What Does it Mean to Be a Good Digital Citizen?
Digital Citizenship
From Dr. Alec Couros' Open Thinking Wiki
This is a collection of resources that can be used by educators or students regarding the issue of digital citizenship. Note: the questions used here are targeted primarily at high school students, but many of these questions apply to anyone new to the topic.
Definitions:
Digital Citizenship can be defined as norms of behaviour with regard to technology use. As a way of understanding the complexity of digital citizenship and the issues of technology use, abuse and misuse, we have identified nine general areas: Etiquette, Communication, Education, Access, Commerce, Responsibility, Rights, Safety & Security. (Ribble, et. al, p. 2)
"Digital citizenship isn’t just about recognising and dealing with online hazards. It’s about building safe spaces and communities, understanding how to manage personal information, and about being internet savvy - using your online presence to grow and shape your world in a safe, creative way, and inspiring others to do the same." (Digizen)
"A fully literate citizen is at once critically self-reflexive and critically reflexive of his/her collective and position within it." (Spooner, 2007).
Digital Citizenship Wiki: by teachtech
Digital Citizenship Articles: by Ribble and Bailey
Digital Citizenship Podcast: Wes Fryer
Important Resources:
This is a collection of resources that can be used by educators or students regarding the issue of digital citizenship. Note: the questions used here are targeted primarily at high school students, but many of these questions apply to anyone new to the topic.
Definitions:
Digital Citizenship can be defined as norms of behaviour with regard to technology use. As a way of understanding the complexity of digital citizenship and the issues of technology use, abuse and misuse, we have identified nine general areas: Etiquette, Communication, Education, Access, Commerce, Responsibility, Rights, Safety & Security. (Ribble, et. al, p. 2)
"Digital citizenship isn’t just about recognising and dealing with online hazards. It’s about building safe spaces and communities, understanding how to manage personal information, and about being internet savvy - using your online presence to grow and shape your world in a safe, creative way, and inspiring others to do the same." (Digizen)
"A fully literate citizen is at once critically self-reflexive and critically reflexive of his/her collective and position within it." (Spooner, 2007).
Digital Citizenship Wiki: by teachtech
Digital Citizenship Articles: by Ribble and Bailey
Digital Citizenship Podcast: Wes Fryer
Important Resources:
- Digizen: An excellent resource on digital citizenship from Childnet of the UK.
- DigitalCitizenship.net: A strong resource from Mike Ribble that includes the Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship.
- Digital Citizenship/CSLA: A digital citizenship wiki from the California School Library Association. There are many activities and resources here for students of various grade levels, teachers, parents, and administrators.
- Media Awareness Network: Canada's best media education resource which also includes the BeWebAware resource re: digital safety.
- BrainPop: BrainPop put together a nice 'Spotlight on Digital Citizenship' that includes many informative animated videos on various related topics.
- Text Unto Others: A strong article from THE Journal focused on digital citizenship.
- NetKnowHow: Comprehensive resource from 2Learn.ca
Netiquette?
Definition From Arizona State University's Wiki on Social Knowledge in the Academy
Netiquette is a slang word for network and online communication etiquette; the written and unwritten rules of etiquette that govern online interaction between users of Usenet, mailing lists, e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, internet forums, and online social networks. Etiquette is defined as the conventional requirements for polite behavior; properties of conduct; good manners. Basic netiquette as described in detail in Virginia Shea’s book asserts, first and foremost, to be polite when in cyberspace. There is a human at the other end; don’t relay information or impolite comments you normally wouldn’t say to the person if communicating face to face.
According to Shea the word "etiquette" means "the forms required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be required in social or official life."
Netiquette for the New Millennium is rapidly becoming a "universally understood behavioral standard that transcends cultures, businesses, and geographic boundaries." (Sullivan, 2002)
Cyberspace users need to be aware of where they are and use Netiquette rules where applicable. Rules will differ for Internet users compared to a commercial online service. Therefore, it is important to know where you are, listen and watch before joining into the mix.
If one considers the definition of etiquette by Shea and also understands the unfortunate truth that some people do not necessarily have the required good breeding for proper etiquette, then it may be easier to understand the need for continual knowledge on the subject of Netiquette. Whether in person or not, so long as a social setting is involved, there will always be rules for behavior. Those rules should not be diminished because there isn't any person-to-person contact.
Go to the ASU wiki to learn more.
Netiquette is a slang word for network and online communication etiquette; the written and unwritten rules of etiquette that govern online interaction between users of Usenet, mailing lists, e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, internet forums, and online social networks. Etiquette is defined as the conventional requirements for polite behavior; properties of conduct; good manners. Basic netiquette as described in detail in Virginia Shea’s book asserts, first and foremost, to be polite when in cyberspace. There is a human at the other end; don’t relay information or impolite comments you normally wouldn’t say to the person if communicating face to face.
According to Shea the word "etiquette" means "the forms required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be required in social or official life."
Netiquette for the New Millennium is rapidly becoming a "universally understood behavioral standard that transcends cultures, businesses, and geographic boundaries." (Sullivan, 2002)
Cyberspace users need to be aware of where they are and use Netiquette rules where applicable. Rules will differ for Internet users compared to a commercial online service. Therefore, it is important to know where you are, listen and watch before joining into the mix.
If one considers the definition of etiquette by Shea and also understands the unfortunate truth that some people do not necessarily have the required good breeding for proper etiquette, then it may be easier to understand the need for continual knowledge on the subject of Netiquette. Whether in person or not, so long as a social setting is involved, there will always be rules for behavior. Those rules should not be diminished because there isn't any person-to-person contact.
Go to the ASU wiki to learn more.
Virginia Shea's Netiquette
Web version of Netiquette by Virginia Shea
Living Internet
Living Internet is the second book published on the Internet, and the first book to be published for the Internet. This site was written from 1996 through 1999, posted on the web on January 7, 2000, and updated regularly. It has more than 700 pages, 2,000 intra-site links, and 2,000 external links. The site was authored by Bill Stewart, who also maintains the FreeOpenSourceSoftware wiki and the best practices document The Fun Standard.
This image of a webpage on netiquette offers concrete details about form & content of Web communications. Because this is just an image of the page, the links (text in blue, below) are not active. To access the complete page, including the active links, click here.
That's Not Cool dot com
Sponsored and co-created by the Family Violence Prevention Fund,
the Office on Violence Against Women and the Ad Council, this site is
designed to address new and complicated problems between teens who are
dating or hooking up—problems like constant and controlling texting,
pressuring for nude pictures, and breaking into someone's e-mail or
social networking page.
