The Beginner’s Guide

to Digital Citizenship
With contributions from the winners of
Schoology’s Digital Citizenship Challenge

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 Table of Contents

Meet The Authors 3

A Note From The Editors 4

Chapter 1: What Is Digital Citizenship & Why Is It Important 5

Chapter 2: Digital Citizenship Stakeholders 6

Chapter 3: Creating A Digital Citizenship Program For Students 11

Chapter 4: Digital Citizenship PD For Faculty 15

Chapter 5: Measuring Digital Citizenship 17

References 20

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 Meet the Authors

Stephen Rao Robert Schuetz

Computer Science Teacher Technology Department Chair
Howell Township Public Schools, NJ Township High School District 211, IL
@sterao8 @robert_schuetz

Amy Crisp Rick Bray

5th Grade Teacher Instructional Technology Professional
Olentangy Schools, OH Development Specialist, Broome-Tioga BOCES, NY
@acrispblc @MrChemGeek

Emily DeLuca Sam Edwards

6th Grade Teacher Technology Integration Specialist
Parkland School District, PA Parkland School District, PA
@DeLucaPSD @EdwardsPSD

Lauren Davis Sarah Jaffer

Schoology Schoology

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 A NOTE FROM THE EDITORS
Contributing to the development of kind, helpful, and aware citizens is a common goal of parents and
educators—both online and in real life. Since many students have access to personal devices before they
even leave elementary school, it’s imperative that we model and teach them how to use technology
appropriately, so it doesn’t have a negative impact on their future.

This eBook is a compilation of research, ideas, best practices, and experiences from members of the
Schoology community. Of course, we’ve done compilation—or crowdsourced—eBooks before, but this time
we kicked it up a notch. Rather than having twenty educators contribute a paragraph or two, we asked a
handful of educators from Schoology’s Digital Citizenship Council and other passionate members of the
community to develop in-depth chapters on various elements of Digital Citizenship. We couldn’t be more
pleased with the results! Viewing the same topic through the lens of different people who live in different
regions, hold different positions, work with different ages, and have different life experiences is a powerful
teaching tool.

Keep an open mind as you read through this book. Take note of the best practices you feel like you’ve got a
handle on and commit to implementing those that are new to you with the intention of helping students put
their best foot forward on the Internet.

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 CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND WHY IS
IT IMPORTANT
Common Sense Education provides a great framework to understand digital citizenship. They include a
curriculum involving: Media Balance and Well-Being, Privacy and Security, Digital Footprint and Identity,
Relationships and Communication, Cyberbullying, Digital Drama and Hate Speech, and News and Media
Literacy.

• Media Balance and Well-Being: Includes being digitally responsible. As a person you have
responsibilities to yourself, your family and friends, and your community. There is also a fourth
responsibility and that is your digital responsibility.

• Privacy and Security: It’s important to have secure passwords with a variety of letters, numbers,
and special characters. In addition to this security, everyone (kids and adults) should be digitally
aware of phishing scams on the Internet.

• Digital Footprint and Identity: As you grow up on the Internet, your life is traced through search
engines and various sites. You leave a cookie trail as you advance through your Internet life. A famous
poster is Think Before You Speak...but Think Before You Post should be a consideration, too.

• Relationships and Communication: Digital voices may not be portrayed the way you speak in
the physical world. You are unable to see the person on the other side and their reaction to your
words. It is important to build up a relationship with somebody prior to sharing personal information
or assuming how well you know them online.

• Cyberbullying: Be aware of the roles of upstanders, bystanders, and the target of the bullying. As
an upstander you can stick up for those involved. By doing this, you are helping the target see that
they do not deserve to be bullied. You must think before you post/like/retweet as it is much easier to
post online without needing to see the person.

• Digital Drama and Hate Speech: Walk away from drama and don’t get involved. Be aware not to
spread drama as it’s easier to do when you are not looking the person in the eye.

