used to call it propaganda. Likewise, we have ancient methods to set the course for digital citizenship in our schools.
A study by twitter (now x) showed that fake news travels six times faster and further than the truth. Sound familiar? Maybe Swift saw it coming, or little has changed. Either way, it reinforces the importance of helping our school communities foster a constructive approach to good, honest digital citizenship, with some ancient wisdom, as well as developing new techniques to harness the very technology that disrupts the positive online user experience.
Social media also creates other landmines, such as the online disinhibition effectI've written about this. When misinformation spreads rapidly on the Internet, the school community is affected by the “hyperactive hive mind,” a kind of destructive gang mentality that leads to toxic groupthink. This has no place in schools, where children should find a refuge for learning and development.
1. Disrupt negative interactions, such as the overactive hive mind, by promoting positive online interactions through the benign disinhibition effect.This method cleverly flips the script, as supportive and monitored online groups can provide healthier interaction alternatives for students. People feel liberated in this safe zone, more comfortable sharing personal information, feelings, and vulnerabilities online than in real life, where they fear judgment and risk social ostracism.
People may praise, defend others, and donate to charities when they are anonymously online, as they are less afraid of being judged by those who disagree with them. Kindness, support, and generosity foster a network of prosocial contexts, and these occur every day online for digital citizens. Informing families about these safe spaces can be the catalyst to shift online interaction to constructive interactions.
2. Promote critical thinking questioning the credibility of sources and acknowledging misinformation. By Providing tools and strategies To identify trustworthy content, foster a culture of skepticism and research.
3. Highlight the importance of adults being models of responsible digital citizenship.Children often imitate the behaviors they observe, so it is critical for parents and educators to model ethical conduct online.
4. Avoid rabbit holes“Reply twice” is a method that encourages us to limit our responses to two online exchanges to encourage clarity and efficiency while avoiding lengthy back-and-forth threads.
When digital communication with the school community becomes inefficient and unclear, redirect the conversation to direct dialogue, such as a phone call or meeting. This shift allows for real-time clarification and more personal interaction, reducing the risk of misinterpretation and improving understanding. Additionally, this provides the experience that so many new generations need to learn how to interact in person, during which empathy and understanding always have the advantage.
5. Encourage open conversations at home and even help structure them. In communications with parents, provide them with conversation starters and strategies for talking to their children about digital citizenship. For example, ask them to talk about the consequences of sharing personal information online or the impact of digital footprints on future opportunities. This open dialogue creates a foundation for mutual trust and responsibility. It's also helpful to schedule homework or other family activities around the student to help foster family interactions about digital citizenship.
6. Partner with local organizations. Partner with local organizations and law enforcement agencies that specialize in digital security. These partnerships can provide valuable resources and additional expertise for your school community.
For example, inviting a local cybersecurity expert to speak at a parent meeting or coordinating with a nearby community center to host a joint event can broaden your reach and reinforce your school’s commitment to digital citizenship. This was one of the most profound experiences we had in our school community, because parents were able to see first-hand examples of how important these exchanges can be, for better or worse, and much depends on how adults manage them.
7. Celebrate good citizenshipWhen you see students practicing responsible digital citizenship, acknowledge their efforts publicly. Share these stories in your newsletters or on your school’s social media channels. Recognizing these positive behaviors not only reinforces the message, but also encourages others to follow suit.
Ultimately, it is essential to ensure that students, parents and educators understand the importance of responsible and informed use of digital technologies.
By prioritizing digital citizenship and literacy, we can prepare our students, families, and school staff to navigate the digital world responsibly and safely. It is a collective effort that requires participation from each of these stakeholders. Through open communication, education, and modeling responsible behavior, we can cultivate a school community that values and practices digital citizenship, ensuring a positive and productive digital future for our students.
