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With the progress of digital technologies and applications being used in schools, family and consumer sciences (FCS) educators have a collective responsibility to teach what it means to be a responsible digital citizen in the virtual world. The nine elements of digital citizenship developed by Ribble (2015) offer a framework for teaching students to develop an understanding of technology and its appropriate use. It is a way for students to understand how to build safe virtual spaces and communities, demonstrate respect for others, manage personal information, and understand digital laws. This article reports on the importance of teaching digital citizenship in FCS programs. Recognizing the need for digital citizenship and how closely it aligns with the field, FCS educators are encouraged to implement these elements into FCS curriculum.
Whether we like it or not, we are all digital citizens. An educated and responsible digital citizen is knowledgeable about the correct use of technology and is well informed about the rights, roles, and responsibilities of using technology in today's digital society (Ribble, 2015). Digital technologies come in a variety of sizes and uses such as mobile devices, laptops, computers, software programs, applications, and online tools and programs. Responsible digital citizens make good choices, recognize intelligent technological behavior, and continually analyze their behavior in the use of various technologies. Because society has become a digital society at such an accelerated rate, many users do not know or understand the appropriate use, abuse, or misuse of technology. Digital citizenship is not just recognizing and dealing with the correct use of the Internet and technologies; it is also about building safe spaces and communities (Digizen, 2010). Digital citizens are empowered to think critically and to participate responsibly in our digital world as they learn the responsibilities of digital citizenship (Common sense education, 2016). Digital citizenship has become a way of life, as noted by O'Brien (2010).
Digital citizenship should become part of our school culture as well as part of our daily lives, and educators have the responsibility to teach our students to know right from wrong and appropriate from inappropriate in the 21st digital world. (p. 51)
The American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS, 2015) provides leadership and supports professionals whose work assists individuals, families,...