• News and Media Literacy: Being a well-rounded digital citizen is looking at all aspects of a report
before forming an opinion. Additionally, it’s not about dismissing a source based on confirmation
bias, instead examine the source critically being mindful of any bias on the author’s part.

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 CHAPTER 2: DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP STAKEHOLDERS
Picture yourself taking a young person to a playground. Close your eyes and think of the most desired
outcome of this adventure. What words come to mind to describe your ideal visit to the playground?
Commonly shared answers include; engaging, fun, safe, active, and social.

Just as with other forms of social communications and public behavior, activities in digital environments are
regulated by primarily unwritten norms and expectations. Honestly, does anyone actually read the fine print
contained in acceptable use policies and terms of use documents? One focus of the previous chapter was on
vocabulary and developing consistency with terminology: What is Digital Citizenship?

Appropriately, another focus was on the purpose of learning more about digital citizenship: Why is digital
citizenship important?

In this chapter, the focus shifts to the digital citizens themselves: Who are the stakeholders? How are these
stakeholders likely to be impacted by, and make contributions to, responsible digital interactions?

STUDENTS
Because we live in an increasingly connected world, digital citizenship is everyone’s responsibility. In the
world, teachers, administrators, students, and their parents all have a role in cultivating safe and enjoyable
experiences on the web. It’s important for all of these educational stakeholders to work together to foster
a community culture based on belonging, civility, and empathy. ISTE is a well-recognized acronym in the
area of education supported by technology. The International Society of Technology Educators (ISTE)
provides resources, learning standards, and a vast participatory community for advancing innovation and
best practice in schools. Many educators use the ISTE standards to guide their instructional practices. ISTE
standard number two, called Digital Citizen, for students states:

“Students recognize the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning and working in an
interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.”

ISTE-S 2 Performance Indicators:

• 2A: Students cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation and are aware of the
permanence of their actions in the digital world.

• 2B: Students engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology, including
social interactions online or when using networked devices.

• 2C: Students demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using

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 and sharing intellectual property.

• 2D: Students manage their personal data to maintain digital privacy and security and are aware of
data-collection technology used to track their navigation online.

This standard and these performance indicators were crafted by educators seeking common ground when
discussing digital technology and its impact on students and their learning. In a practical sense, these
performance indicators have varying degrees of application in the classroom based upon contextual factors
such as age, cognitive abilities, and accessibility. Regardless of these factors, experts and relevant research
state the most impactful digital citizenship programs are those with activities embedded across all curricular
disciplines. This is why a common vision and vocabulary, such as those provided by ISTE, are essential
building blocks for successful digital citizenship education.

What does digital citizenship look like in an elementary classroom? How can our youngest learners practice
the art of responsible behavior within digital spaces? People of all ages grapple with the question, “Who
am I?”. This is particularly true of young learners engaging in thought and conversations about identity
and perception. Savvy elementary teachers consistently facilitate opportunities for relationship building.
Students share information about their likes and dislikes, what they’re good at, and who they admire. It is
during these activities when teachers can demonstrate the power of transparency while also helping their
young learners identify the shifting, sometimes nebulous boundary between public and private information.
Sharing is good, but there are limits. Young digital citizens gain an understanding of privacy and begin
practicing the steps necessary to secure their personal information.

Young students, some already possessing mobile technology, will create online accounts and user profiles
in need of secure passwords and age-appropriate themes and messages. Creating and cultivating these
personal online spaces provides opportunities for students to practice reflection and revision. “What do I
want people to know about me? How accurately and appropriately am I portraying myself online?”

Teachers of young students can create opportunities for classmates to provide peer feedback and comments
with constructive information and civility. These exchanges are practiced using analog materials like
poster paper and sticky notes, before shifting to digital practice. It’s during this transition when students
learn about the permanence of their digital communication. Commonly called digital footprints, students
learn and practice the art of thinking before posting. This popular “THINK” acronym opens the doors to
conversations and activities where students can learn about issues such as cyberbullying, and what students
should do if they think they, or someone else, are being bullied.

