How can digital literacy support the development of digital citizenship?

By taking part in the online world, we need to be aware of how we are taking part in it. Who we present ourselves impacts who we are seen as a digital citizen. Thus, we need to support digital literacy so that we can present our best selves. As noted by Coiro, Castek, and Quinn, “students learn to ask questions, choose resources, and create products that demonstrate their learning” ;and that they need to learn “how students use technology during inquiry” (2016). Students do wish to be active online and to participate in a meaningful way. Thus, it is in our best interests to build digital literacy with our students so that they may explore and build their online persona through a critical lens that benefits them and their understanding of the digital world.

Mitchell states that “digital citizenship education needs to consider youth political identity and democratic participation in digital spaces if educators wish to take full advantage of the empowering potential of participatory technology” (2016). Youth want to participate in politics, just using a different form than what we consider traditional means. Thus, we need to build critical thinking of what we read and see online so they can understand the different ways we can engage. By building digital literacy, students are able to understand more than just news. They can understand how their words can impact the world around them. They can create social movements that move offline and into the real world (Pink Shirt Day, anyone?). Everything starts with digital literacy and how they choose to use it to connect with their digital citizenship.

References

Coiro, Castek, & Quinn. (2016). Personal inquiry and online research: Connecting learners in ways that matter

Mitchell (2016). Beyond Digital Citizenship