For years, much of the available curricula for teaching
digital citizenship focused on “don’ts.” Don’t share addresses or phone numbers.
Don’t give out passwords. Don’t bully other students. But the conversation then
shifted and had many asking, “Why aren’t we teaching kids the power of social
media?” Next, digital citizenship curriculum moved toward teaching students how
to positively brand themselves so that they would stand out when it came to
future scholarships and job opportunities.
In the end, both messages failed to address one of the most important aspects
of citizenship: being in community with others. As citizens, we have a
responsibility to give back to the community and to work toward social justice
and equity. Digital citizenship curricula should strive to show students
possibilities over problems, opportunities over risks and community successes
over personal gain.
In Digital Citizenship in Action, you’ll find
practical ways for taking digital citizenship lessons beyond a conversation
about personal responsibility so that you can create opportunities for students
to become participatory citizens, actively engaging in multiple levels of
community and developing relationships based on mutual trust and understanding
with others in these spaces.
This book includes:
- Tips for creating a digital space where students can
try something new, grow through mistakes, and learn what it means to be a
citizen in different spaces.
- “Spotlight Stories” from teachers engaged with
participatory digital citizenship that demonstrate how these ideas play out in
actual classrooms.
- Featured activities to help you integrate these ideas into your
classroom.
About the Author
Kristen Mattson is a high school
library media center director in Aurora, Illinois, where she partners with
teachers to integrate digital literacy, research skills, creation and innovation
into the classroom. As part of a Future Ready school district, she has
embraced the Future Ready Librarians framework to transform her school’s
library space and practices. She enjoys supporting fellow librarians by hosting
site visits, facilitating professional development and moderating
the Future Ready Librarians’ Facebook group. She blogs
at drkmattson.wordpress.com.