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 Before you...
T - Is it TRUE?
H - Is it HURTFUL?
I - Is It ILLEGAL?
N - Is it NECESSARY?
K - Is it KIND?

As students grow towards middle school years, they tend to wade into digital waters more frequently and
explore greater depths. In the name of inquiry and research, students will be asked to curate resources with
a critical eye. This provides opportunities for teachers to introduce the concept of intellectual property.
Properly providing attribution and citations are best practices associated with responsible digital behavior.
Modern teachers will provide ways for students to share their learning with authentic audiences. This invites
authentic forms of feedback from their peers, community members, and experts in the field. The additional
layer of authenticity motivates learners to put forth conscientious efforts and frequently scrutinize their
processes. What a fantastic time it is to be a learner! With digital technologies at their fingertips, students
have numerous choices for sharing their knowledge and contributing to learning networks. Blogs, podcasts,
videos, web pages, and more, modern students have tools at their disposal to cultivate media-rich digital
spaces. What behavioral shifts do we expect to see when learners create and cultivate their own digital
learning spaces?

Prominent education thought leader, George Couros, has recommended modern students graduate high
school having created three essential things; a digital portfolio, a professional learning network, and an
About.me page. In other words, Couros sees the importance of students connecting and collaborating with
other learners. He also understands the importance of students obtaining modern literacies by cultivating a
personal, digital learning space.

Schoology Ambassador, Rachel Murat, has earned state and national recognition for providing opportunities
for her students to contribute to positivity on the web. Murat recognizes, like Spiderman, with great power
comes great responsibility. Murat skillfully facilitates student-centered activities abundant in transparency
and collaboration. Through blogging, microblogging (tweeting), and podcasting, her students invite

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 conversations with other learners. With social studies as the backdrop, many of these activities are focused
on leadership, civil discourse, as well as, digital citizenship. Her students are working to solve real problems
through connections with local community members as well as experts from around the world.

PARENTS
Just as with physical places, parents want to know their children are safely enjoying the digital places they
visit. Modern parents commonly have questions about screen time, age appropriateness of devices and
apps, safe interactions with others, privacy, along with the careful and appropriate sharing within social
media circles. These can be turbulent waters for parents to navigate since many parents feel less confident in
using technology than their children do. One commonly held myth is the disparity in technical skill between
digital natives, those born into our technology-rich world, and digital immigrants, those who are new to
digital technologies. The research on this is clear, people of any age can and do learn to skillfully use modern
technologies. Fortunately, the availability of resources for parents to reference grows daily. Proactive
schools will share these resources during parent nights, via online portals, and through the very places
most of us visit for on-demand, timely information, such as Facebook and Twitter. When adults interact and
communicate in these digital places, it builds confidence in the adult users, helps them stay informed, invites
them into the school culture, and in the best cases, models appropriate use for our younger learners. Parents
in our school programs have identified several helpful resources for helping their children swim safely in
digital waters. Here are a few of them:

• Parent Universities - Common Sense Media partnership (CSM Parents Page)

• Google Family Link Page

• CyberWise Parent Resource Page

• Microsoft Parent Overview Page

Parents frequently mention the following as recommended practices for providing safety and security in
their digitally connected homes. First, specify times and activities for face-to-face interaction, for example,
“device-free dinner.” Second, create a secure method and place for storing all of the children’s social media
and device passwords. This information could become essential in emergency situations. Third, learn about
the accessibility features provided by service providers. Cell phone companies and Internet service providers
have helpful features and programs in place to help parents monitor and manage their household usage.
Finally, as with any other important topic associated with the well-being of our children, modern parents
should have conversations and take an interest in their child’s online activities. Relationship building, setting
expectations, and guiding behaviors are benefits parents mention as a result of these communication efforts

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 & are key to a successful online experience. The best monitor of online behavior is, and always will be, an
engaged parent.

