With the amount of digital technology used in classrooms today, digital literacy and citizenship are topics that are discussed more than ever. However, they are not often taught as a stand-alone subject despite the world becoming more connected thanks to the proliferation of devices and platforms that we all use on a daily basis.
So, just as reading, writing, and general literacy are specific subjects, is it time to intentionally designate a class period during the school day to focus specifically on digital citizenship and literacy?
Lisa Nielsen, executive director of technology for the New York City Department of Education in Manhattan, Melissa Jacobs, director of library services for the New York City School Library System and the New York City Public Schools Office of Library Services, and Tali Horowitz, director of East Coast education at Common Sense, discuss the need for a curriculum dedicated to digital citizenship/literacy.
Providing citizenship and digital literacy when no one else does
Whether it's through a computer, tablet, smartwatch, or smartphone, we're never out of reach of the internet. Yet, we often tend to overlook how to use our devices responsibly and safely. This is especially true for elementary school students.
“Right now, these are basic life skills that are necessary to be able to function in today’s society,” Jacobs says. “It’s not an option that can be set aside. It’s everywhere, and when we start thinking about ai or Google, for example, we have no other choice. It’s necessary for any level of professional success, if we think about college and career. So I think it’s incumbent upon us to set our students up for success by teaching them digital citizenship.”
But how did we get to this point of using so much technology without actively knowing how to use it effectively and responsibly?
“I think a lot of people take for granted that if you have a smartphone, you know how to use it, that you have the critical thinking skills, digital citizenship skills, and research skills to use it,” Jacobs says. “I don’t think that’s necessarily true. And I think that at the same time that we’ve been catapulted into this world where it’s part of our everyday lives, we’ve reduced the number of educators who have the skills to teach these things and who have the ability to integrate these skills into the curriculum.”
Professional development in digital citizenship and teachers
While education follows an overarching theme of teaching and learning, there are many ways to achieve those goals. Teaching and learning digital citizenship is no different, says Nielsen, who adds that while different schools may take different approaches, the general need for digital citizenship to be formalized as a subject remains.
“I think different school districts have different ways of thinking about what areas and subjects are a better fit,” Nielsen says. “That may be up to the different school divisions.”
Nielsen suggests that the school librarian or media specialist might be ideal people to teach the subject, or possibly the person who teaches educational technology. “Others might say, ‘Have mandatory advisory periods where every teacher teaches digital citizenship so that every student understands it,’” she adds.
What about offering teachers professional development around citizenship and digital literacy? Horowitz says teachers should already be taking a digital citizenship course.
“It should be part of the curriculum for teachers,” Horowitz says. “We have a one-hour, self-paced course called Modeling Healthy Digital Habits, and it’s intended for educators. Not to teach digital citizenship, but to just lead the digital model.”
Common Sense offers other on-demand classes to gain experience in digital citizenship“You can become a Common Sense recognized educator,” Horowitz says.
Teaching digital citizenship in schools is an issue that we cannot ignore, and there are those who are taking up the mantle and leading the task of educating both students and teachers on the responsible use of digital tools and devices inside and outside the classroom.
