Blog #4 Digital Citizenship: Learning to Be Responsible in Online Spaces

                      Digital Citizenship: Learning to Be Responsible in Online Spaces

This week’s learning really highlighted for me that digital citizenship is not just about using technology properly it is about how we treat people, how we think critically, and how we protect ourselves and others online. The topics of online relationships, cyberbullying, and media literacy all connect to the kind of classroom community I hope to build one day.

One of the biggest things I would focus on in my classroom is how we communicate online. Students need to understand that not every conversation belongs on a screen. Tone can be misunderstood, and things said online can spread quickly and be hard to take back. I would use role-play and class discussions to explore how messages can be interpreted differently and when it is better to talk face-to-face instead of through a comment or post. Building empathy would be a big part of this, because students need to remember there is a real person on the other side of the screen.

Another major focus would be cyberbullying and negative online behaviour. I have personally seen a lot of negative behaviour online, especially in comment sections on platforms like TikTok and Facebook. Usually, I just scroll past and do not engage. However, after watching the videos this week, especially the Teen Voices: Dealing with Digital Drama video, I realized there are more responsible ways I could respond. Instead of just ignoring harmful comments, I could report the account or comment. This is something I would also teach my students that they do not have to respond to negativity, but they can take action in ways that help keep online spaces safer.

In my classroom, I would clearly teach do’s and don’t for online interaction. Some do’s would include being respectful and supportive in responses, leaving positive comments on classmates posts, and using a friendly, clear tone when answering questions online. Some don’t would include leaving rude or sarcastic comments, or only focusing on posting your own opinions while ignoring others. I want students to see online class spaces as an extension of our classroom community, where everyone deserves to feel safe and heard.

When it comes to cyberbullying, I would emphasize a few key steps:

• Tell a trusted adult
• Do not respond to bullying, because reacting can sometimes make the situation worse
• Block and report the person using the platform’s tools
• Support the person being targeted, either through a kind private message or by reporting harmful behaviour

The section on news and media literacy also stood out to me. Students are constantly seeing information online, and not all of it is true or trustworthy. I would teach them to ask questions like: Who made this? What do they want me to believe? Is this a reliable source? These skills are just as important as reading and writing, because they help students make sense of the world around them.

One challenge I foresee is that students online lives often happen outside of school, where teachers cannot always see what is going on, sometimes even parents do not know it is going on. They may also see negative behaviour modelled by influencers or even adults. Because of this, digital citizenship cannot be a one-time lesson. It needs to be ongoing and connected to real platforms and situations students experience. It can happen on any online platform, not just social media, even games like Roblox or among us have chat rooms. 

Something that really resonated with me this week was how quickly things can spiral once they are posted online. Some things you see go viral on TikTok in less then 24 hours millions of people can see it. Also, your digital footprint, you could do something as simple as liking a comment and it could cost you your job. I have seen this before with the cancel culture online. People that are loved by millions or thousands get their career ended because someone looked back at their twitter or their likes and they get exposed. It is so important to teach students early that online actions can have lasting effects, something you liked or said 15 years ago can come back at you. 

Overall, this week taught  me that digital citizenship is about building respectful, thoughtful, and safe communities not just in our classrooms, but in the digital world students are growing up in every day.