Digital Citizenship and Legacy

Week Seven

Upon reflection of a presentation module on digital citizenship and the importance of maintaining positive digital footprints, I was inspired by a video presented by Garth Holman which detailed his journey with teaching 7th grade social studies. Garth emphasized that building trust frames relationships with students, which can foster them to become engaged and inspired. By giving students ownership of learning, while promoting proactive modeling, they feel empowered to leave behind a positive legacy which creates future opportunities for themselves and the world around them. With the impact of positive digital footprints this concept becomes far-reaching. Garth allows his students to tap into the things they love and use inspiration to create something unique, which connects to real world skills. By creating a sense of agency in each students, their self-empowerment gives them efficacy and lays a strong foundation for them to become life-long learners. This sense of agency is something that learners can benefit from in our rapidly changing technological times.

In the 21st century classroom, it is important to emphasize the concept of ethical digital citizenship and how to appropriately navigate the internet for students. Free online classes from Common Sense Media provide some useful tools which prepare students for safe internet use. The main issues such as digital footprint, cyberbullying, online privacy, news, and media literacy are covered with a grade range break down . The lessons are backed by research which is inspired by the common challenges students face. These lessons also address needs of the classroom and the teacher in the face of technology used in school and its potential impact on students.

It is difficult to foresee what the future of education will look like in the next decade. But as students are increasingly involved with the digital landscape of our globally networked society, it is imperative that they learn to become informed and ethical participants with 21st Century life-time learning skills to help them actively succeed in the world.