PrEd 152 - Technology for Teaching and Learning 2

Lesson 1.3
Digital Citizenship and Blended Learning
Learning outcomes:
 Understand the essence of Digital Citizenship and blended learning
 Analyze the nine elements of digital citizenship.
 Interpret situations in a class that applies blended learning

Digital citizenship
According to Terry Heick, digital citizenship is the norms of appropriate
responsible technology use (http://www.digitalcitizenship.net).
With the rise of technology, each one of us becomes a digital citizen. You use
your computer and cellphones and access the internet to create and send messages,
read and share stories, download and listen to music, watch movies, upload photos,
and videos, and update social media status. These actions make us a citizen of a digital
world. Just like any other citizen of a country, digital citizens also follow certain norms
and rules in order to act appropriately.
Elements of Digital Citizenship
 Digital access
 refers to full participation in society through electronic means
 gives people the opportunity to access the digital world
 But because of socio-economic status, disabilities and physical location (among
other factors), these opportunities are not equally available to all students and
teachers (Ribble, 2011-Digital Citizenship in Schools). It is important that school
administrators, teachers, and other stakeholders work together toward providing
equal opportunity for all students.

 Digital communication
 refers to information exchange via electronic means
 Instant messaging, emails, social networking sites, chat rooms, and video
conferencing have become common communication channels for people.
 Even elementary pupils have cellphones for them to be contacted by their
parents when in school. Social networking sites are used by teachers and
students as electronic discussion boards.
 Students and teachers must make sure that digital communication devices are
used to support student activities and not interrupt activities in class (Ribble,
2011-Digital Citizenship in Schools). Further, teachers must teach students how
to communicate properly.

 Digital literacy
 the process of teaching and learning about technology
 Every year, technology-infused learning becomes more commonplace and
becomes as transparent as chalkboard and pencil (Digital Citizenship at school-
Ribble 2011).
 E-learning is so convenient that people spend time opting for distance education.
even some skills like painting, dancing, and baking can now be learned thru
accessing the internet.
 In education, subjects about the use of the different tools in teaching and learning
are being offered for both pre-service and in-service teachers for them to be
equipped with the use of technology in the classrooms effectively and efficiently.

 Digital etiquette
 refers to the electronic standards of conduct or procedure
 Both parents and students learn how to behave in the digital society by observing
and imitating how others use technology. But since a lot of people are already
displaying poor digital etiquette, observers assume that this is how they should
act. And this cycle of displaying and imitating poor digital etiquette results in more
inappropriate technology behavior.
 Teachers must make students aware of others when they use technology and
realize how their use of technology affect others. Moreover, rules on the proper
use of technology must be clearly stated and communicated to the students.

 Digital law
 refers to the electronic responsibility for actions and deeds
 As people gain full electronic participation in society, legal aspects of technology
use become a major concern. Many people steal others people’s information,
plagiarizing articles, hack government servers, and create and release computer
viruses.
 Administrators should address these issues by providing both teachers and
students with resources and guidance on what is legal and illegal. It is important
that students be made to understand what can be downloaded without charge
and what is considered copyrighted material and should be paid for.
Administrators also need to determine whether their technology rules and polices
are supported legally (Digital citizenship in schools-Ribble 2011).

 Digital rights and responsibilities

 refer to those requirements and freedoms extended to everyone in a digital world
 As members of the digital world, we are allowed to use digital content while
enjoying certain protections (Ribble, 2011). Digital citizens must be aware of the
difference between what they can do (rights) and what they should do for the
good of everyone (responsibility).
 Digital citizens are also entitled to some rights and privileges and these must be
provided equally to everyone. In the digital world, while we can enjoy posting and
sharing information, we should also know that other people may use it for their
own benefit.
 Since students have the right to access and use information from the web, they
must also know that is their responsibility to give credit to the creator. That is why
teachers should not only inform the students about their rights when using digital
technologies, but also instruct them on their responsibilities.

 Digital health and wellness

 refer to the physical and psychological well-being in a digital technology world
 Too much of everything is bad. Spending more time with technology-related
activities may cause physical and psychological dangers such as digital eye
strain, repetitive motion injuries, obesity, internet addiction, stress, and
depression.
 Technology is a gift to us, humans, for it makes our lives easy and exciting. It is
very convenient to use and helps people connect with each other.
 The possible harmful effects of technology should not be ignored. According to
Ribble (2011), educators need to encourage students to use technology in a
responsible way. Teachers must model digital safety in their classrooms and
expect their students to do the same.

 Digital security
 refers to electronic precautions to guarantee safety
 As digital citizens, we store our personal information and other documents
electronically. This enables other people to commit cybercrimes such as hate
crimes, telemarketing and internet fraud, identify theft, and credit card account
theft.
 Installing firewalls and anti-virus software’s in our computers, setting and not
disclosing our unique and complex account passwords, making back-ups for our
stored data, and not giving our personal information to anyone over the internet
are some electronic precautions that will guarantee our safety.
 Teachers and parents should educate the students about the dangers of
providing information to anyone over the Internet. This will make the students
diligent in protecting their personal information. They should be reminded that
protecting one’s equipment is not just a personal responsibility- it also helps
protect the community (Ribble, 2011)

 Digital commerce
 Refers to electronic buying and selling of goods and services
 Nowadays, more people prefer shopping online than in-store because of the
convenience it offers and it becomes a trend now. The more you do any online
activities, like shopping, you also increase the risk of revealing more information
about yourself.
 Since more and more people become victims of hacking and identify theft, it is
important that schools should teach students how to be intelligent consumers.
Students should be aware of the opportunities as well as the problems
associated with purchasing items using digital technology.
Blended Learning
During this pandemic we are currently facing right now, teachers are now in
place to learn about different learning modalities that they could give to their
students. Teachers find ways to let the students deserve better. The concept of
blended learning may have that potential and the big idea here is to take the best
traditional schools and blend it with the transformative power of online learning so
that each student gets a more personalized education that meets his or her needs.
Blended Learning is a formal education program in which a student learns at
least in part through online learning, with some elements of students control over
time, place, path, and/or pace. Blended learning, also known as technology-
mediated instruction, web-enhanced instruction, or mixed-mode instruction, is an
approach to education that combines online educational materials and opportunities
for interaction online with physical place-based classroom methods.
 Example 1
Students use tablets to answer a question the teacher poses to the class.
Interpretation:
The students answer the teacher. This simply puts the machine in the
classroom. It is not a BL, just a digitalization of an old system.
Example 2
For homework, students watch a lecture on the 1986 People Power Revolution.
In class, students simulate Corazon Aquino’s speech.
Interpretation:
The second case is BL. It’s basically using a technique called flip
classroom. It’s a lesson from Araling Panlipunan that shift to online video. Students
watch videos at their own pace at their convenience, pause, rewind, review again if
you do not understand.