While in the real world, what is ethical and what is unethical is usually fairly obvious, things get trickier online when students may not even be aware that they are doing something wrong. Critical thinking skills are then crucial to even determine if the way we are using technology makes us good digital citizens or not. Is asking Midjourney to generate an image for me ethical? Is using ChatGPT the same as plagiarizing? Can I share a piece of information that a friend sent me if I'm not sure where it came from or if it is true or false? Am I complicit in disinformation if I share a funny article with my friends and they don't understand it's a joke and it's fake? It is not always possible to obtain a definite answer for these questions, but remembering that we have to ask them and we have to think about them every time we are using technology and AI is what differentiate good digital citizens and poor digital citizens because in the end citizenship implies one thing: the responsibility we have towards each other to use technology to make our world, our society, better and not worse.

Two ways I would like to help my students become good digital citizens are:

• Teaching how to interact with one another online and on social media through safe and positive experiences, like those shown in the ISTE videos. Perhaps a school-only social media site or app could be used to model this behavior.

• Modeling a good balance between social and digital interactions with real-world experiences. I think learning—or re-learning—when to set the phone or tablet down and get out into the real world is a must. Face-to-face interactions can be hard, and being in public can also be hard, but it is something that we, as a society, need to do. We need that balance between cyber and real-world experiences

AI assistance with grammar was used. - https://www.perplexity.ai/

What I can do to help students be good digital citizens is encourage them to share their digital content with the different people in their lives—this allows meaningful feedback and guidance. I can also teach them ethical uses of AI, so they can learn and utilize the technology for their benefit, yet be clear where the ethical boundaries are and how not to cross them.

Students need to be aware and educated on how to present themselves online. Practicing good digital citizenship means being respectful, protecting your privacy, and understanding that your online actions have lasting consequences.

1. Teaching high school students can be challenging but teaching them topics they believe they already understand can be even more difficult. One effective way to support their growth is through email etiquette practice. In these lessons, students learn to write respectful, clear, and professional emails. Building skills that will benefit them when communicating with teachers, employers, and navigating today’s ever-changing digital landscape.

2. Another lesson or idea that would help digital citizenship is having the rules or responsible digital behavior around your school district. Cell phone use policies, best digital practices when using chrome books and devices in school. Here at Woodridge, we have cell phone policies posted hut we need to revamp and add Digital Citizenship best practices. While policies can sometimes feel restrictive, setting clear expectations and guidelines helps students and teachers focus on the right behaviors rather than just the consequences.

To help people within their digital citizenship I think the best method to follow is do you feel that your message could be understood without any context. This is the way the internet is most of the time. People won't get the context of conversations and what you say might make sense in context of the conversation you are having but if there is no context it can be perceived as something totally different. 

Another method that should be taught to people is how to have healthy interactions with people online in a formal way as well as an informal way.

Two things I can use to make my students good digital citizens:

1. Educate my students about digital literacy would be one of the main areas. Teaching high school students, I've noticed not many of my students have been prepared to use technology. Even though my students have access to smartphones and other electronic devices, they become uncomfortable when asked to use other programs such as Word doc, PowerPoint, Google slides, etc. Therefore, educating and preparing the students would be priority in transforming them into good digital citizens.

2. Digital integrity would be another area of development for my students. Understanding and knowing the positive and negative issues students are faced with when it comes to technology digital integrity is another area that's at the forefront. Many of my students are heavily wired to social media and technology without the necessary knowledge needed to understand the do's and don'ts when using technology. Because they've never been taught how technology works, they can become irresponsible at times. However, raising their awareness about certain situations that could happen when online, how to be responsible when, and how to navigate properly when online would improve my student's digital integrity.

As a 4-H agent, there are a few ways I can help my 4-Hers become good digital citizens:

1. Allow Senior High 4-H members to mentor younger ones on digital etiquette. Senior High 4-Hers could organize workshops to educate Junior and Junior High 4-Hers on digital citizenship.

2. Use technology in positive and creative ways. Encourage 4-Hers to complete projects that uses technology for community service, digital photography, science, robotics, etc.

3. Tie digital citizenship back to the 4-H pillars

   Head- making smart choices online

   Heart- treating others with kindness

   Hands- using technology to serve others

   Health- maintaining a balanced digital life

1. We can teach elementary school students how to communicate positively. We need to make sure to discuss the topics of cyberbullying and remaining positive and friendly online.

2. We can also teach elementary school students to think before they post. Things online are permanent, and we have to teach students at a young age that the "funny joke" or "comment" they make stays forever.

The qualities of a responsible digital citizen are demonstrated through a student’s actions, knowledge, and comprehensive understanding of the digital environment. Such a student is able to effectively manage their digital identity and recognizes that their online behavior carries consequences for both themselves and others. They consistently make safe, legal, and ethical decisions in digital contexts, while also exhibiting empathy and ensuring their online interactions are inclusive. In addition, they contribute responsibly to digital communities, uphold the rights and responsibilities associated with intellectual property, and adhere to established laws and regulations governing digital content. Finally, a responsible digital citizen actively safeguards their privacy, manages their personal data with care, and implements practices that ensure the security of their online presence. 

2. What are two things you can do to help your students be good digital citizens?

There are several strategies teachers can employ to support students in becoming responsible digital citizens. One approach is to integrate digital citizenship into the classroom curriculum, utilizing resources such as the Digital Citizenship Curriculum (DCC) or comparable instructional frameworks. Instruction could include modeling how to evaluate digital privacy, personal data management, and online security, followed by student self-assessments in these areas.

Additionally, teachers can create structured opportunities for students to practice digital citizenship skills under supervision and with guided feedback. For example, students might publish their Economy Research presentations online within a classroom platform, where peers can engage in constructive review and provide thoughtful feedback.

It's very easy to adopt a false sense of bravery or cattiness online. Because I am typing in my phone online, I'm not having a face to face conversation with someone and I'm less likely to be concerned with my tone or the impact of my words. But what I say has a trail and what I feel like is a mask of internet anonymity is an illusion. Hackers have access to my data, the government has access to my data. That is something we all need to think about it. Anyone of us could wake up tomorrow to our identities being stolen, our credit card information, or our posts subpoenaed for an investigation.

I have had organic conversations with my students about their ability to be discovered (data tracking on the internet) and about the impact of their words online. Today, we talked about the 6th grader who posted the hitlist last year. They asked me how the cops found her, so we talked extensively about the lack of privacy our phones actually have and how easy it is for people's posts to be traced back to their real life identity.

This is a tactic I will continue, having real world conversations and letting them know the dangers of the internet, to themselves and others.

One way I can help my students be good digital citizens is to teach them how to interact and engage with their peers digitally. We could talk about this in the context of academics or even how to do so when playing games with others online.

Another way I can help my students be good digital citizens is to teach them about cyberbullying and the signs to look for. We can teach them how wrong it is and what the steps are if they are being cyberbullied.