by
Annabel Dotzman, Technology Integration Coach PreK-12
The purpose of a Catholic education within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is multi-faceted. Catholic educators are called to guide our students to “Learn, Serve, Lead, and Succeed” Along with teaching basic skills and rigorous academic content, Catholic educators are called to guide students in developing their moral character, thus becoming responsible and faithful citizens. On a daily basis, our students are shown and reminded to use their manners, to be kind to one another, and to use their words wisely. In its basic form, isn’t this what our Faith expects from us in order to be children of God? However, in today’s society, these “manners” must now reach beyond personal interactions and extend into the virtual world. The advancement of technology has made it necessary to foster digital citizenship in our students. In order to continue to advance the core purpose of our schools, Catholic educators must adapt their instruction to ensure that formation of digital citizenship is integrated throughout all the grade levels.
Saints with Technology?
21st century students are digital natives - they are exposed to technology from the early ages. They can seamlessly operate devices, and they are, for lack of a better term, “street smart” with these devices. However, a danger lies with the ease of accessibility to sites and material that they simply do not understand how to handle. Just like they are taught to stay away from hot stoves, how to safely cross streets, and how to handle other potential dangers, students now must be made aware of the dangers that are inherent with technology and must be taught how to be a responsible user of the technology. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has published seven standards to assist students to “...thrive in a constantly evolving technological landscape.” The second ISTE Standard for Students - Digital Citizenship states that students should:
2a) “...cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation and are aware of the
permanence of their actions in the digital world.”
2b) “...engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology,
including social interactions online or when using networked devices.”
2c)”...demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of
using and sharing intellectual property.”
2d)”...manage their personal data to maintain digital privacy and security and are
aware of data-collection technology used to track their navigation online.”
Upon careful review of this standard, the correlation between developing digital citizenship in our students and developing good moral character becomes evident. These standards go hand in hand with the mission of our schools. Through their use of technology, a student’s Catholic Identity should shine through.
