What is a Global digital citizen? According to Lee Watanabe-Crockett, “A Global Digital Citizen is a responsible, ethical citizen, leveraging technology to foster community on a global scale through connection and compassion.” Global digital citizenship embodies 5 tenets: personal responsibility, global citizenship, digital citizenship, altruistic service, and environmental stewardship. The internet has amazing potential to support these concepts, but it also has a cautionary side. Today’s students must be taught to be aware of both sides of the internet as well as how to harness its amazing potential for good while being safe at the same time.
There are many resources for teaching global digital citizenship. The Global Digital Citizenship Foundation offers a very comprehensive quick start guide. There are books like Growing Global Digital Citizens, videos, and even toolkits like Beyond the Click. There are also a variety of lesson materials and projects you can modify or use as-is in your classroom, from essential questions to flash cards.
Knowledge Quest offers this resource to help school librarians cultivate global digital citizens in their schools. Classroom teachers and school librarians can team up to offer project-based learning experiences that teach global digital citizenship! The Digital Citizenship Institute offers resources everyone can use to transform the culture at their school and assist in the journey from digital citizenship to global digital citizenship. Once you have the basics down, you can take the next step with resources centered around the internet of good things and computer science for good.
Start your journey here on TeachersFirst with classroom resources about digital citizenship and/or global citizenship like XW1W (Across the World Once a Week). Our students deserve to learn the skills that will make them global digital citizens!