Many students are very naive as to the consequences of using the internet. Students need to know the threats to personal safety by using the internet and social media. For younger children especially, it is hard for them to comprehend the consequences of telling an anonymous person online their personal information or posting personal information in a public space online. Students need to learn that not everyone on the internet is who they say they are and that divulging personal information about themselves can lead to gravely consequences. It is unfortunate but true.
On the flip side, students also need to be guided to not use the internet as a place to cause other people harm. New technology has allowed bullying to go beyond the playground and affect students in a much harsher way. Today cyber bullying has become a huge social problem and I believe that being proactive will help to address this issue. Students need to learn that this kind of behavior is not accepted nor tolerated. The classroom can become a powerful platform to inform students of acceptable and unacceptable online behavior and start powerful discussions.
Another part of digital citizenship is understanding the information produced online. It is not uncommon to find people to who believe in everything that they see or hear on the internet. Students need to be taught the skills to differentiate between fact and fiction from information gathered on the web and how understanding the information gathered can effect what they believe and how they think and feel. These are important skills that go beyond the classroom. Alongside this issue of digital citizenship comes plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offence and students need to be made aware of the consequences of copying someone else work and taking credit for it.
As a mother and as a future teacher, I feel that educating children on responsible digital citizenship is important and it should be taught in the schools as well as in the home.