8th Grade Cedar Grove Digital Citizen Name: ___________________________
Digital Citizenship
[Grade submitted to Math, English, Science, and Social Studies teachers]
You have 3 choices for fulfilling this requirement.
1) Using your AVATAR to communicate all of the concepts of Digital Citizenship
and explaining how you would change your AVATAR to appear like a role
model of the Digital Citizen.
2) Making a PowerPoint on Digital Citizenship that includes ALL nine elements of
digital citizenship, plus an explanation of the desired student outcomes.
3) Taking the QUIZ.
Whatever method you choose for communicating Digital Citizenship, you must
include all nine elements (themes) of Digital Citizenship and desired student
outcomes.
Nine Elements: Nine Themes of Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship defined: norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use.
1. Digital Access: full electronic participation by members of society.
To become productive citizens, we need to make sure that no one is denied digital access, but
DIGITAL ACCESS comes with RESPONSIBILITIES. Inappropriate use may result in loss of access or
even imprisonment.
2. Digital Commerce: electronic buying and selling of goods.
Although shopping online is easy, buyers and sellers need to be cautious. Many goods and
services conflict with the laws of some countries and violate the morals of some individuals,
such as illegal downloading, gambling, fraud, scams, invasion of privacy, identity theft, and so
on. Users need to learn about how to be SAFE consumers in the digital economy.
3. Digital Communication: electronic exchange of information.
21st Century types of communication include: e-mail, cellular phones, and instant messaging.
Learning how to communicate appropriately for each vehicle of communication is as important
as selecting the best option for communicating in each situation.
8th Grade Cedar Grove Digital Citizen Name: ___________________________
4. Digital Literacy: the process of teaching and learning about technology and
the use of technology.
School leaders have important decisions about technology use. What technologies should be
taught? How should technology be used? New technologies such as videoconferencing or
online sharing spaces like wikis tend not to be used in schools. Yet, in the workplace many
workers need immediate information or “just-in-time” information. Workers need
sophisticated researching and processing skills called “information literacy”.
Digital citizens must learn new ways to learn in new situations. In other words, learners must be
taught to learn anything, anytime, anywhere. Technology is used differently in the 21st Century
in banking, business, military, and medicine. As new technologies emerge, we must learn how
to use new technology quickly and appropriately. Digital Citizenship involves educating people
in a new way— these individuals need a high degree of information literacy skills.
5. Digital Etiquette: electronic standards of conduct or procedure.
Everyone must learn digital etiquette – which means appropriate conduct while using the
Internet. Sometimes technology is banned to stop inappropriate use. In addition to rules,
regulations, and policies, everyone must learn to become responsible digital citizens. Normally,
people are polite in formal situations where they encounter strangers. Unfortunately, some
individuals act rude on the Internet because the situation seems anonymous. As technology
improves, the Internet will provide a place to interact face to face with people far away.
Protecting your reputation will be necessary for building your success as a Digital Citizen.
6. Digital Law: electronic responsibility for actions and deeds
Digital law deals with honest use of technology. Hurting others or their work is a crime. Users
need to know the laws. Violating laws can result in criminal penalties or civil liability. Criminal
penalties can result in fines or jail time. Civil liability means that you can be sued and forced to
pay damages monetarily (paying money to the winner of the lawsuit). Illegal and unethical
ways of behaving include: hacking information; illegal downloading of music; plagiarizing
(copying or using someone else’s work and saying it is yours); creating destructive computer
worms, software viruses, or Trojan Horses that destroy information; sending spyware or
messages to deceive; or stealing anyone’s identity, money, or property.
7. Digital Rights & Responsibilities: those freedoms extended to everyone in a
digital world.
8th Grade Cedar Grove Digital Citizen Name: ___________________________
Digital citizens have the right to privacy as long as they are not pretending to be someone else.
Digital citizens have the right to free speech as long as what they say does not hurt someone
else. Just as in the American Constitution where there is a Bill of Rights, there is a basic set of
rights extended to every digital citizen. Users must decide how to use technology in appropriate
and responsible ways.
8. Digital Health & Wellness: physical and psychological well-being in a digital
technology world.
