Creating a Community of Responsible Digital Citizens
Board/Superintendent Regional Dinner sponsored by LHCSS, DCSBA, RCSBA, WPSBA
November 4, 2019
It was great to see so many Board members and Superintendents from the four county region come together to focus on civic engagement – teaching students to be better digital citizens and learning to be more effective advocates online.
The two speakers,
David Benoit, Senior Director of Channel and District Partnerships from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and
Senator Shelley Mayer, Chair of the State Senate Education Committee, each brought their expertise and personal experience with digital civic participation to give insight and examples of effective digital citizenship practices.
David Benoit opened the evening by talking about ISTE’s work in the
digital citizenship realm, and the organization’s recent commitment to providing resources to educators through the
DigCitCommit partnership. Tips for educators:
- Positive engagement with technology is key: Digital citizenship is not just about online safety or a long list of “don’ts”.
- Commit to digital citizenship education for the long haul: Technology is here to stay and learning age-appropriate digital behavior can start in kindergarten.
- Integrate digital citizenship into the classroom every day: There is not enough time in the school day to “add” digital citizenship as a separate lesson. Learning appropriate and effective use of digital media needs to be part of every school day as technology is now part of everyday life.
Digital citizenship needs to become part of the fabric of what we model and teach. Treating others with respect and empathy online, and understanding safe, effective digital engagement is necessary in this evolving digital world.
Senator Shelley Mayer, as an advocate and legislator, provided examples and insight into the use of technology and social media for civic participation and effective advocacy campaigns. She focused her remarks on two key messages: first, the effective use of technology in education advocacy; and second, providing opportunities for student civic participation. Tips for advocates and educators:
- A coordinated campaign involving social media and digital presence, including hashtags and tagging legislators, is hard for legislators to ignore.
- Create a consistent message or “ask” and involve diverse stakeholders (including students) who come together for a unified purpose, and effectively articulate a position through speeches, videos, and social media.
- Provide school-based civic participation opportunities for all students to ensure they learn how to use their voice positively to become engaged citizens in the future.
Voter registration or pre-registration in schools is a good starting point, however, teaching students about civic participation and giving them opportunities to use their voice is critical to creating an effective citizenry.
