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:
- 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.
- I use complex passwords for online accounts AND I do not use the same password for multiple accounts.
- 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
- I use copyright-friendly images, music, content AND I properly cite any content I use
- I post and share articles and memes that are of political nature
- I verify accuracy before sharing articles, memes, or links online
- I engage in online discourse with people whose opinions differ than mine
- I read other people's posts, especially when the topic is sensitive in nature, before posting my own thoughts
- I stay on topic when I post on a discussion thread
- 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
- I am familiar with the term "shaming culture" AND can share some examples
- I am familiar with the term "homophily" AND can explain how it causes bias
- I am familiar with the term "filter bubble" AND understand how it affects what I see online
- I consider the dynamics of online communities and discussions when deciding whether to engage
- 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
- 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
- I am conscious of the role that online participation plays in shaping my thoughts and to my biases.
- I am often on my phone (or tablet) when I should be sleeping
- I grab my phone, first thing, when I wake up in the morning
- I always put my phone out of reach when I am sharing a meal with friends or family
- I am often on my phone during times that family or friends are in the same room with me
- Technology has played a role in advancing at least one relationship that otherwise would be very difficult to maintain
- 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)
- I have "Googled" myself and am aware of what is on the internet
- I have intentionally posted content online that shows my "best self" AND I have refrained from posting anything that could make me look bad
- I have been guilty of feeling envious of someone else because of what he/she posts on social media
- I get a kick out of people "liking" my posts
- I am on social media multiple times per day
- I often get "lost" in playing video games and lose all sense of time
- 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
- 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
- I am aware of how social media use affects my emotional well-being AND I adjust my level of engagement accordingly
- I often look things up online that I am naturally curious about
- I seek out ways to understand different perspectives from my own, especially from those with whom I have geographic and/or cultural differences
- 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