Being a good digital citizen means using technology in responsible, safe and legal ways.  

The internet, and what we do with it has evolved so quickly that it is often hard to keep up. Because of how quickly technology evolves, parents sometimes have a hard time keeping up to what their children are learning and doing online. 

Gone are the days of “calling on” their friends by ringing the doorbell. The reality is, our children are growing up in a digitally focused world, where they keep in touch and communicate with friends online. Youth are sharing and consuming mass amounts of data on the internet.  

Children need to be taught how to function as productive online citizens in a safe and respectful manner, and how to process the information they are taking in.   

In the classroom, appropriate use of the internet can be cultivated by hosting open discussions about the dangers of internet use, including the very real effects of cyber bullying, illegal downloading, and putting inappropriate content online.  

Providing curriculum enhancing opportunities which allow students to engage with the internet appropriately will allow students to build a base of knowledge that can be extended upon as they grow and continue to contribute to the digital world.  

In an elementary setting I may host group discussions and then have students contribute their critical thoughts to a blog post.  

In a high school setting, blogging and tweeting are a great way to have students demonstrate the knowledge they have developed. 

Creating videos, music and art through technology may also offer a creative and relevant outlet for students through which they can demonstrate their learning.  

Having opportunities to contribute in healthy and critical ways to the digital world will allow students to see the appropriate ways in which they can get involved online – and hopefully this, combined with the knowledge provided to them about the dangers of the internet, will help them to grow into continually positive digital citizens.