The Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship

“Nine Elements.” Digital Citizenship, www.digitalcitizenship.net/nine-elements.html.

The Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship

6. Digital Law: electronic responsibility for actions and deeds

Stealing and sabotaging people’s information and data is a crime, and is unethical

Ethical → abiding by the laws of society

Unethical → theft and/or crime

Digital laws deal with ethics of technology within a society

7. Digital Rights & Responsibilities: those freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world

Users must help define how the technology is to be used in an appropriate manner

Basic digital rights must be addressed, discussed, and understood in the digital world

Digital citizens have the right to privacy, free speech, etc.

8. Digital Health & Wellness: physical and psychological well-being in a digital technology world

Digital citizenship includes a culture where technology users are taught how to protect themselves through education and training

Users need to be taught the inherent dangers of technology

Psychological → internet addiction

Physical → eye safety, repetitive stress syndrome ,sound ergonomic practices

9. Digital Security (self-protection): electronic precautions to guarantee safety

Must have virus protection, backups of data, and surge control of equipment

Responsible citizens protect their information from outside forces that might cause disruption or harm

1. Digital Access: full electronic participation in society

Productive citizens make sure no one is denied digital access

Goal: help and provide access to technology

Supporting electronic access

Work toward equal digital rights

Not everyone has the same opportunities when it comes to technology

5. Digital Etiquette: electronic standards of conduct or procedure

People must be taught how to be responsible

Before using technology people are not taught digital etiquette (ie. appropriate conduct)

4. Digital Literacy: keeping up to date with technology

Individuals need a high degree of information literacy skills

Digital citizenship involves educating people in a new way

As new technology emerges, learners need to learn how to use technology quickly and appropriately

Learners must be taught how to learn in a digital society; taught how to learn anything, anytime, anywhere

Workers in many different occupations need immediate information (just-in-time information), which requires sophisticated searching and processing skills (ie. information literacy)

New technologies are finding their place into the workplace that are not being used in schools (ie. videoconferencing)

3. Digital Communication: electronic exchange of information

Many users have not been taught how to make appropriate decisions when faced with so many different digital communication options

Everyone has the opportunity to communicate and collaborate with anyone from anywhere and anytime

2. Digital Commerce: electronic transactions

Learn to be effective consumers

There are goods and services which conflict with laws and morals

Be aware of issues involving electronic transactions