Digital Citizenship and Safety Online
What is Digital Citizenship?
Digital citizenship is the ability to navigate our digital environments in a way that's safe and responsible and to actively and respectfully engage in these spaces.
“Although we live and interact in the digital world similarly to the offline world, we're not always as mindful of our online actions. We can sometimes act without realizing how it could affect our reputation, safety and growth as digital citizens. In the meantime, everything we do online affects and defines our digital world and selves.
Digital media also provide unique opportunities for everyone to get involved, speak out, and make changes online and offline. Our actions in our online world can have a real impact, and we all have a role to play as active digital citizens (Media Smarts).”
Why Digital Citizenship?
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23
Our students are encouraged to become wise, digital learners who can search online within boundaries, ensuring Internet safety and healthy learning. With this in mind, here are some helpful guidelines for your new online learner.
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Talk to your students about online responsibility regarding hours of use, which sites may be accessed and which are undesirable. Educate yourself about the Internet and which sites your students are using.
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Create family rules, including hours of use, which sites may be accessed, and which may not.
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Place your computer in a central, open location like the living room so Internet time can be supervised.
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Create tech-free time and encourage exercise on an ongoing basis after periods of stationary work at the computer.
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Read up more at ProtectKidsOnline.ca
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Online Parenting Book by The White Hatter
Students who are new to using technology can learn more through these BrainPOP videos.
Privacy and Data Security
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Investigate new applications, services, and websites before you use them.
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Be cautious and sensitive to the ramifications of what you post about yourself or anyone else online.
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Alert your students to possible online dangers, such as providing personal information.
Online Safety Resources
- Being Safe on the Internet Video
- BrainPOP Jr. video – Internet safety
Book Curations on Online Safety
Learn More
Reducing Risk with Social Media and Privacy K- Gr 2
Before your students use social media, have them watch the following video from Friendly Screens animation. This will help with privacy issues.
Disney video to learn about online safety.
RightNow Media also has videos on bullying with the McGee and Me! Series. https://www.rightnowmedia.org/ For an invitation to access the RightNow Media site, please email Margaret Basaraba.
- Encourage your younger students in grades K-5 to engage in 21st century tools like subscriptions: Reading Eggs and Pebble Go, WorldBook and Explora Primary, where they can learn safely with limited access.
- Teach privacy skills including Privacy Pirates: An interactive Unit on Online Privacy from MediaSmarts.ca.
- Teach Representing Ourselves Online from MediaSmarts.ca.
Some other materials you can find on Overdrive e Library include the following: Ellray Jakes, the Dragon Slayer! by Sally Warner and Growing Up Online by NBC News for all three sections.
Safety on the Net:
Be Safe on the Internet by Bridget Heos
Being a Good Digital Citizen:
The Defeat of the Cyberbully by Ben Halpert
What is Bullying and What can I Do About It?:
Llama Llama and the Bully Goat by Anna Dewdney
Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully by Audrey Penn
Be Internet Awesome:
Be Internet Awesome: Helping kids be safe, confident explorers of the online world.
Digital Citizenship & Bullying Unit Study Kits