EDLD 5316 Week 1 Journal Reflection

I have started a new class as part of my Digital Learning and Leading course through Lamar University. The course, EDLD 5316, is about digital citizenship. The concept of digital citizenship is not new to me; however, the term digital citizenship is new to me. For this course, we will focus on Mike Ribble's definition of digital citizenship from his book, Digital Citizenship in Schools: Nine Elements all Students Should Know. Ribble defines digital citizenship as "the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use" (Ribble, 2015). That definition is good, but also basic and broad, more like a goal. However, the nine elements he defines break down that definition and transforms it from a goal to easy to understand concepts and teachable concepts. Those nine elements are: digit access, digital commerce, digital communication, digital literacy, digital etiquette, digital law, digital rights and responsibilities, digital health and wellness, and digital security.

This week has been an introduction to digital citizenship to me. I began to think about my thoughts and opinions on citizenship and digital citizenship. For me, citizenship is about being respectful to my fellow citizens, and participating in civic duties, such as voting and jury duty. Digital citizenship, to me, means to extend that respectful attitude to my fellow humans that I may encounter while on the internet.

I also began to wonder what my children's thoughts were regarding those topics. My children, that were present, range in age from 13 to 18. They decided that citizenship is a loyalty to your country of origin or adoption for those that immigrate. Their thoughts on digital citizenship were varied. Ultimately, they settled on two points of interest: digital access and brand loyalty, apple products verses android products.

Through our family discussion, we decided to find a video that could help us to understand the basics of digital citizenship. I began the search while the discussion continued. I needed to find a video that would be short to hold everyone's attention, but offer the main points of digital citizenship. I also wanted the video to offer links for the children to learn and research more on their own. I found a great video on commonsensemedia.org. They enjoyed the video, and appreciated that it was short and to the point. The comments after watching the video were, "So, basically everything you and dad tell us all the time." I appreciated hearing that comment. I realized that they are hearing us when we talk to them about safety and responsibility. I also came to understand that I may know a little more about digital citizenship than I realized.

Though this is only the first week into this course regarding digital citizenship, I am excited about what I have learned so far and what I will be learning. As the weeks progress, I will be learning more about each of the nine elements as defined by Mike Ribble. I will learn how those elements apply to me, my children, and my students. It has always been my goal, with my children and my students, to produce productive citizens who prepared to attend university, should they choose that route. I will now be expanding my goal to include digital citizenship.

References:

What is Digital Citizenship? (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/what-is-digital-citizenship

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students should know (3rd ed.). Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education