Digital Citizenship Inside the High School

Digital citizenship is essentially is the "norms of appropriate, responsible technology use" (Ribble). This encompasses all aspects of using technology, especially the internet. It includes learning how to protect your information online, staying safe online, recognizing cyber bullying, and online etiquette. All of these skills are important and necessary when accessing the the digital online world. In high schools students and  teachers alike are plugged into the internet and use it daily, both in and out of school.

Its important to also teach these elements and skills not only to keep the students and their information safe, but to also expose them to the proper etiquette that needs to be used when accessing the digital world. In a high school setting digital citizenship is important especially when students in this age group are constantly "plugged in" to technology. In today's society when communicating via electronically is one of the major forms it is crucial that students learn how to properly communicate with others. Instead of teaching students how to follow the nine elements of digital citizenship (listed in the Prezi) schools are instead turning to bans, firewalls, filters, and strict policies in attempts to "protect' their students from the risks of using a digital world, especially when so many children are facing cyber bulling these days, especially at the high school level (Digital Citizenship Definition). 

Teachers can help educate their students on digital citizenship by putting up posters with the nine elements around the room. Also, the teachers could incorporate videos or lectures made by professionals into their lessons to help lay out the reasons for digital citizenship. The "Teacher Hub" website also has some tips to incorporate the importance of digital citizenship into their lessons. Videos like "Digital Citizenship" help show the importance of teachers educating and talking to their students about digital safety and etiquette and says that by teachers talking to their students about it will increase the students talking about it among each other and their families. 

With the growing availability and incorporation of electronics and digital media in the classroom and in society it is increasingly important that teachers and schools begin to teach what and why digital citizenship actually is. Not only will this help protect the students, but it will also educate them in the proper ways to communicate and use the technology available to them, which will help them in further education and when they go to get jobs in the  future. 

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