Research and Digital Citizenship

Introduction

Digital Citizenship could often be looked at as a given right, but rather it’s more of a concept which teaches people how to use technology appropriately. quoted from Mike Ribble, “Digital Citizenship is the norms of appropriate, responsible technology use.”

Growth

The growth of digital citizenship is widespread, meaning it’s not limited to the United States but rather it is being exposed to the world. The main place that uses digital citizenship is schools, especially schools that impose a Bring your own device (BYOD) rule, whereas schools that provide technology can use software to help limit the counteraction of digital citizenship.

Aspects of Digital Citizenship

There are nine main aspects of digital citizenship with minor variation how each are described. The main themes are: Digital Access, Commerce, Communication, Literacy, Etiquette, Law, Rights, Health, and Security. These concepts each affect computer use  in a variety of ways for example, Digital Access affects computer use by providing basic access to computers essential to even being able to be a digital citizen. Compare that to Digital Commerce, which allows companies such as Amazon to exist. See what I mean, totally different concepts but one allows the other to exist because if you have no computer to order products… …well you get the picture. Digital Communication in digital citizenship  means to use technology for communication with others, with respectful etiquette. Digital Literacy is using common sense to communicate online but a better more sophisticated way to say this comes from the National Library where they said, “Digital citizenship relies on digital literacy. It includes these values and behaviors:

• honest, responsible, and ethical approaches to accessing and using digital content.”

Digital Etiquette is more or less a aspect of which you could use common sense for but in its simplest form, be kind to others, be authentic, and be honorable with your actions. Digital Law / Rights is where you have to follow some rules, of which include, SB 1177 – September 2014 – Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA) – The most comprehensive industry-targeted student-data-privacy legislation in the country. The law, spearheaded by Common Sense CEO Jim Steyer, is the most aggressive legislative effort to date aimed at protecting the privacy and security of student data. The law is unique in that puts the responsibility for protecting student data directly on industry by expressly prohibiting education technology service providers from selling student data, using that information to advertise to students or their families, or “amassing a profile” on students to be used for noneducational purposes. Law took effect in January 2016. (Source: Commonsensemedia.org), AB 1584 – September 2014 – Existing law prohibits a school district from permitting access to pupil records to any person without parental consent or without a judicial order, except to specified persons under certain circumstances, including to a contractor or consultant with a legitimate educational interest who has a formal written agreement or contract with the school district regarding the provision of outsourced institutional services or functions by the contractor or consultant, AB 1442 – September 2014 – Existing law requires school districts to establish, maintain, and destroy pupil records according to regulations adopted by the State Board of Education.