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In the reading, It’s Time to Get Serious About Digital Citizenship Education, by Kristen Mattson, the difference between the intention of digital literacy and the outcomes for students is emphasized. The author discusses the main factors that prevent students from grasping digital literacy in similar ways to other content areas and skills. Educators lack clear outlines for instructional outcomes and identified progression of skills/content knowledge that would allow them to support students and prepare scaffolding strategies. The author provides a link to a free, comprehensive 30-page guide that was designed to support systemic and adaptable approaches to teaching digital citizenship, which includes: grade-level indicators, guiding questions, technology skills, and alignment to national content-area standards.

I appreciated that this article recognized that teaching digital citizenship can seem daunting at times, due to the fact that there are not generally set guidelines for teaching students what skills they should have and how you should be teaching it. In my own classroom, I would appreciate having a document such as the one linked in this article, to guide my teaching and students' learning, to ensure that I am offering students with appropriate opportunities to safely and effectively engage with technology and media.

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I chose to explore the resource “It’s Time To Get Serious About Digital Citizenship Education” by Kristen Mattson. To me, this was a fun read that provided a lot of important information and ideas to think about as educators. There was two portions that really stuck out to me in this reading. The point I appreciated was about how digital citizenship must invite nuanced, gray area discussions, respect student voice and experience, value diverse perspectives and foster critcal thinking (p.7). By providing students with the space to have these conversations, we are providing them with the tools and education to navigate these platforms with more awareness and confidence. It is time we shift the curriculum and evolve the set of rules stating the “dos and don’ts of media. (p.6).

The second portion of this article that I appreciated was the acknowledgement that educators face competing curricular priorities and rigid bell schedules that leave very little wiggle room for “extras” like digital well-being or media literacy. In order to fit in this critical piece of education we may need to get a little bit creative as educators. (p.9). This part I related to the most because I integrate this curriculum into my subject areas. I teach math and science, so I am able to find many different opportunities to incorporate these topics and facilitate these discussions within lessons. For example, in our Grade 7 climate curriculum we discuss a lot about digital environmental footprints and how much energy it takes for online consumptions and technology production. We dive deeper into production of different technology tools and look at the way many of the materials are sourced, while also highlighting the many companies that support greener initiatives when it comes to technology policies. In our financial literacy unit in Grade 7, we talk a lot about the benefits of online shopping but also the challenges of online shopping, like cybersecurity, fraud, scams, impulse buying & overspending. I find that in order to make this learning meaningful for my middle school students, it is important that I integrate it with the topics we already have to cover. It was definitely reassuring to see that this was recommended in this article as well.

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Turner et al.(2025), discussed the importance of digital media literacy. There is a need for citizens of every society to participate in digital spaces ethically, advocate for equitable representations and assume human-driven agency and responsibility(p.542). The authors highlight that achieving this can not be done by the school alone and suggested that parents, caregivers and community organizations must become collaborators(p. 545). This resonates with me because I have often found that conversations about digital media literacy can't end in school. Lessons on digital media literacy need reinforcement at home and in broader community circles to truly become values and habits. Partnering with families through workshops or school newsletters can help strengthen this home-school collaboration.

Additionally, Stellman et al.(2024),through a systematic review of studies, highlight seven essential elements of digital citizenship(p.752). Digital media literacy was listed as one of these essential elements. This affirms the need to move beyond basic tech skills and ensure that students are equipped with the capacity to interpret, evaluate, and even create digital content responsibly. As a science teacher, I help my student develop these skills by integrating them into inquiry projects where students can research concept, analyze and evaluate information and present their findings using digital tools.

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Purchased during this weekend's "ice storm" to remember Spring is coming!

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I think Stellman and Song (2024) said it best in Essential Elements of Digital Citizenship: Insights from the Literature, when they stated that, "teachers must first possess knowledge of digital citizenship skills before they can teach their students to be prepared to act safely and responsibly online" (p.758). I think that's where the fear and the biggest disconnect lies in education - that the teachers aren't fully prepared to take on this daunting task and that's why the focus is on the safety rather than the benefits. In the short video from this week featuring Marialice Curran and her son, there is an excellent point made that teachers need to go from "monitors to mentors". I was grateful for this course because after having gone back to the primary grades post-pandemic, I have lost touch with more of the advances in technology and feel like I am always just addressing the safety with the younger students. This week's material reminded me that there are some great resources out there for our youngest learners, like the "Rings of Responsibility" video from Common Sense Media. The fact is that our students are going to use the internet far more than we ever did and they need to know the how-to's. This week's material and the shift of focus should lead to classrooms full of critical digital citizens focusing on leaving a positive footprint online.

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I am fortunate to have learned about digital citizenship/digital media literacy over the years, both in academia and in the workforce. Additionally, in Quebec, we are expected to integrate Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) into our practice as per the 13 Professional Competencies as stated by le Ministre de l’Éducation et l’Enseignment Supérieur (MEES):

La formation du personnel enseignant doit prendre en considération les enjeux induits par l’utilisation du numérique. L’éducation au numérique, conçu non seulement comme une technologie, mais aussi comme une forme de littératie et une pratique sociale, représente désormais une responsabilité importante de l’école et du personnel enseignant, ainsi que le décrit le Cadre de référence de la compétence numérique (MEES, 2019d). (MEES, 2020, p. 17)

In translation, one aspect of ICT competence is teaching students how to responsibly and safely navigate digital spaces and help them develop digital literacy. Consequently, many of the key points mentioned by Turner (2025) and Stellman & Strong (2024) served as a much-needed review. However, ISTE’s  5 Competencies of Digital Citizenship (Inclusive, Informed, Engaged, Balanced, and Alert) explained by Fingal (2020), stood out to me. I found this approach refreshing. It avoids being corrective and punitive because it uses enabling vocabulary.  Unlike much of the literature and training that say “don’t do this” or “don’t do that, it is empowering and informative, instills confidence in our students, and shows trust that they will do the right thing. I also appreciated the MediaSmarts (2018) series Digital Literacy 101 because the videos use simplified terminology digestible by audiences of all ages and neurodiversity.

