It’s Digital Citizenship Week!
Our world has never been more connected and it’s never been more important for children and young people to learn to navigate digital life as responsible digital citizens—learning how to stay safe online, find balance in their digital diet, maintain privacy, and understand the power of words and action…online, at school, and in the community.
In classrooms and media centers across the school district, GCPS students are learning the importance of digital citizenship and developing the habits of a responsible digital citizen—both as a critical consumer and a responsible producer of information.
Digital citizenship is the ability to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly in the digital world.
However, schools need support from families to ensure that students are making good choices as digital citizens. Earlier this month, Dr. Calvin J. Watts, GCPS’ superintendent, sent a message to families about troubling trends on social media, including disruptive TikTok challenges circulating on social media that encourage students to engage in inappropriate and destructive behavior.
“As a fellow parent and someone who cares deeply about our students, I ask that you speak with your children about their social media use, the types of behaviors and “challenges” they see on social media, and the decisions they make and actions they take,” he said. “One of the most important actions we can take as adults is to help our young people develop their instincts… instincts that can serve them well in the real world and in the online world. Please continue to help your children understand that, while social media can help them to feel connected, not all information or people on social media can be trusted. Explain to them that they are responsible for their own words and actions on social media and that many of those actions may follow them for the remainder of their educational and professional careers. And, as a result, they need to realize that some behaviors encouraged on social media can get them into trouble… at home, at school, and even with the police.”
As our schools celebrate Digital Citizenship Week (Oct. 18-22), it’s a great time for families to become partners in the effort to help our students become responsible digital citizens. Here are some resources for families:
Check out these resources from Common Sense Media, including age-appropriate Family Conversations Packets on digital citizenship. Click the links to fin age-appropriate conversation starters for grades K-2 (English, Spanish); grades 3-5 (English, Spanish); grades 6-8 (English, Spanish); and grades 9-12 (English, Spanish).
Follow the GCPS Pinterest board for Digital Citizenship for a collection of cyber-savvy sites and resources broken down by topic and age on topics like Cyberbullying, your child’s Digital Footprint, Online Safety and Security, and Sensitive Topics such as sexting and peer pressure.
Learn more about 12 Social Media Apps Every Parent Should Know, including TikTok, a popular social media platform that’s getting a lot of attention right now.
Celebrating Common Sense Schools!
Common Sense, a non-profit that promotes digital citizenship and provides related educational resources to schools, has recognized 17 Gwinnett schools as “Common Sense Schools.” This designation is awarded to schools that have demonstrated a commitment to digital citizenship by helping students think critically and use technology responsibly to learn, create, and participate. Gwinnett schools currently holding the Common Sense designation include Arcado ES,Bay Creek MS, Buice Center, Centerville ES, Collins Hill HS, Craig ES, GSMST, Harmony ES, Hopkins ES, Knight ES, Meadowcreek ES, Parsons ES, Pharr ES, Puckett's Mill ES, Rock Springs ES, Osborne MS, and Simonton ES. Since 2003, Common Sense has been the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families and schools and a helpful resource for “need to know” information for families—by age group, topic, and app/platform.