TEACHERS
To provide an equitable educational experience for all students, professional development for teachers must
remain a top priority. As districts are shifting their focus from traditional education to a more personalized
and student-centric approach, more technology is being infused in classrooms. As a result, students are
connected more than ever to the digital world and require guidance to navigate this new journey. With this
transformation of teaching and learning, the responsibility no longer solely rests on the shoulders of school
librarians and technology teachers to provide this direction. The mission to teach digital citizenship lessons
and exposure now belongs to all educators within a school building.

Our district recognized the importance of all teachers speaking a common language with regards to digital
citizenship and leadership education. A competency-based mastery course was created to achieve this goal.
Teachers that are aware of the necessity of digital citizenship and leadership are able to connect at a deeper
level with their students and provide guidance and support throughout this new educational endeavor. This
competency-based course required teachers to understand basic terminology, analyze situations that would
warrant intervention, and provided them with the tools necessary to support students that are using online
platforms for instructional purposes in their classrooms. Providing this professional development was an
essential element to our transformation of teaching and learning in our district.

ADMINISTRATORS
In addition to providing accessibility, school administrators play a key role in providing safety and security
for students and staff who are engaging in digital spaces. Administrators are responsible for creating
acceptable use policies aligned with government regulations such as CIPA (Child Internet Protection Act)
and COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act). The essence of these policies focuses on protecting
children from inappropriate material and securing their personal information.

A school’s digital citizenship program has a greater likelihood of success when administrators model
effective and appropriate use of the Internet and related mobile technologies. You do not have to look hard
to find modern administrators using Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to share good news and spotlight
learning and positive culture from their schools. A vivid example is Superintendent, Joe Safelippo with
Fall Creek Schools. Under his vision and leadership, the #GoCrickets Twitter hashtag has grown into a
cultural phenomenon and a beacon of belonging and pride for the schools and community. Teachers and
administrators who are skilled digital contributors are better able to guide younger learners in the practices

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 associated with digital citizenship.

Early in discussions about digital citizenship it’s frequently asked, “Whose responsibility is it to teach digital
citizenship?” When thinking about the desired outcomes, it’s apparent digital citizenship is everyone’s
responsibility. It only takes a few minutes of watching the evening news to understand we need to cultivate
a generation of “upstanders” who understand the value of making positive contributions within digital
spaces and communities. Technology is making the world a smaller place, a place where the “golden rule” is
universally understood, but not universally practiced.

“When we teach digital citizenship in schools, we are teaching students to be appropriate and use technology
responsibly. Digital citizenship is not about replacing who we are in the real world but about expanding the
possibilities of who we might become when we know and understand how to harness the power of our digital
tools.” - Mike Ribble

Understanding and practicing good digital citizenship parallels the social-emotional learning programs
becoming popular and necessary in many schools. These types of programs are based on developing
empathy and understanding, practicing the golden rule. What are some ways a digital citizenship program
can advance empathy and understanding in our schools, classrooms, and communities?

CHAPTER 3: CREATING A DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS
Part 1: DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AT THE SCHOOL OR DISTRICT LEVEL

Formal hit points:

• Systemic vs. pockets

• Personal

• Explicit and implicit

Informal hit points:

• It’s not one more thing

• Ties with character education

• Dealing with teachable moments

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 • Dig Cit vs. Ban and Block discussion

Digital citizenship programs are beneficial, whether be it at a classroom level, district-wide level, or anything
in between. Much like content material, digital citizenship can be approached differently by all teachers.
As a result, having common anchor points for everyone can help boost the effectiveness of the message.
Our district-wide digital citizenship program started because we had multiple teachers within our district
working to embed concepts of digital citizenship into their classes; however, there was a concern that it
might be possible for a student to graduate having “missed” one of these dynamic teachers, and therefore a
more systemic approach was necessary.

As technology continues to be a pervasive and powerful presence in our society, many teachers recognize
the need for a digital citizenship program for the district. At the same time, with the copious expectations
and initiatives already placed on our teachers, it is easy for digital citizenship to be seen as “just one more
thing.”

