Qualities of an Exemplary Digital Citizen

After reading several of the articles and realizing the importance that our society places on digital interaction in all areas of our lives, it is important that we understand qualities of an exemplary digital citizen.  I think the focus is mostly on teachers being great digital citizens.  While there are numerous qualities that make up and exemplary digital citizen, there are three that I found to be most important, especially in the education field.

1.  Respectful - It is no secret that many people have differing opinions, likes and dislikes.  This is an important aspect in the education field to promote growth in learning experiences.  However, it is imperative that both students and teachers are respectful of the others who have different ideas than them.  In addition to respecting others' opinions, it is also important that digital citizens respect themselves by not posting anything too private or explicit.

2. Responsible - Both teachers and students need to be responsible for their digital interactions.  Teachers can promote responsibility by demonstrating online etiquette and modeling "safe, legal and and ethical use of digital information and technology" (ISTS, 2008).  While students should be responsible for their online learning and protection of their privacy, it is teachers' responsibility to meet the needs of individual students through a variety of online instruction techniques.   

3. Digital Literacy - This characteristic is vital in being an exemplary digital citizen.  Students must not only be able to research topics and ideas, but also be able to determine the reliability of the source.  Another aspect of digital literacy is being able to use technology tools, resources, websites and apps to further your digital understanding.  As a teacher, it is extremely important that we continually investigate new resources we can use to engage our students and interact with them more efficiently.