Digital Citizenship Evenings: Connecting Parents and Educators
Author: Rick Phelan
Published: 03.13.15
As schools evolve in their use of electronic curriculum materials and technology in support of Common Core Standards implementation, connections between school and home are more important than ever. At four recent parent education nights in Sonoma County, parents were eager to learn how they can guide and support their children’s learning with technology.
At these events, parents expressed interest in a wide range of technology topics: Internet safety, privacy and security, information literacy, and prevention of cyberbullying. Taken together, these ideas are the core elements of a digital citizenship curriculum. Parents and educators are finding that they have shared questions and concerns about students’ use of technology. Below are some examples of the issues and questions they have been discussing.
Internet Safety
- What websites are safe for students to go to?
- Who should students interact with online? Who shouldn’t they interact with?
Privacy & Security
- What rules should we provide when students are working online?
- What kind of information is OK for them to post?
Relationships & Communication
- What do children need to learn about appropriate online behavior?
- How can we be sure that they are interacting in safe online communities?
Cyberbullying
- Are students communicating appropriately and demonstrating respect online?
- Do they know how to react if they see or experience cyberbullying?
Digital Reputation
- How do we help students decide what information is appropriate to share online?
- Are they posting information that reflects positively on their character?
Self Image & Identity
- How do students develop self-concepts?
- What is the role of media and technology in shaping their identity?
Information Literacy
- How effectively are students navigating through the Internet?
- How do they decide if the websites and information they find online can be trusted?
Digital Citizenship Evenings
Digital Citizenship Evenings help parents and educators focus on these topics. The evening’s agenda can be tailored to involve activities suited to specific needs and interests. For example, presentations can promote awareness and understanding, then hands-on activities can support technology skill development. Small group demonstrations are an effective way to guide learning about social media apps such as Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, Vine, and others. Panel discussions can feature teacher, administrator, parent, and student responses to questions and gain input from audiences on important questions.
Schools can freely use materials offered below to host digital citizenship events.
Digital Citizenship Presentation
Google SlideShow Version
PowerPoint Version
Digital Citizenship Articles
Character Education for the Digital Age, by Jason Ohler
Digital Citizenship Resource Pages, George Lucas Educational Foundation
Common Sense Media Foundation Videos
Lessons in Action: Digital Citizenship
SCOE Resources
K-12 Lessons from Common Sense Media – Arranged by theme and grade level
Digital Citizenship: Excellent Resources from Common Sense Media
CyberSafety: Finding Balance & Building Responsibility
Guiding Young Children’s Access to Digital Media
Additional Support
Sonoma County schools that want support for hosting a Digital Citizenship Evening may contact Rick Phelan at rphelan@scoe.org or (707) 524-2847.
Blog: Technology for Learners
