Teachers as digital citizens By: Antonitte Clarice S. Yanos

Teachers, to improve teaching, look for new strategies to be innovative, connect with learners, parents, and fellow educators, and uses information and communication technology as a great resource. ICT is a useful tool for teachers in advancing 21st-century learning.

The emergence of information and communication technologies has developed undeniably and had a very great impact on the educational system. Innovative technologies hold many possibilities to improve and advance the delivery of quality education. According to OECD, the widespread presence of ICT in everyday life also creates a need for specific skills, education can raise awareness in children and their families about the risk that they face online and how to avoid them (OECD, 2012). As digital citizens, we have both rights and responsibilities, and learning more about digital citizenship, to teachers is crucial. Students shall be educated or taught to use technology responsibly. For teachers to be empowered on digital citizenship for students, he/she must understand that digital citizenship for students involves, online safety, protecting privacy, addressing cyberbullying, respecting copyright law, and managing the digital footprint. Any teacher who uses technology with students should be incorporating elements of digital citizenship (Mcguire,2019).

With the rise of the internet, we have become more and more present in the online world. This has come with its own sets of regulations which we need to abide by. Anywhere, rich or poor, young or old, they are more engaged with the internet. So, where should digital citizenship be taught? According to Brooke Mcguire, it should be taught consistently at school and at home. At school, students should be taught to become digitally literate and maintain privacy and security. At home, parents should reinforce discussions around safeguarding personal information, discuss cyberbullying and work with children on how to browse the web safely and engage with others online in a respectful fashion (Mcguire, 2019)

To be a responsible internet user is just simply being a responsible citizen in what we do and say. Using the Internet and social media simply means you have to think. Think about the effect your online activities will do on your welfare and their effect on others’ lives. Same with all other products of technology, they were all created with a good purpose, but using them irresponsibly will destroy anyone at any time. We are all individuals and we should act accordingly.

Teachers as part of the educative process have a great role to teach students to use technology in a responsible way ensuring their safety and the online environment. Digital citizenship isn’t just about keeping up with the trends. It is also about stimulating learners to assess the information that they are using and consuming and to steer the web responsibly. Remember that as educators, we can either make or break the young minds of the learners that are entrusted under our care. According to Geoff Mulgan, “There are incredible potential for digital technology in and beyond the classroom, but it is vital to rethink how learning is organized if we are to reap the rewards”.(