Eye safety, repetitive stress syndrome, neurological damage, and sound ergonomic practices
are issues that need to be addressed in a new technological world. Beyond the physical issues
are those of the psychological issues that are becoming more prevalent such as Internet
addiction. Users need to be taught of the inherent dangers of technology. Digital Citizenship
includes a culture where technology users are taught how to protect themselves through
education and training.
9. Digital Security (self-protection): electronic precautions to guarantee safety.
In any society, there are individuals who vandalize, rob, or disturb other people. The same is
true for the digital community. It is not enough to trust other members in the community for
our own safety. In our own homes, we put locks on our doors and fire alarms in our houses to
provide some level of protection. The same must be true for the digital security. We need to
have virus protection, backups of data, and surge control of our equipment. As responsible
citizens, we must protect our information from outside forces that might cause disruption or
harm.
Respect, Educate, and Protect (REPs)
REPs explain the themes of digital citizenship. Each REP has three topics.
Respect includes: etiquette, access, and law.
Educate includes: communication, literacy, and commerce.
Protect includes: health and wellness, rights and responsibilities, and safety and security.
The outcomes of the Cyber Safety activities follow.
8th Grade Cedar Grove Digital Citizen Name: ___________________________
Students should:








participate safely in online activities!
observe copyright by citing sources !
think critically about information intended to influence viewers' opinions or actions!
use technology in responsible and ethical ways!
take a proactive approach to learning, using assessment and self-direction to optimize progress!
seek ways to improve productivity and quality!
exchange ideas and perspectives globally through interaction, collaboration, and publication!
explore the influence of societal and technological progress!
Rubric for Quiz, PowerPoint, and AVATAR
A = Grammatically correct complete sentences that fully answer the question with no spelling errors
B = communicates the main idea well with only minor errors
C = demonstrates an understanding of Digital Citizenship
50% = Attempt at answering all of the questions
Scores will be calculated based on the quality and quantity of responses as well as the effort made.
Grade calculation process: each subject grade will be calculated separately; then the four grades will be
combined to find a total average score. The final score for each subject grade will be combined with the
total score to promote equal effort on every part of the test and contribute to the interdisciplinary
nature of Cyber Safety and Digital Citizenship. Could this be more complicated? Rhetorical question.
8th Grade Cedar Grove Digital Citizen Name: ___________________________
Quiz
Section 1
Respect Yourself & Respect Others [Social Studies Grade]
- Etiquette: What is digital etiquette? [see #5]
- Access: Who should have access to the Internet? [see #1]
- Law: How do laws regulate the use of technology? [see #6]
Section 2
Educate Your Self & Connect with Others [English Grade]
- Communication: What are the different ways that people communicate with each other, companies,
schools, and government? [see #3]
- Literacy: What is digital literacy? [#4]
- Commerce: Why do you need to be careful when you shop online? [#2]
Section 3
Protect Your Self & Protect Others [Science Grade]
-Rights and Responsibility [#7]
Three short Questions:
1) What are your rights online?
2) What are the limitations to those rights?
3) What are your responsibilities?
- Safety (Security) [#9]
8th Grade Cedar Grove Digital Citizen Name: ___________________________
In what ways should you protect yourself and what information needs to be protected?
- Health and Welfare [#8] How can technology damage your health?
Section 5
Fill in the BLANK [Cyber Safety]
Answer Box for “Students should” outcomes
Critically, ethical, improve, perspectives, proactive, safely, sources, technological
Students should:
•
participate ____________ in online activities!
•
observe copyright laws by citing ______________ !
•
think ____________________ about information intended to influence
viewers' opinions or actions!
•
use technology in responsible and ______________ ways!
•
take a __________________ approach to learning, using assessment and
self-direction to optimize progress!
•
seek ways to ______________ productivity and quality!
•
exchange ideas and ______________________ globally through
interaction, collaboration, and publication!
•
explore the influence of societal and ____________________ progress!
Final Section: Calculate Your Score (Math)
Section 1
Possible 8
Points
Awarded
2
8
3
8
4
8
5
8
6 Math
6
Total
50
8th Grade Cedar Grove Digital Citizen Name: ___________________________
Explain what would happen to each subject score if you left out one section
(2 points). [one short sentence]
Explain what would happen to each subject score if you left out two sections
(2 points). [one short sentence]
Justify the scores you awarded yourself for each section in the calculation matrix
(table) above (3 points). [one complex sentence or several short sentences]