UEN Teacher Tips

Our students spend a good portion of their lives fully immersed in the digital world - even if it’s hard to fit into our specific curriculum, is complex and even uncomfortable - we need to talk about digital citizenship every day.

1. Show Your DigCit - Model! Model, model, and model some more! Let students see you being respectful online, talk about citing the sources you use in class, call attention to your own screen time and how you create balance in your life.
   Establish Norms in Digital Work - While most classrooms have a set of established rules, it's important to recognize that our classrooms now extend beyond our walls into the digital space - so, our rules should, too! Create a culture of kindness, in person and online! Talk about appropriate behaviors, the permanence of online actions, how AI should or should not be used and expectations for participation.
   
   
2. Teach Internet Safety - Students don’t know what to avoid if we don’t talk about it. Talk openly with students about dangers they may encounter online, like cyberbullying, scams and online predators. Create a list of adults that students can talk to if they run into a problem. Share the Safe UT app with students and let them know they can talk to someone online, 24/7, if they don’t have a safe adult or feel more comfortable chatting in an online space.
   
   
3. Use Real-Life Examples - We know the more authentic the task, the higher the engagement. The same is true when we are talking about digital citizenship. By using real-life examples, or classroom-appropriate examples you see on social media, teachers can help students understand the importance of responsible online behavior and develop the skills they need to be safe and ethical digital citizens.
   
   
4. Follow Common Sense Media - Believe it or not, you can find excellent social media accounts offering valuable tips for teaching digital citizenship and literacy to your students. We are always learning great things from the folks at Common Sense Media. You can sign up as an educator for free!

Watch this quick 2-minute video to see five easy ways to model digital citizenship!