A natural solution might be for digital citizenship to be taught by the librarian or during computer lab. While
this may help alleviate “one more thing” for the classroom teacher, separating the skills into an isolated
environment allows for the compartmentalization of those skills on behalf of the students. In other words, “I
only have to be a good digital citizen in the computer lab or library.”

The question becomes, how do we make a digital citizenship program that involves every teacher, every
classroom, and has common anchor points for all while not adding another thing to a teacher’s already busy
schedule?

One strategy that has been successful is drawing clear connections between digital citizenship and character
education. Most teachers already weave character education into their classroom lessons whether or not it
is a current district initiative. In many cases if a situation arises in the realm of character ed, teachers take
advantage of those “teachable moments.” By and large, the aspects of digital citizenship have direct ties
to character education and social emotional learning principles—hey are just conversations and teachable
moments when working with electronic devices.

You don’t treat friends poorly on the playground the same way you don’t treat people poorly in an online
discussion

You don’t cheat/copy an assignment in class the same way you don’t cheat/copy an online assignment (let’s
be clear, collaboration and copying are two different ideas)

You don’t tell strangers your phone number/address the same way you don’t give out personal identifiable
information online

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 There is always one important discussion that must happen between administrators and staff with regards
to digital citizenship in order for any program to be successful: Digital Citizenship vs Ban and Block. Often
times the answer to non-desirable materials is to block that material from student access. I’m using the
phrase “non-desirable” because terms like “inappropriate” or “improper” are often used here, but in my
opinion have very different meanings. Let’s be clear, there is some content that is responsible to block for
an educational setting. But when students are distracted by an innocent game, that’s not “inappropriate,”
that’s non-desirable. Furthermore, if we block that game/site/etc., it’s almost a guarantee the student body
will find an alternative to fill that void within 24 hours. That is the problem with ban and block: it does not
address proper use, and as a result we end up playing a constant game of cat and mouse chase that we can
never win. If we are able to frame the discussion around the idea that playing this game drains the device
battery, and that gets in the way of a student’s educational responsibility, it doesn’t matter what the hot, new
game is… the message is the same.

Our job as educators is to provide an equitable learning experience for all students. How do we accomplish
this if we are constantly banning and blocking sites? We’re not saying this journey is going to be easy, and
we’re not saying these changes will fix the problem immediately or for all students.

Think about device usage much like driving a car. We would never hand a 16 year old the keys to a new
sports car and wish them the best. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are teaching our children about
driving from a very young age. Every time we drive our vehicles it is a learning opportunity for our pre-
drivers. We talk about which side of the road we drive on, when it is safe or not safe to pass, and there is
usually some reflection on the driving practices of other motorists and what we could do better. Once our
pre-drivers earn a driver’s permit, we have guided practice in driving. We may start in a secluded street or
parking lot, but eventually we “hit the road” where there are no safety nets. And that is a scary thought,
there are not many progressive levels between the parking lot and a street… it’s a pretty quick jump from
moderately safe to full-on exposure, and yet we do it. The thought of putting a driver on the road without
some discussions about driving, and most likely some supervised driving practice is unheard of… and yet
this is exactly what we do with our students and electronic devices.

Digital citizenship is like driver’s ed for devices. Even before our students have devices, we can explicitly
model proper behavior and have discussions around that. Once our students have school issued devices we
can continue that explicit modeling and conversations around proper procedures. We need to have those
discussions because even if we fall into the idea of ban and block as a way of providing a form of “safety net”
for our students, the fact is those nets don’t work when the student is on their personal device or gets around
the school’s filter by connecting to their personal phone as a hotspot.

Our district is implementing a digital citizenship course that our 5th graders will be required to pass to
obtain their “license” to take their chromebook home. K-4 will be keeping their devices in school as per
our 1:1 program expectations. Fifth grade will complete a course designed to expose them to proper digital

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 citizenship and leadership, as well as the care and feeding of their chromebook to ensure the device is ready
and charged for learning and instruction.

