Running Head: Creating Digital Citizens 1

Creating Digital Citizens

Mark A. Rodriguez

Lamar University
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Digital Citizenship

Within the iCitizen study he/she is defined as being aware, empathetic, and socially responsible;

they believe in social justice and model socially responsibility both face-to face and virtually,

(Curran, 2012, p. 8). This definition of citizenship extends beyond the digital community on a

global scale. Digital citizenship is an extension of citizenship because of the progress of digital

accessibility. As finely stated by ISTE, many of the hallmarks of any good citizen are key

elements of digital citizenship and students must learn how to apply these tried and true qualities

to the realities of the digital age, (2014). With great consideration, digital citizenship is the

understanding of the characteristics of a good citizen and the effective implementation of these

qualities within a community that enhances the learning processes in a way that is conducive for

each individual learner. This is 21st Century skills and learning environments. Creating these

types of environments for the learners moves far beyond teacher-centered practices and

effectively implements student-centered approaches that allow for engagement, collaboration,

application, and reflection. Learning is active and flourishes in environments that provide

opportunities for students to follow their curiosity. It is through exploration that learners are

driven to continuously change and improve their understanding throughout the learning process

using digital tools. To prepare learners to have curiosity and a questioning disposition an

environment must encourages students to explore and take academic risks. Within the digital

age, learners are always connected and learning is mobile. We can engage, collaborate, and

reflect any time in our pursuit of self-fulfillment. Our students may have the ability to do this but

it is through modeling and communication that creates active participants in learning. Learning is

to stray, to seek, and to create opportunities for understanding the big ideas. This is where formal

and informal learning works together. The access to a set of standards and expectations hinges on
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the tools that permit learners to make sense of it all. Transferring this practice into the learning

environments will let students take ownership of their learning processes and outcomes.

As according to Ribble (2015), the nine elements were identified as a way of understanding

digital citizenship, technology use, abuse, and misuse. None of these nine elements stands alone

because each element directly and indirectly shapes the digital citizens we seek to become. The

nine elements are also a starting point for how we should create digital learning communities in

the near future. The most important elements for a digital citizen within a rapidly changing

digital world are access and literacy. This is important because students live in a very connected

world which makes digital access and the exchange of ideas through these access points

immediate. Likewise, technology literacy has expanded the boundaries and increased the abilities

to effectively use these tools in their pursuit of information. This change in technology literacy

has impacted learning environments in a positive way because it can now be effectively

connected to the outside world.

"Can learning happen where there are no schools?- -Nicholas Negroponte, 2002

In short, learning happens at anytime and anywhere because the idea of an actual school relates

to the old ideals of education. Learning is not limited to specific timeframes at definite locations.

Learning happens within the process. Stepping back and reflecting on convictions about

education, much of what is deemed important in the learning process stemmed from experiences

as a student. Many of the expectations held for the students are shaped by the traditional system

of education. Comply, comply, and comply. For learning to be initiated there needed to be a

complete shift in to a progressive approach. This creates the conditions in which students

become active participants in the learning process. Learning must be student-centered and

provide opportunities for creativity, flexibility, application, collaboration, and self-reliance. This
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is key for the success of our students. The environments we create should be learner-centered,

engaging, and create learning opportunities for everyone. To be active participants in learning,

students must become interactive in its development and apply new found knowledge in

authentic situations. No need for a physical school. In our learning environments we differ

tremendously from one because of the opportunities created for each individual. As Ken

Robinson (2010) reiterates, within the current educational system, the industrial model of lineal

direction dislocates individuals from his/her natural talents. What can be done to change our

educational systems? We may first begin with a personalized curriculum that does not tell

students how to think, but shows them how to think. This will allow students to create

circumstances to find and use talents, (Robinson, 2010) which will allow them to flourish and

challenge the institutions that are said to be true. The change in our educational system needs to

be personalized to the various aptitudes, passions, and resonate with their spirit (Robinson,

2010). Can learning happen where there is no schools-yes.

Copyrights and Copywrongs

A good case for Separation

As it is currently, the Librarian of Congress presides over the U.S. Copyright Office. For some,

the U.S. Copyright Office should be separated from the Library of Congress and a white paper

released by the Hudson Institute, the move for this separation is backed by very convincing

reasons such as priority, autonomy, and an increased resources within its structure and

management that would allow for sustainability (Tepp & Oman, p. 10). It is in these three

fundamental mainstays that the U.S. Copyright Office should be separated or, at the very least,

restructured so that it may meet the obligations it has set forth within a modern, compatible, and

practical (Tepp & Oman, p. 10) system. Simply put, there must not be a lack luster entity
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ineffectively operating within an archaic system for the rich modernization of today.

