Tool #11: Digital Citizen

The three points I would like to discuss with students of all ages including my children (15, 14, and 5 years old) are part of the Use of Technology outside of the school environment. Teachers are concern about the use of devices that our students have access, but what about the parents? Do the parents know what their children are doing, watching, playing, listening or writing when they are using the Internet?

Security and Safety: All students are exposed to hazards with the use of the Internet, they spend to much time playing alone on the computer (navigating). Limit the use of the computer or any other device would be a solution, but it is important to let students know that any Internet web page may contain risks and they can be vulnerable. Students should not use their personal information to communicate with people who they don't know.

Etiquette: Many people can see what we write. When students write on the Internet they need to be respectful, our words show what we are and what we think. Something very important: The effort that others have done to develop a work should be valued, if we want to use what other people have created, we must give them the credit, and sometimes we need to ask permission before using some documents, pictures, videos, images, and music that we can find in the Internet.

Rights and Responsibilities: Sometimes students spend to much time using the computer, they forget the world around them, and they are free to express what they think about others, about the world etc..but they need to know that when they are expressing their thoughts, they should be responsible, remind your students that every body has limits when using the Internet and they need to be worry about the good and the bad things that they can find or they can do .

Digital Citizen helps us :

• To be more responsible when using the Internet (Using the computer or other devices)
• To educate our students and their parents about the use of the Internet

As educators we must set an example for our students, we need to illustrate and demonstrate the use of this new technology, and we must no forget that as adults we also are exposed to dangers when using the Internet.