Part 2: DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP IN THE CLASSROOM

Let’s face it, moving forward the concept of Digital Citizenship should just be seen as Citizenship within the
classroom and beyond, considering much of the learning and interaction between both children and adults
has digital components. It’s imperative that all citizens in a learning environment have a clear vision of a 21st
century citizen.

In order to lay the groundwork within my intermediate-aged classroom, we start out the year by discussing
what it means to be a respectful, responsible, and passionate citizen, both in our physical classroom as well
as while living in the “cloud classroom” we have developed online. Early on, students experience a variety
of activities to develop team-building, ownership, and communication that include both online and offline
components.

We utilize Schoology as our Learning Management System (LMS), and this is where all announcements,
assignments, assessments, forms, discussions, and more are found. We make sure to try and include as
many representations of the physical resources used in the classroom within our courses on Schoology, in
order to provide a seamlessly blended integration between the physical and online learning opportunities.
This allows students to continually reference all provided resources for learning in one place, regardless of if
they are physically in school or not on any given day.

Different states and countries have adopted their own digital citizenship curriculums which should be
considered, however, Common Sense Media is a free resource that breaks classroom lessons down into the
following categories:

• Media Balance and Well-Being

• Privacy and Security

• Digital Footprint and Identity

• Relationships and Communication

• Cyberbullying, Digital Drama, and Hate Speech

• News and Media Literacy

Each grade level has different units provided from a variety of these categories based on the typical
developmental level of the students in that year of education. Of course, there is also the freedom to skip

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 around to different grades based on specific need within your current group of students. Each lesson
includes videos, handouts, editable quizzes, and even follow-up family resources for follow up, so it is a great
place to start developing your citizenship lessons.

As you start to develop your “Digital Citizenship Classroom,” do so in a way that you can possibly envision
closely modeling a workplace system that your learners might be in someday. One in which respect,
responsibility, and passion all have a place to call home. Live in that space. Model and practice in that space.
Most importantly, give feedback to your learners along the way (for ideas in regards to assessing a student’s
progress in this interwoven world, check out the included chapter on measuring Digital Citizenship).

CHAPTER 4: DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP PD FOR FACULTY

Prior to educating students on digital citizenship, a district should consider how they are going to prepare
teachers to be digitally responsible as well. It is important that staff knows how to lead, teach, and model
good digital citizenship to our students.

In chapter two we discussed the importance of providing professional development for all teachers and
administrators. This can be done using a self-paced course in Schoology. Breaking it down into digestible
bites will make it easier for teachers. Possible folders may include:

• What is Digital Citizenship?

• How to lead a digital classroom

• What to do if your students are not being respectful citizens?

• The importance of social media for professional growth

Modules can be a part of a self paced course, but a district can also include discussion boards for staff to
continue their conversation and provide peer to peer support and guidance.

Topics include:

• Social Media For Staff Members

• Digital Footprint

• Tips for a safe Digital Classroom

• Digital Classroom- Classroom Management

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 Social Media

Having social media is a great way to share your craft with the community. Going back 10-20 years ago,
parents would receive artwork going home or a test to place on the refrigerator. However, what was
happening day in and day out in the school was unfortunately unknown. Nowadays, parents can be
connected to the school community on a daily basis if social media is utilized properly. By using Twitter
for example, educators and administrators are able to engage the parents of students, as well as the whole
community in the greatness that is happening within the walls of the school. It allows us to break down the
barriers and connect on a deeper level with the entire community.

Likewise, as educators, we are able to grow a professional learning network (PLN) through Twitter. We are
able to connect with educators from anywhere in the world and share our expertise. However, teachers must
be trained how to properly use social media for the purpose of growing their expertise and sharing with the
community. When posting on a professional Twitter account, the recommendation is to use that specific
account solely for professional growth and development and not for personal exposure and connection. Your
Twitter followers for this account are those that are interested in your craftsmanship as a learning engineer.

Twitter and other social media platforms can be intimidating to teachers. It may place some educators
outside of their comfort zones. By having a digital citizenship course, social media is a topic that districts can
help their teachers become more confident in using. Once connected and comfortable with these sharing
platforms, the professional benefits are immeasurable.

