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Digital Citizenship in Education

Bring Digital Citizenship to the Classroom in Meaningful Ways

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Teaching digital well-being doesn’t mean providing students with a list of “don’ts.” It’s about the do’s – modeling and practicing skills that help young people become thoughtful, empathetic digital citizens who know how to use technology to learn and solve problems in their digital and physical communities. The digital citizenship competencies, developed by the ISTE-led DigCit Coalition in conjunction with coalition partners, shift the conversation from don’ts to do’s:

  • Balanced: Students participate in a healthy variety of online activities and know how to prioritize their time between virtual and physical activities.
  • Informed: Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective and validity of digital media, and have developed critical skills for curating information from digital sources.
  • Inclusive: Students are open to hearing and recognizing multiple viewpoints, and engaging with others online with respect and empathy.
  • Engaged: Students use technology and digital channels to solve problems and be a force for good in their families and communities.
  • Alert: Students are aware of their digital actions and know how to be safe and create safe spaces for others online.


Learn to Teach Digital Citizenship

Digital Citizenship in Action from ISTE U will guide you in how to bring digital citizenship to your classroom in meaningful ways and across various content areas. The 15-hour, self-paced course includes ongoing instructor support and is eligible for graduate credit.

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Guide Students Through the Tough Questions

Designed to help students consider the systems and structures in which they spend so much of their time, Ethics in a Digital World asks students to look at the technology around them through a critical lens.

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Know the ISTE Standards: Digital Citizenship

Digital citizenship is a key component of the ISTE Standards. See how digital citizenship aligns with the student, educator, coaching and leader sections.

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Create a Culture of Digital Citizenship in Your School

The Digital Citizenship Handbook for School Leaders provides an essential road map for leaders, offering resources and rationale for planning a successful digital citizenship program.

Learn More From These Videos, Blog Posts, and Learning Materials

NEW! Guide for Creating Effective Responsible Use Policies

Download the Digital Citizenship Coalition’s newest publication: Setting Conditions for Success: A Guide for Creating Effective Responsible Use Policies.

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Dive Into the Digital Citizen Standard

Watch this YouTube playlist to see various ways that educators teach digital citizenship across different content areas and grade levels according to the student section of the ISTE Standards.

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Video: DigCit Insights From Educators

Discover how to take digital citizenship beyond monitoring and into mentoring with tips from educator Michael Hernandez and mother-and-son digital citizenship duo Marialice Curran and Curran Dee. 

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Blog Posts: Discover DigCit Ideas and Strategies

Find out from classroom teachers and librarians how to embed digital citizenship into all subject areas and grade levels.

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Get Peer Support for All Things DigCit

Connect brings together education change agents from around the world to share digital citizenship lessons and resources, get answers to questions and share best practices.

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