Creating New and Responsible Identities by Providing Digital Citizenship Education to Students

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Shaghayegh Heidari
Ph.D. in Political Science, Tehran, Iran (Corresponding Author).
10.22034/rjnsq.2023.407534.1503
Abstract
In the contemporary world, children and teenagers explore, recognize and learn the world around them by taking advantage of the power of digital media and new technologies, and grow in new ways and create their identity. With this power, children and teenagers have great opportunities, but they also face challenges and problems. Schools are also grappling with consequences such as online safety, cyberbullying, invasion of privacy, hate speech, misinformation and digital distraction. To address these issues, many schools are trying to create a positive culture and knowledge around the media and technology by including digital citizenship education as part of their curricula. Many developed and developing countries have started teaching digital citizenship in their schools. The digital citizenship curriculum deals with areas that are designed based on academic research and the concerns of children, teachers and parents. These teachings are designed to develop skills and help children and teenagers. This issue is very important because children and teenagers face many decisions and complications through the use of new media and technology throughout their lives; from what they consume and what they share, to how they interact and communicate with others. Therefore, the current research tries to answer the question of what dimensions and characteristics does digital citizenship training for teenagers include by using the fundamental research method? And what is the identity and value dimension of these teachings? The type of this research is practical and can lead to the development of a digital citizenship education curriculum in schools, and as a result, educate a generation familiar with the opportunities and harms of the digital space and the appropriate use of the digital space by the new generation.
Keywords
Digital Citizenship
Digital Education
Digital Curriculum
Teenagers
Identity
Social Responsibility
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