Understanding the Terms

Plagiarism and copyright infringement have distinct similarities and differences. Plagiarism is

falsely presenting an original idea as your own and copyright infringement is violation of the

rights of a copyright holder (Bailey, 2013). For example, unlawfully reproducing consumables

within the classroom is copyright infringement and turning in another individuals original plan

as your own to fulfill an assignment is plagiarism. Attribution and transformation is giving credit

to the copyright holder of the work through licenses and citations. For example, the

reorganization of an original work is known as a derivative work and is protected under the

rights of the holder (Newman, 2011).

Rights, Responsibilities, and Cyberbullying

Behind the anonymity of the internet, individuals can be whomever they wish to be and act

according to their own rules with an extreme disregard for the people they choose. These acts are

known as cyberbullying that manifest an emotional, psychological, and behavioral significance

that could ultimately lead to self-induced physical pain.

What exactly is cyberbullying? Simply put by Hinduja and Patchin (2015), cyberbullying is the

willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other

electronic devices. Who is at risk for cyberbullying? Answer: Everyone. The connection of this

phenomenon to a defined group cannot be done because anyone who is engaged with the world

around them will knowingly or unknowingly fall victim to cyberbullying.

To effectively counteract this negative movement there is a need to engage, communicate, and

educate every individual within the learning environment through relatable instances for an

authentic learning experience that will create opportunities to gain empathy. The incidents that
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happen are not just occurring somewhere far off to Jane and John Doe. It is happening in many

environments and everyone within that community has a part to play in the production of a

respectable, safe, and constructive environment. Communication is key because it allows us

insight to an individuals experience, beliefs, and tribulations. It is through communication that

we begin to understand each other.

Cyberbullying and its Consequence

The Fragility of Adolescence

In the case of Ryan Patrick Halligan, we see how the ones perceived weakness can be the

catapult into the dark realm of human interaction that culminated into forms of cyberbullying.

The problem in Ryan Patricks case is the misidentification of bullying as a phase in normal

adolescence and there is lack of healthy communication to resolve the issue. This is maybe to

keep parents from worrying or maybe it was the fear that discouraged him to reach out for help.

The cyberbullying that is seen in Ryans case are rumor spreading and commenting stemming

from a false friendship created with the bully. Once the bully gained confidence of the victim he

used an embarrassing story to spread rumors about Ryans sexuality. Furthermore, there is a

group of girls who pretended to like him on the internet, but when she was approached by Ryan

he was shamed in front of the group of friends. This is a form of impersonation because

everything was fabricated under the guise of innocent love.

The fragility of adolescence cannot withstand this type of behavior because a safe culture is not

present, communication is lacking, and the clear expectations of digital use and misuse are not

properly supervised in the digital world. Communication is key to understanding others and their

situations. It is when we communicate that solutions can be formed.

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Students live in a very connected world which makes communication and the exchange of ideas

immediate. Moreover, technology literacy has expanded the boundaries and increased the

abilities to effectively use these tools in their pursuit of information. Gone are the days of

learning styles. Rather, educational systems need to become student-centered and recognize that

students learn at different paces, own different experiences, and retain various amounts of

information. Within this new culture of digital learning teachers are able to be connected,

supportive, collaborative, and flexible. This is key for the success of students. The learning

environment created must become student-centered and inventively transforms it so that all

learners engage, connect, apply, and reflect on their authentic digital learning practices.
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References

Bailey, J. (2013, October 7). The difference between copyright infringement and plagiarism.

Plagiarism Today. Retrieved

from https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2013/10/07/difference-copyright-infringement-

plagiarism/

Curran, M. (2012, June). iCitizen: Are you a socially responsible digital citizen. Paper presented

at the International Society for Technology Education Annual Conference, San Antonio,

TX. Retrieved from icitizen_paper_M_Curran.pdf

Halligan, J., & Halligan, K. (2015) Ryans story. Retrieved

from http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org/

Hiduja, S., & Patchin, J.W. (2015). Bullying beyond the schoolyard preventing and responding

to cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

ISTE. (2014, October 22). [Infographic: citizens in the digital age]. [Infographic] Retrieved

from https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=192

Newman, C. (2011). Transformation in property and copyright. Villanova University School of

Law Digital Repository. 56(2). 251-325. Retrieved

from http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context

=vlr

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students should know. (3rd

ed.). Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology.

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Robinson, K. [TED]. (2010, May 24). Sir ken robinson: bring on the learning revolution. [Video

file] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFMZrEABdw4

Tepp, S., & Oman, R. (2015, October 13). A 21st century copyright office: the conservative case

for reform. Retrieved

from http://s3.amazonaws.com/media.hudson.org/files/publications/20151012TeppOman

A21stCenturyCopyrightOfficeTheConservativeCaseforReform.pdf