MPS EdTech

Digital citizenship isn’t just a lesson about passwords, cyberbullying, or what not to post on social media. It’s helping students learn how to think critically, communicate responsibly, protect themselves, use AI and digital tools appropriately, evaluate information, and find a healthy balance between technology and the world around them.

And the good news? Our teachers model and reinforce these skills every day. Every time you help a student evaluate a source, make a thoughtful choice about when technology will improve a lesson (and when it won’t), collaborate respectfully online, create rather than simply consume, or step away from a screen to learn another way - that’s digital citizenship.

With technology woven into nearly every classroom, digital citizenship doesn’t have to be another thing to teach. Often, it’s simply making the connection to what you’re already teaching.

This month, you'll be getting weekly doses of how digital citizenship is being modeled, incorporated into current curriculum, and taught for specific skills and knowledge to students from kinder through seniors! Be sure to read through this short highlight for opportunities to get a gift!

Mrs. Gibbs, media specialist at Red Oak, gave her kindergarten students a great hands-on lesson in one important piece of digital citizenship - balancing technology with real-world experiences.

After reading Doug Unplugged, students talked about where they would go if they unplugged and explored their own neighborhood like Doug. They illustrated their ideas, added their drawings to a giant floor map, and then brought a little technology back into the experience by taking turns driving robots across the map to visit their favorite locations.

It’s a great example of what we mean by intentional technology use: the technology wasn’t the lesson - it supported the learning, creativity, conversation, and experience happening around it.

We know examples like this are happening all across MPS - and they may not have “Digital Citizenship Lesson” written at the top!

Maybe your students are evaluating online sources, talking about AI use, practicing good digital communication, considering their digital footprint, learning about cybersecurity, creating with technology, or simply learning when not to use a device - because that matters, too.

Tell us about it! Shout out a colleague or send us something you're doing in your own classroom. Self-nominations are absolutely encouraged. We’d love to feature more of our teachers and students in an upcoming Bits & Bytes.

Bonus: Email your digital citizenship example - or brag on a fellow teacher - to edtech@mooreschools.com, and we’ll send some EdTech swag your way! If you nominate a colleague, we’ll make sure they get some, too. ⭐

Be sure to check out our past newsletters and access all our digital resources for quick reference of all things edtech in MPS.

If you don't have the MPS Teacher Passport course on your Canvas dashboard, click here to enroll. You'll find tutorials and resources on all things MPS EdTech!

Contact us at edtech@mooreschools.com if you have questions or need anything!