Digital Citizenship and ICT Usage in the Classroom and At Home

Hello, parents and carers of my lovely students!!
(Please note that embedded throughout this blog are links that will go into greater detail about some of the key points I am going to mention.)
Today, we are going to be tackling technology, and, let me tell you, it is not a simple issue to tackle. But trust me when I say: it is so important.


Why?
Technology is everywhere, but especially where your teen is concerned.

92% teens report going online every single day, and 24% say they are online “almost constantly” according to a 2015 study by Pew Research Center. It can be assumed that this percentage has risen even higher over the last two years since the study was conducted.

Now, I am not proposing that the Internet is an evil entity. On the contrary, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) includes an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability in the curriculum, because of its power to enable students to “access, create and communicate information and ideas, solve problems and work collaboratively in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school.”


Although ICT has the ability to greatly enhance our lives, it is important that your teen learn how to maximise its benefits responsibly, while minimising the risks and dangers associated with frequent use of it. This is an integral part of digital citizenship.

For teens, a large percentage of time spent online is composed of social media usage. Check out the infographic below that compares time spent on social media with other daily activities over the course of a person’s life.

[Social Ranked with Daily Activities, Evan Asano, 2017]

The prevalence of social media use, even among other uses of technology, is why we are going to focus on this element of ICT usage in class this term.

We are going to be undertaking a research-based digital citizenship unit, where students will be encouraged to form their own well-informed opinions about digital citizenship and cyber safety. The goals of this unit are as follows:

    • to teach students about the dangers of using social media and how to combat them;
    • to develop in students valuable research skills that will set them up for success in their future schooling and general life;
    • and to teach students about proper attribution and acknowledgement of others’ intellectual property.

Students will also be made aware of the existence of digital footprints, or the trail they leave behind as a result of their social media use.


Assessment for this unit will require each student to choose a social media outlet (Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Tinder, Snapchat, etc.) and one danger commonly associated with social media use (baiting/"catfishing," cyber bullying/"trolling," teen suicides, eating disorders/body dysmorphia,
etc.).

They will be given example articles associated with each issue (which can accessed by clicking on the above example issues themselves) and then asked to find two more.

Students will then be asked to consolidate their findings and, in response, form their own opinions about whether or not the risks commonly associated with social media are valid.

Finally, they will be asked to explain how they (in response to research) would suggest combatting these issues/dangers.

Students will present their findings and conclusions in class presentations.

Through peer-to-peer cautions and advice, it is my hope that the content being covered will maintain maximum relevance and accessibility for students.



Where do you come in?

It is imperative for you, as parents and carers, to be involved with this unit! It is full of heavy realities that your students may need help processing.

The digital content of the presentations your children create will be uploaded to this blog to expose you to the same information and research that they will be exposed to. This will enable you to have follow-up conversations and address some of the hot-button issues surrounding social networking as families.
If they need more structures and professional help in processing some of the information they are exposed to, the school counsellor on campus is available to speak to them.

While you are encouraged to talk with them about what they learn through the research they conduct over the course of the term, you are also encouraged to conduct some research of your own! Perhaps one of the most significant ways that you can help you students to be safe and responsible ICT users is by modelling the safe and responsible use of technology yourselves.

Below are some helpful links that will help you to know about safe and ethical ICT usage so that you are better equipped to answer questions your kids might have as well as take some cautionary measures to keep them protected as they engage with the digital world.


    • Among other things, Connectsafely.org emphasizes cybersecurity for adults and children alike.
    • The BBC website gives valuable information in their webpage “Copyright and Intellectual Property.”
    • Finally, the Parent’s Guide to Online Safety from the Office of eSafety Commissioner is a fantastic resource available for download or hardcopy. It provides parents and carers with information on “cyberbullying, social networking, unwanted contact, sexting, inappropriate content, and online safeguards.”
Remember...

YOU are the most influential adults in your childrens’ lives.
Keep watching this space so that you can help as we try to encourage them towards safety and respectful and ethical choices in our increasingly digital age.
References and Resources (in order of appearance):

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