Patience Fitzhenry

EDLT 525
Case Study (Group Collaboration)

Dr. Samantha Mercanti-Anthony

8/16/20

“Patterns of Inclusion: Fostering Digital Citizenship through Hybrid Education “ is a well

thought out research paper that focuses on the concept of digital citizenship through hybrid

education. The purpose of this journal was to study the idea of combing Hybrid Education and

educational patterns, which could serve as valuable alignment for digital citizenship and

education for digital citizenship. The researchers used a “process of educational innovation

conducted in collaboration between different educational researchers from around the world

participating online and face-to face. The three authors of this paper all participated in this

process.”

This research paper on Digital Citizenship through Hybrid Education gives lots of

significant details about the value of hybrid education based on the concepts of “capabilities,”

“becoming,” and “belonging.” Digital citizenship helps create thoughtful, empathetic digital

citizens who can cope with the importance of ethical questions at the intersection of technology

and humanity. Supporting children and young people to participate safely on social media is

essential to daily living. Social media and digital technologies are becoming a priority for

educators, students, and the school community. Digital citizenship plays a crucial role and

places emphasis on the role of education, practically to all students who deserve the same equal

rights and opportunities to explore the media platforms. Digital Citizenship Education not only

empowers children through education, it also gives them the opportunity to learn and be an
active participant in digital society. Having this empowerment helps students build knowledge,

skills and the understanding that is required to be able to defend  their  democratic  rights  and

responsibilities online, while at the same time promoting and protecting the human rights and

democracy of each other. Encouraging students to participate in Digital Citizenship Education

promotes engagement, creativity, and an awareness of the legal implications of their online

activity.

Promoting Digital Citizenship through Hybrid Education is not only about gathering

information, it is also about interpersonal and ethical relations in ways that we think and our

behavior the way that we treat those who are different from us, such as race, religions, and class.

(Kymlicka, 2002). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the push for hybrid education is higher than

ever. As districts plan how to reopen for the 2020-2021 academic school year, many are

proposing the option of hybrid education. Districts are using this approach to blend the intimacy

and immediacy of traditional face-to-face instruction with the flexibility of online learning to

stop the spread of Covid-19. Since not every student has access to the internet, some internet

service providers have offered to provide internet to disadvantaged students at low cost and no

cost at all. In March of 2020, Google released a blog on how students can use Chromebooks and

G Suite for Education without having access to the internet. As educators and parents, it is our

job to make sure that our students and children have the same advantages as all other children so

that they too can experience and enjoy academic success. The role that technology plays in

education is ever evolving and we must ensure that every student is given that opportunity.

One way that hybrid education can be implemented so that all students can achieve

success is for teachers to start evaluating learning content and slowly making transitions toward

the end goal. Teachers can start by considering online group projects, tutorials, self-tests, and
homework to engage students in the learning process. Teachers should also give students the

opportunity to be more involved their own education. Although students will struggle at times,

they will ultimately be stronger and have a more nuanced understanding on how to navigate the

digital world from a learning standpoint.