How to be a Digital Citizen

 A person who has the knowledge and skills to effectively use digital technology to connect with others, engage in society, and create and consume digital material is referred to as a digital citizen.

There are several ways to be a good digital citizen, such as : 

1. Encourage critical thinking skills: Students should be taught to consider what they do online and how they connect with others. What do they stand to gain (or lose) by putting specific images or content on the internet? What impact will their comments have on others? What can others infer or deduce from their words? Maintain an open discourse in the classroom and make sure children are comfortable discussing their online activities. Encourage them to ask you or another adult about something they see online if they are unclear how to react or if they should react at all.

2. Connect with your community: Schools, groups like Kids Assist Phone, community centers, and your local police and health departments all have resources to help you and your children utilize the Internet critically, productively, and fairly.

3. Consult the H&PE curriculum: In the Personal Safety and Injury Prevention component of the Healthy Living strand, the H&PE curriculum offers a set of standards for online behavior (and through the Living Skills). The Living Abilities program teaches students how to maintain healthy relationships by teaching them personal, interpersonal, critical, and creative thinking skills. Self-advocacy, conflict resolution, anger management, and decision-making abilities, as well as the capacity to utilize assertiveness, resistance, and refusal strategies, are all covered, and can assist students in responding safely and effectively online.

4. Refer to resources for further assistance: Ophea provides a number of materials to promote good digital citizenship. Cyber Cops is a lesson plan for children in grades 7 and 8 that teaches them how to respond to and recognize different types of online safety concerns. Connect[ED] is also an excellent resource for children in grades 4 to 6 who are concerned about internet safety. (Both are free, bilingual, and accessible via Ophea's Teaching Tools.)