There is a lot to learn about digital citizenship and it is an evolving landscape. Digital Citizenship is something that should be embedded in learning throughout the year as it is a key skill. Here is some key advice for learners to follow:

1. Keep personal information private, such as your full name, address, phone number, and school name.

2. Be kind and respectful online, just as you would in person.

3. Think before you post or share something online, and be aware of the potential consequences of your actions.

4. Be a good digital citizen by not plagiarising, pirating, or sharing copyrighted materials.

5. Be aware of online predators and never meet with someone you met online without a parent or guardian present.

6. Be wise and use the internet as a tool to learn and grow, but also set limits on the amount of time spent on screens.

7. Talk to your parents or a trusted adult if you come across something online that makes you feel uncomfortable or worried.

Google has designed the resource Interland to teach young people aged 7-12 about Digital Citizenship in an interactive way.

The 9 elements of Digital Citizenship:

Not all people have equal access to the internet and this is important for learners to understand. Websites like The Miniature Earth Project show the global inequity of access.

Digital access is also about giving ease of access to learners who are hearing impaired or visually impaired or learners who need support with reading.

Giving all learners access to tools such as these gives all of them the opportunity to use them in a learning environment which is supportive of using these tools as they are needed.

Everyone who has access to the internet has a digital voice that they can use to express themselves. We need to teach our young people how to communicate safely and effectively online. This is about behaving in a respectful way on the internet at all times....netiquette. You can find some resources here.

Digital rights and responsibilities refers to the privileges that all learners have while using the Internet, like freedom of speech. It also involves a person’s duty to make sure that these rights remain available for everyone by treating other users fairly and respecting their privacy.

Digital Literacy is is about how to find, evaluate and communicate information digitally.

"Digital Fluency is the ability to discover, evaluate, and use information and technology effectively and ethically."  Source

More Digital Literacy Resources

Technology plays a big part in most people’s lives these days, but how do you make sure it actually improves your life rather than distracts from it? In this module, you’ll discover why a healthy relationship with technology is so important, and how you can become more aware of your own online usage. You’ll also learn about the different tools you can use to help you develop and maintain healthy tech habits.

Digital Wellbeing is about us having control over technology rather than technology controlling us. A healthy relationship with technology is important. We need to support learners to develop healthy tech habits (and reflect on our own too!)

Google has created the course below.  You can create a class and share the class code with your learners:

Schools take care of a lot of the main kinds of digital security. It is important to teach young people about the consequences of sharing personal information. We can also teach them how to make strong passwords. Making them aware of how viruses can get onto their devices is also important.

Empower young people to make good decisions rather than make them fearful.

Get your learners to create strong passwords:

Digital communication is about understanding the different ways of communication and deciding which kind of communication is best for a particular situation. When should you send an email? When should you send a text message? It links nicely to the 'writing for an audience' aspect of the English curriculum.

Of course, always use good digital etiquette.

Digital law is about using the internet legally and ethically.

This is about the buying and selling of goods online. It is about making safe and informed choices when purchasing or downloading materials online. Learning how to be an informed consumer can help learners protect their identity online and teach them how to shop responsibly.

Classroom Poster:

Tip Sheets (by age group)

These tip sheets were developed in Canada and may be a useful guide for knowing what to expect with the age group that you teach: