DIGC

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP
Assignment 1

What is Digital
Citizenship
Digital Citizenship can be defined as the norm
of appropriate and responsible behaviour when
making use of technology.

Core
Elements

Digital Access

Learning and
working

Digital
Communicatio
n
Digital
Literacy
Digital
Etiquette

Core Elements

Behaviour and
Environment

Digital Safety
and Security
Digital Rights
and
Responsibilitie
s
Digital Law

External
issues and
Concerns

Digital
Commerce
Digital Health
and Wellness

 Digital Access: One important tenant of digital citizenship is that

access to technology should be available to all. This concept

reflects challenges that are present in our non-digital society.
Most all citizens believe, in theory, that everyone should have
access to education, health care, the right to worship, etc., but
the reality of providing these to all citizens of the world is
virtually impossible. It is at the root of wars, political divisions
and religious fanaticism. It is unreasonable to think that
everyone can receive equal access to technology, but it is a
noble goal towards which to aspire. Digital citizens should
continue to lobby for more digital access, in more locations, so
that more people can benefit from it.
Digital Commerce: If the sales figures for Black Monday are any
indication, we as a society are fully embracing digital
commerce. Digital citizenship encourages people to embrace
digital commerce and continue to strive for safe and secure
utilization of shopping, banking, and engaging in other
commercial transactions in technical venues.

 Digital Communication: Digital communication is another

element of Digital Citizenship that we seem to be embracing

wholeheartedly. Digital communication includes emailing,
texting, instant messaging, utilizing cell phones, etc. As
digital communication continues to grow, it is important that
we not forget how to communicate face to face. If we lose
our humanity, technology will be a poor replacement.
Utilize digital channels of communication to enhance your
ability to communicate, but do not allow it to replace your
ability to communicate.
Digital Literacy: As digital citizens, it is our responsibility to
develop and continually enhance our technological
knowledge. We should support and encourage the
acquisition of technological knowledge by others. We should
model the positive and proactive use of technology for good
causes, personal and professional growth and education.

 Digital Etiquette: This is a real weakness among many users

of today's technology. However, digital etiquette should be

an integral part of the education of our youth.There are
times when cell phone usage is inappropriate.There are
ways that you should address and interact with elders
regardless if you are online or in person. Educators and
parents must be willing to communicate these elements of
etiquette to the young technology users in their lives. It
begins with rules.
Digital Law: As citizens of our city, state and country, we are
governed by certain laws. As digital citizens there are also
laws that apply to our behavior and interaction. There
should be no stealing, no plagiarism, no abuse of others.
Therefore, we digital citizens must be vigilant in reporting
illegal behavior, if we see it, and we personally should only
engage in behavior that is above reproach.

 Digital rights and responsibilities: The global and instantaneous nature

of our digital age puts enormous power into the hands of everyday
citizens. In order to keep the right to digital access, we must strive to
always use it in responsible ways. Sadly, when there is abuse of these
rights, the solution is often to withdraw all access. Those committed to
the concept of Digital Citizenship must take their rights seriously and
their responsibilities even more seriously, setting positive examples
and helping guide the integration of technology into new areas.

Digital Health and Wellness: The physical and psychological well

being of children in the digital world is a critical issue that keeps

many parents awake at night. Parents struggle with how to
allow their children access to technology while protecting them
from online predators and cyberbullying.Fortunately, awareness
is on the increase as to how to protect children on both the
physical and psychological fronts. It is the responsibility of
parents and educators to understand the world in which children
live, play and study, and they mustguide them in being
responsible digital citizens.

Digital Security: Digital security is basically

protecting yourself in the digital world protecting your identity, your data, your
money, etc.While there aremany publicized
breaches of "secure" information featured
regularly on the news, for most of us, a few
simple steps can safeguard our cyber
security.Backup data regularly.Create strong
passwords and change passwords
regularly.Be aware of internet scams and do
not share information with anyone that you
don't know.It is good to have a healthy dose
of skepticism to keep yourself and your
information secure.

Five

Fluencies

 Solution fluency is the ability to think creatively to solve

problems in real time by clearly defining the problem,

designing an appropriate solution, applying the solution then
evaluating the process and the outcome.
Creativity Fluency is the process by which artistic proficiency
adds meaning through design, art, and storytelling.
Collaboration Fluency. One of the strongest assets any
student can have is the ability to work well within a team.
Collaboration with partners that are both real and digital is a
hallmark of the modern workforce. Teamwork means power
and support, and it's essential to success in any business
environment.
Media Fluency refers to the ability to unconsciously interpret
the messages contained within media of all sorts, and the
ability to communicate in multiple multimedia formats
Information fluency is a state of competency in any subject
which we believe to be a good goal for students to achieve in
a class, and for which a class may be designed.

How does the

digital divide
impact on social
capital

 As digital citizens we gain benefits like trust, relationships

and information from being part of a social network

therefore deriving value from being connected to other
people. Social capital in turn enhances our communication
skills, social skills, digital literacy, and wellbeing by staying
connected with others. The digital divides however restricts
an individual from receiving any of the benefits of social
capital and the value of social capital is decreased. An
individual without digital access is cut off from the online
community and also from the opportunity to develop their
communication skills, social skills and most of all their
digital literacy.