4.  Reflect on your own digital citizenship


Now that we have a laid a good foundation for understanding what digital citizenship is, let's start thinking about our own engagement in the digital world. In other words, it's time to ask ourselves, "What kind of digital citizenship am I?"


Activity 4a: Respond to items regarding your digital engagement

Items for survey:
  1. I can tell the difference between a legitimate email/website versus one that is fake (even if the email appears to come from someone I know) AND I delete emails that seem "fishy" without opening them.
  2. I use complex passwords for online accounts AND I do not use the same password for multiple accounts.
  3. I have a basic understanding of the data I'm sharing with technology companies (and who they're sharing it with) AND I consider that when I sign up for new accounts, engage in social media, and conduct internet searches
  4. I use copyright-friendly images, music, content AND I properly cite any content I use
  5. I post and share articles and memes that are of political nature
  6. I verify accuracy before sharing articles, memes, or links online
  7. I engage in online discourse with people whose opinions differ than mine
  8. I read other people's posts, especially when the topic is sensitive in nature, before posting my own thoughts
  9. I stay on topic when I post on a discussion thread
  10. I know when I am the intended audience for an online post and when I'm not AND I refrain from posting on threads that are not intended for me
  11. I am familiar with the term "shaming culture" AND can share some examples
  12. I am familiar with the term "homophily" AND can explain how it causes bias
  13. I am familiar with the term "filter bubble" AND understand how it affects what I see online
  14. I consider the dynamics of online communities and discussions when deciding whether to engage
  15. I have witnessed cyberbullying (not a student, but within your own peer group) AND have reached out to the person being bullied to lend support and an empathetic ear
  16. I have witnessed cyberbullying (not a student, but within your own peer group) AND have stood up to the bully despite the risk of losing friends by doing so
  17. I am conscious of the role that online participation plays in shaping my thoughts and to my biases.
  18. I am often on my phone (or tablet) when I should be sleeping 
  19. I grab my phone, first thing, when I wake up in the morning
  20. I always put my phone out of reach when I am sharing a meal with friends or family
  21. I am often on my phone during times that family or friends are in the same room with me
  22. Technology has played a role in advancing at least one relationship that otherwise would be very difficult to maintain
  23. I often share my activities, locations, or photos on social media when I think they put me in a good light (e.g., when I am at the beach, or dining at a hot spot, or doing a tough workout)
  24. I have "Googled" myself and am aware of what is on the internet 
  25. I have intentionally posted content online that shows my "best self" AND I have refrained from posting anything that could make me look bad
  26. I have been guilty of feeling envious of someone else because of what he/she posts on social media
  27. I get a kick out of people "liking" my posts
  28. I am on social media multiple times per day
  29. I often get "lost" in playing video games and lose all sense of time
  30. I have "deleted" a social media account at least one time in the past because I felt I was wasting too much time on it
  31. I have been upset by something that someone posted on social media to the point that it affected my mood for more than 30 minutes
  32. I am aware of how social media use affects my emotional well-being AND I adjust my level of engagement accordingly
  33. I often look things up online that I am naturally curious about
  34. I seek out ways to understand different perspectives from my own, especially from those with whom I have geographic and/or cultural differences
  35. I have used technology to enrich a community OR to help solve a problem in my local or global community


Activity 4b: Reflect

Take some time to reflect on the previous activity. This is personal and you will not be asked to share your thoughts, so be honest as you think about the following questions:
  • Was there anything surprising or unexpected that surfaced for you during the exercise?
  • Did any of the items make you cringe while you answered them? What do you think that means?
  • Are there any behaviors that you hadn't previously thought about, that were brought to light during the exercise? If so, were they positive or negative? Will you be more conscious of them from this point on?
  • Were any habits of mind illuminated during the exercise? If so, will it affect any aspect of your digital participation?
  • Overall, how would you rate your digital citizenship?

After you've taken some time to think, do some journaling. Use your workbook or another journaling mechanism of your choice to cement your thinking.

Put this in the workbook



Let's practice searching for Internet sources.  Go to section 4.