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The Importance of Digital Citizenship 1
 
The Importance of Digital Citizenship in K-12 EducationCamille Maydonik 36428084ETEC 511 Foundations of Educational TechnologyInstructor: Franc FengUniversity of British ColumbiaDecember 6, 2009
 
 
The Importance of Digital Citizenship 2
 
Abstract
This essay is an attempt to address the importance of Digital Citizenship in K-12education. The fourth standard of the ISTE’s Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (2008) is to “Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility.” Toelaborate, teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in anevolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.Teachers:a.
 
advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information andtechnology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and theappropriate documentation of sources. b.
 
address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.c.
 
Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related tothe use of technology and information.d.
 
Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engagingwith colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communicationand collaboration tools.However, in some cases, there are many restrictions in place at the school board level thatteachers are not able to meet this standard, or teachers themselves do not have the skillsand knowledge to do so. A growing consensus among technology leaders is thatteachers, students, and administrators in K-12 education must be educated in the day-to-day use of technology.
 
The Importance of Digital Citizenship 3
 
The Importance of Digital Citizenship in K-12 Education
 Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amusestheir minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.- Plato
Defining Digital Citizenship
On a daily basis, students interact with music, movies, software, socialnetworking sites, and other digital content. The majority of these students may notunderstand the rules that dictate the ethical use of digital files and may not understandwhy these issues are relevant (Microsoft, 2008). According to Ribble and Bailey (2004),“digital citizenship can be defined as the norms of behavior with regard to technologyuse” (p. 13). That being said, Ribble and Bailey (2007) caution that “few socialguidelines have been developed for the use of digital technologies” and they reason that“we can decide, as a society, that anarchy is the norm. Or we can decide that digitaltechnology should be used for the benefit of all” (p. 8).Common Sense Media (http://www.commonsensemedia.org/
 
) is a nationalorganization led by concerned parents and individuals with experience in child advocacy, public policy, education, media and entertainment. This organization recognizes the needfor digital literacy and citizenship. In their paper “Digital Literacy and Citizenship in the21st Century: Educating, Empowering, and Protecting America’s Kids,” it is stated:This dynamic new world requires new comprehension and communication skills,as well as new codes of conduct, to ensure that these powerful media andtechnologies are used responsibly and ethically. Much of this interaction in thisdigital world happens at a distance, which can diminish the rules of cause and
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