Digital Footprint

Have you Googled yourself? If you Google “Stephen Rao,” you will see some articles about my profession,
but you will also find that Stephen Rao is also a physician in Cleveland and through an image search, he is
an action figure known as Lieutenant Stephen Rao. Why am I telling you this? It’s important for students and
teachers to know that your digital footprint is always listed on the Internet. As you scroll through the images
associated with my name, you will find a picture that my wife and I used for our wedding registry. You must
think about these images you put on the Internet because they will always be out there. Just like we tell
students to be private and responsible with their information, the same goes for adults.

Tips for a Safe Digital Classroom

Providing teachers with a curriculum rich in resources to teach digital citizenship lessons is the most effective
way to ensure a safe classroom of the future. In our district, we work closely with Common Sense Media
(CSM) and utilize their free and robust curriculum. Our focus with CSM materials has been in grades K-5 in the
past; however, with their recently added content, we hope to extend the lesson usage through grades 6-12.
The goal in our district is to familiarize all teachers with CSM’s website and resources for teachers to integrate

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 pieces of their lessons into their daily instruction. To keep students safe and aware, conversations about
digital citizenship need to be ongoing and more routine.

Digital Classroom - Classroom Management

In our district, we are working collaboratively with our teachers to help provide the tools necessary for them
to be successful in this transformation of teaching and learning. Having students connected digitally opens
up a world of new issues with classroom management. Gone are the days when proximity to a student keeps
them on track. Students have become experts in tab switching and exiting screens. In this digital learning
environment, it’s imperative that teachers have access to all student computer usage and have the power
to limit what sites they are able to access for instructional purposes. We are currently exploring classroom
management software solutions. Some of the top contenders are GoGuardian and Lightspeed Classroom.
We are rolling out a pilot with our team leaders and tech mentors to ensure we are ready for a district-wide
rollout for the start of next school year.

CHAPTER 5: MEASURING DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

According to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a digital citizen recognizes “the
rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world,
and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.” Assessing and measuring digital citizenship
can be a challenge since there are so many facets to consider. This chapter includes a few suggestions for
evaluating a student’s understanding and implementation of a responsible digital life. ISTE has developed
standards which break down digital citizenship into four main categories: identity, interactions, rights and
obligations, as well as privacy and security. The first resources listed are those that encompass all four of
those categories:

• Digital Passport by Common Sense Media: A game that takes each of the benchmarks regarding
digital citizenship and has students work through modules to gain specific badges as they progress
through the learning stages of the accompanied units.

• Be Internet Awesome: Google has created an interactive game for students to experience some of
the aspects of digital identity. There are certificates and badges that can be given for successful
completion of the game.

• Brainpop Digital Citizenship: There are numerous categories such as digital etiquette,
cyberbullying, copyright, internet search, and information privacy. Each short video is accompanied
by activities and quizzes to assess various digital skills.

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 Measure Digital Identity: Creating and Maintaining a Digital Footprint

• Thinglink: Have students gather pictorial evidence of their digital life. Use the pieces to create
a visual representation of their digital footprint. Then, have them place buttons on the Thinglink that
lead the audience deeper into their identity with links, quotes, etc. This digital footprint would be
beneficial to include in a portfolio, both as a start of year and end of year activity, to showcase the
growth of the digital individual across the course.

• Animoto: Students tell the story of their digital life through images, videos, and captions. Have
them first mark up a storyboard to plan out the ebb and flow of their Animoto.

• QR Code Enhanced Poster or Sculpture: Have students create either a 2D or 3D representation

of their digital footprint, and enhance the project by adhering QR codes that take the audience to
various places such as audio files, videos, songs, etc.

Measure Interactions: Engaging in Positive Communication in an Online Community

• LMS Discussion Boards and Course Updates: Use the discussion board feature in your learning
management system (LMS) to foster positive communication within the classroom. If closely
monitored, this allows students to practice their online participation skills in a safe space. Attaching
a rubric that incorporates criteria related to positive interactions will allow a student to reflect on
their current levels of communication and assess growth over time.