Thank you to Professor Watt and Wafaa for an engaging class and to my peers for the stimulating discussions throughout the term.

Lastly, good luck to everyone completing their finals!

Best,

Marcus B. Selman

References

Fingal, J. (2021, October 12). The 5 competencies of Digital Citizenship. ISTE. https://iste.org/blog/the-5-competencies-of-digital-citizenship

MediaSmarts (2018). Digital Literacy 101 Series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsOTTBY5c9o&t=1s

MEES. (2020). Référentiel de compétences pour la profession Enseignante. https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/adm/min/education/publications-adm/devenir-enseignant/referentiel_competences_professionnelles_profession_enseignante.pdf

Stellman, E., & Strong, I. (2024). Essential Elements of Digital Citizenship: Insights from
the Literature. Tech Trends, 68(4), 749-760.  PDF

Turner, K., Eisenstock, B., Hicks, T., Jolls, T., O’Byrne, I., Paciga, K., Price-Dennis, D., &  Schira Hagerman, M. (2025). The Importance of Digital Media Literacy, pp. 541-548. In: D. Christakis & L. Hale (eds). Handbook of Children and Screens, Springer. https://doi-org.proxy.bib.uottawa.ca/10.1007/978-3-031-69362-5_74.   PDF

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Digital Citizenship in Alberta by Daniel Carreiro

Turner et al (2025) discuss some of the issues facing this generation of learning youth. The constant evolution of technology provides the need for adaptability and forward-thinking policy. In my own district, the policy on appropriate AI use for students and staff was released about a year ago. While this is only one aspect of the digital space, it does demonstrate the recognition of the need to respond and guide the conversation.  The province of Alberta also recently responded with a Ministerial Order to curb phone use in the classroom by banning the use of phones during class time (teachers are able to explicitly invite the use of phones, but this is the exception, not the norm). Stellman et al. (2024) articulate the challenges that digital connectivity provides, including earlier exposure to online dangers, identity theft, and cyberbullying, while connectivity also provides the opportunity for personal growth. Digital citizenship is offered as the antidote to this challenge by championing instruction around behaviour in the online world, specifically in morality and ethics. Through an examination of some of the curricula, Stellman et al. (2024), note the varied beliefs or behaviours that should be taught. There is consensus around the need for education in the areas of “digital ethics and etiquette, digital law and regulations, digital media literacy, digital safety and security, digital health and wellness, rights and responsibilities, and attitudes and beliefs” (Stellman et al. 2024). Together through community engagement and research, digital literacy curricula should be created that is relevant to the needs of the students in the community and that can be readily integrated into the classroom and school by teachers (Turner et al., 2025).

References

Turner, K., Eisenstock, B., Hicks, T., Jolls, T., O’Byrne, I., Paciga, K., Price-Dennis, D., &  Schira Hagerman, M. (2025). The Importance of Digital Media Literacy, pp. 541-548. In: D. Christakis & L. Hale (eds). Handbook of Children and Screens, Springer. https://doi-org.proxy.bib.uottawa.ca/10.1007/978-3-031-69362-5_74.

Stellman, E., & Strong, I. (2024). Essential Elements of Digital Citizenship: Insights from the Literature. Tech Trends, 68(4), 749-760.

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The definition of digital media literacy involves much more than just reading and writing online. It involves being able to access, analyze and evaluate what you see, hear and read online but also having the skills to create and participate as well. (Turner et al, 2025) These are skills that are imperative for students to learn in order to function in society and in the workplace later in life.  When students have strong digital media literacy skills, they tend to have “more civic participation, higher academic achievement, and more information-seeking for homework.” (Turner et al., 2025) Students with lower digital media literacy skills tend to fall victim to mis- and disinformation, as well as stereotypes. Turner et al suggest that marginalized communities are more often affected by this, however, if they received more digital media literacy education the effects could be mitigated.

In our school and surrounding school boards we are lucky enough to have digital media already in our provincial curriculum and in many cases, teachers who are educated on the topic to teach it. There are other countries where this is not yet the case.  The struggle is that it takes more than just teachers to educate students and keep them safe. Parents also play a big role, but some are not educated enough themselves to be the role model they need to be. Schools need to keep educating teachers who can in turn educate the students who will eventually become role models themselves.

References

Stellmann, E., & Song, L. (2024). Essential Elements of Digital Citizenship: Insights from the Literature. TechTrends, 68(4), 749–760. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-024-00985-8

Turner, K. H., Eisenstock, B., Hicks, T., Jolls, T., O’Byrne, W. I., Paciga, K. A., Price-Dennis, D., & Hagerman, M. S. (2025). The Importance of Digital Media Literacy. In Handbook of Children and Screens (pp. 541–548). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-69362-5_74