Digital Citizenship

What do students really need to know about digital citizenship?

This article from Edutopia discussed the "9 Key P's" of digital citizenship.  The author, Vicki Davis, suggests discussing the each of the following P's of digital citizenship throughout the year.

1. Passwords - Students must know how to create a secure password and a system for remembering those passwords. See 10 Important Password Tips Everyone Should Know.

2. Privacy - Are we teaching our students how to protect private information?  

3. Personal Information - Be careful who and how much information you share!

4. Photographs - Geo-tagging features and facial recognition software can easy locate you!

5. Property - Caution must be taken when searching Google for images.  Students must learn how to go to the source, ask permission, and cite the source.

6. Permission - Correctly site work you use!  Give permission where it belongs.

7. Protection - Help students understand viruses and identity theft

8. Professionalism - Discuss netiquette - how to appropriately communicate on the Internet

9. Personal Brand - "Digital tattoo" - your online identify is formed by you over time.  It is easy to create, but very difficult to remove!

I enjoyed reading this article by Vicki Davis.  I want to teach my students to stay safe online. Often I believe students think they can hide behind their computer.  I look forward to teaching my students about their "digital tattoo" and how they are building their online reputation now!