"Every student at MSD of Martinsville will strive to become a responsible digital citizen who knows how to harness the learning potential of digital media in a 24/7 connected world, safely, effectively, ethically, and respectfully. "
This is our district's motto. This is something we take very seriously. Why? Our students will be exposed to all that the world has to offer through digital media. While students are in school, we can restrict and somewhat control what they are able to see and do online. However, once they are out of a filtered environment, what happens?
If our students have been trained to be digitally aware and to be resilient, this will better help them safely navigate the world of the internet. This is precisely why teaching Digital Citizenship is so crucial to the safety and welfare of our students.
At MSD of Martinsville on August 30, 2016, two to three representatives from each school in the district met after school hours to prepare for Indiana's Digital Citizenship week on September 12 - 16, 2016. We planned what units we were going to teach to our students and how to collect the artifacts. Everyone left very excited because they really found the curriculum of Common Sense Education very detailed and helpful.
At Martinsville High School, all 1,575 students saw a video, did activities, and discussed the importance of being good digital citizens with their teachers and peers. In some of the elementary schools, students were giving short presentations, talking about their experiences, and thinking about ways to make sure they were safe while online.
As the week ended, I received phone calls from teachers who were really excited about using the Common Sense curriculum, and will definitely add it to their class curriculum. As our school representatives push the importance of digital citizenship to their students, our overall involvement will continue to grow.
If our educators exhibit good digital citizenship qualities, this will help enable our students to navigate and prepare for a future in the digital age. They will be able to access the wealth of information they need while knowing they are protecting themselves and others from anything that might prove harmful.
Our district received its Digital Citizenship Certification on Friday, October 14, 2016. We are honored, but we also recognize that our job to educate and inform our students is only beginning. We must continue to regularly have conversations about our digital footprints. We accept the challenge.
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