• Padlet: This online collaborative bulletin board allows teachers to create a virtual space for
students to connect on any given topic. Learners are able to share images, videos, quotes, etc. as well
as respond to one another’s input.

• Google Slides Q&A: Slides comes with a feature where students can ask questions and you can
answer them in real time. This allows for real-time positive interaction and ownership in the learning.

• Backchannel Chat: This website encourages side conversations to be going on while students are
participating in a lecture, discussion, or group work. As questions or thoughts arise, participants can
add to the chat and even “vote up” certain responses to rise to the top of the discussion.

• Answer Garden: This tool allows students to share their thoughts on any given topic and the results
are populated in a word cloud so that the more a response is shown, the larger the text becomes.

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 Measure Rights and Obligations: Respecting Intellectual Property

• Creative Commons: A place where creators submit their work publicly, allowing others to use and
share based on conditions chosen by the individual.

• Google Advanced Search Tool: Teach students how to access the usage rights feature of the
advanced search on Google is good practice. As students create using the tool and give credit to the
source, assess their ability to do so by checking the usage rights yourself.

• NoodleTools: A citation and bibliography tool for students to collect and share all of the sources
from which they got their information during research.

• Grammarly’s Plagiarism Checker: Teachers are able to upload or copy and paste student’s work into
the checker and receive quantitative feedback regarding the originality of text. Students can also
proactively use this tool to self-assess and see areas that may need further citations.

Measure Privacy and Security: Managing Personal Data Sharing

• Student Profile Check: Create a checklist that is utilized by students to check their profiles on
Google, their LMS, and other places where they may have created identities.

• Chrome Web Store Check: After discussing usage of personal data of students through applications
and extensions, regularly check which of these tools are being utilized by students and what
information is being shared with each app and extension.

• Chrome Settings: Have students view and adjust Chrome settings to provide for the right level of
privacy while they are on the internet.

• Google Drawing: Unique badges can be made as profile pictures showcasing student’s creativity
and individuality.

• Flaming Text: One of many logo creators to type a username instead of showing a picture in a
student’s profile.

• Avatar Maker: Students can create individualized avatars to use when creating profiles, instead of
actual pictures of themselves.

These are just a few ideas to consider when assessing the digital citizenship of your students, whether
formative or summative. There are endless options to explore and even design yourself through the use of
your LMS, including creation of quizzes and surveys, as well as google forms and more. It is important to

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 consider that each digital life, each family dynamic, and each district’s guidelines are unique—this means
that each journey to creating a digital citizen will be unique, as well.

REFERENCES
“Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).” Federal Communications Commission, 12 June 2019,
www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act.

“Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule: A Six-Step Compliance Plan for Your Business.”
Federal Trade Commission, 2 Nov. 2018,
www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rulE-six-step-compliance.

George. “3 Things Students Should Have Before They Leave High School.” The Principal of Change. June 12, 2016.
https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/5025.

H, Brett. “Digital Citizenship Classes Are Rising in Popularity.” NEOTD, NEOTD - Cleveland Area Tech Conference on
4.11.19, 1 Feb. 2018, www.neotd.com/blog/digital-citizenship-classes-are-rising-in-popularity

“ISTE Standards for Educators.” ISTE, www.iste.org/standards/for-educators.

“K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum Scope & Sequence.” Common Sense Education,
www.commonsense.org/education/scope-and-sequence.

Person. “Digital Citizenship: Resource Roundup.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 21 Oct. 2015,
www.edutopia.org/article/digital-citizenship-resources.

Ribble, Mike, et al. “The Top 3 Elements of Student Digital Citizenship.” Technology Solutions That Drive Education, 7
June 2018, edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2018/06/top-3-elements-student-digital-citizenship

“The Myths of the Digital Native and the Multitasker.” Teaching and Teacher Education, Pergamon, 15 June 2017,
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0742051X16306692

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