Digital Citizenship

With Digital, our youth are learning differently. They are creating relationships differently and growing up with a different set of skills than their teachers/parents/guardians are used to. Digital Citizenship is designed as a playbook for the digital life skills that are required to thrive and be successful in a digital world. The foundation is built around emotional intelligence (EQ) that recognizes empathy, self-awareness, confidence and others as important elements that are lacking in today’s digital kids. In addition to having a device and all the world’s information at one’s fingertips – self-branding, balance in the real world, digital literacy, responsibility and accountability are all skills that are required in a digital world
Lesson Expectations:
To provide the science and psychology behind digital media’s impact on social, emotional, and behavioral influences & how it can impact our beliefs and even our culture. To do this, we start with an understanding of the business models and data collection practices that feed information to us and how they are designed to keep your attention. Then we identify the importance of developing emotional intelligence, empathy, critical thinking skills and digital literacy for students to become more aware of the intersection of their digital and real lives. The constant flow of information flooding children’s devices today makes it important to discuss digital literacy, fact-checking and create an understanding of the influence of digital media, texts and posts.
Goals
Our goal is to cultivate & maintain a child’s values, morals, and beliefs as we become better digital consumers and citizens. Without guidance, digital platforms can manipulate behaviors, attitudes, and emotions with suggestive material to alter how we think and feel. Children will be introduced to the right tools to avoid a SPIRAL, develop their ART skills and acquire GRIT.
Avoid the S.P.I.R.A.L. effect of online Suggestions turning to Propaganda pushing a point of view that becomes the Imitation and Rumors we participate in that Alter and Lead us down new paths.
Developing A.R.T. (acceptance, resiliency, & tolerance) skills enables kids to identify empathetic experiences to appreciate the differences we have with others.
G.R.I.T. – Guard our emotions from being infected by digital contagions, Recognize the goal of the platform, media or author behind the post, Investigate for truth/lies or fact/fiction to limit disinformation or biases. Think before participating on platforms, being mindful before we comment or post. With determination & G.R.I.T. kids can combat these infectious online influences.
With these foundations, kids can use practical activities to become safer, emotionally intelligent & conscious of our digital surroundings.
Objectives: As a result of this course students will be able to:
• Identify social media platforms objectives influencing our behaviors, attitudes, and emotions.
• Understand behavioral, emotional, and social contagion theory as it applies to digital media.
• Identify the importance of data protection and being more intentional with our attention.
• Explain the effects of misinformation and disinformation.
• View digital consumption from all perspectives to get the correct perceptions.
• Awareness of our personal biases & imitation influencing daily decisions.
• Describe how personal value should come within, not from faceless online groups.
• Empower students to think before they send.