Another Dimension of Digital Literacies

Cyberbullying is real, affects many young people and in my mind, is part of what one needs to know about digital citizenship. Every year, there are celebrations on E-safety and Digital Citizenship but then the issues seem to quietly fade away, leaving questions unspoken, unanswered. 

E-safety is so much more than not giving out one's phone number and home address online; digital citizenship is so much more than merely considering one's digital footstep. E-safety, Netiquette, what it means to be a digital citizenship are all part of digital literacies. On the one hand, there is a need to de-mystify what many young people still consider to be safe/unsafe online; on the other hand, with playground bullying increasingly taking place online, with sexting becoming almost a passing of rite among teenagers, digital literacies should take a broader scope and not limit itself to the use of digital online tools.

As more countries upgrade their internet connections and connecting through mobile devices becomes more wide-spread, so too should digital literacies become part of the curriculum and not merely an occasional mention in the classroom.

Here are some suggestions which offer games raising awareness to young learners and teens.

Learn with Clicky

Kids Against Bullying

Safety Land











Consider the facts displayed in this infographic:

(taken from Maps of World.com)

How do you integrate Digital Citizenship in your classes?


Further References:

Define the Line 

Digital Citizenship - Videos

Digital Footstep

Digital Me - Resources

Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship

Netiquette Online

The Core Rules of Netiquette

Be Safe, Be Cool

Games for Digital Safety

You, Me and Social Networks

Celebrating Digital Learning and Digital Safety

Internet Safety Day

Be Safe 


Note:

I'd like to thank John Mak for having originally shared the above video and Markus Regeuls, from where I took the image behind the collage above.