To support the Technology Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) across grades KG – 8, our annual Digital Citizenship Week in Midlothian ISD encourages our learners to consider information on ethical and safety concepts as they work in the digital age (something I never worried about during my formative years!).  Our creative Library Media Specialists (our really smart cookies) have designed engaging lessons centered on five key components of the digital age in the 21st century:

Copyright and Fair Use:  Learners talk about pride in creating personal work and presenting it as their own while being taught appropriate ways to give credit for the work of others and how to cite it.

Digital Etiquette:  Discussion centers about what we say online, including the example of not saying anything you would not say to a person’s face…”words online should always be kind.”  🙂

Digital Safety:  Activities share ideas for staying safe and using common sense while working online.

Cyberbullying:  Specific care is taken to talk about online bullying (the most common form of bullying in this country, especially in adults).  Our tweets, texts, blogs, and multiple media forms are permanent…”just like the toothpaste in the tube, once you say something, text it, tweet it, comment on it, send it, or post it, you can’t take it back…”

Digital Footprint:  Learners sum-up the top tips to remember about digital citizenship like “let an adult know if anything you read or see makes you feel worried or upset” or “treat your password like your toothbrush; don’t share it with anyone and change it often.”  🙂

Special thanks to our own LMS, Melissa Bolgiano, and her team of techies who delivered informative, fun daily lessons and morning messages along with special public service announcements all week.  While digital citizenship is a relatively new term for some, it is everyday vocabulary for our 21st Century digital natives.  I challenge you to discuss these concepts with your child this weekend; you just might learn something new about your own digital citizenship!  🙂

Note:  We look forward our POWER of Miller celebration tomorrow along with the annual PTO Sock Hop and Classic Car Show…see you there!