Global Digital Citizenship - JSS 3 Note

Global Digital Citizenship

Subject: Digital Technologies
Class: JSS 3
Term: Third Term
Week: 8
Topic: Global Digital Citizenship
Duration: 40 Minutes

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Explain the meaning of global digital citizenship.
2. Identify the rights and responsibilities of digital citizens.
3. Describe appropriate behaviour when communicating online with people from different cultures.
4. Explain the importance of online privacy, security and digital reputation.
5. Identify ways to prevent cyberbullying, misinformation and copyright infringement.
6. Demonstrate responsible participation in online communities.

1. Meaning of Global Digital Citizenship

Global digital citizenship is the responsible, safe, respectful and ethical use of digital technologies to communicate, learn, work and participate in communities around the world.

A digital citizen is a person who uses computers, smartphones, the internet, social media and other digital tools responsibly.

The word global means that digital communication can connect people across different countries, languages, cultures and backgrounds. A student in Nigeria can use the internet to learn from a teacher in another country or work with students in other parts of the world.

Because online activities can affect people beyond our immediate communities, digital citizens should consider how their actions affect others.

2. Rights of Digital Citizens

Digital citizens have important rights when using digital technologies. These include:

• Access to information: The opportunity to obtain useful and appropriate information online.
• Privacy: Protection of personal information and respect for the privacy of others.
• Freedom of expression: The ability to express opinions responsibly, subject to applicable laws and platform rules.
• Safety: The right to seek help and report harmful online behaviour.
• Respect: Fair treatment without harassment or discrimination in digital spaces.
• Digital accessibility: The opportunity for people with disabilities to use digital services through suitable accessible features.

Important: Having digital rights does not mean that a person can threaten others, spread harmful content or violate another person's privacy.

3. Responsibilities of Digital Citizens

Rights go together with responsibilities. A responsible digital citizen should:

1. Communicate politely and respectfully.
2. Protect passwords and personal information.
3. Verify information before sharing it.
4. Respect copyright and acknowledge the original creators of work.
5. Avoid cyberbullying, threats and online harassment.
6. Obey applicable laws and the rules of online platforms.
7. Report suspicious activities and harmful content to a trusted adult or the appropriate platform.
8. Use digital devices in ways that support learning and other positive activities.

4. Respectful Communication Across Cultures

The internet connects people from different cultures, religions, languages and backgrounds. A message that seems funny to one person may be offensive to another.

To communicate respectfully with people around the world, digital citizens should:

• Use polite and understandable language.
• Respect differences in culture and opinions.
• Avoid insulting people because of their nationality, language or beliefs.
• Think carefully before posting jokes, pictures or comments that may hurt others.
• Ask for clarification when a message is unclear instead of making unfair assumptions.
• Avoid writing messages entirely in capital letters when it may appear as shouting.

Netiquette means the accepted rules of polite and responsible behaviour when communicating online.

5. Digital Identity and Online Reputation

Digital identity refers to the information and online activities associated with a person. It may include usernames, profile pictures, comments, posts and accounts.

Online reputation is the impression that other people form about someone based on their online behaviour and information about them.

Students can protect their digital identity and reputation by:

• Posting content they would be comfortable explaining to a parent or teacher.
• Avoiding insults, threats and embarrassing posts about others.
• Asking permission before posting identifiable pictures or private information about another person.
• Using privacy settings and strong, unique passwords.
• Thinking before posting because content may be copied, saved or shared by others.
• Correcting mistakes and removing inappropriate content where possible.

Remember: Deleting a post does not guarantee that every copy disappears. Someone may already have taken a screenshot or saved it.

6. Online Privacy and Security

Online privacy means controlling how personal information is collected, used and shared. Online security involves protecting accounts, devices and information from unauthorised access or harm.

Examples of personal information include:

• Passwords and account recovery codes.
• Home address and telephone number.
• School details when sharing them could put someone at risk.
• Banking details and other confidential information.
• Private photographs, messages and live location.

Ways to Protect Privacy and Security

1. Use strong, unique passwords for important accounts.
2. Never share passwords or verification codes with strangers.
3. Enable two-factor authentication when available.
4. Avoid clicking suspicious links or opening unexpected attachments.
5. Use trusted websites and keep devices and applications updated.
6. Check privacy settings before sharing information.
7. Log out of accounts when using shared computers.
8. Tell a trusted adult if someone threatens, tricks or pressures you online.

7. Cyberbullying and Online Harassment

Cyberbullying is the use of digital technologies to bully, intimidate, humiliate or repeatedly harm another person.

Examples include sending threatening messages, spreading embarrassing rumours, creating hurtful posts and sharing someone's private images without permission.

How to Respond to Cyberbullying

• Do not retaliate with threats or insults.
• Save relevant evidence, such as messages or screenshots, when it is safe to do so.
• Block or mute the person responsible when appropriate.
• Report the behaviour to the platform and a trusted adult, teacher or school authority.
• Seek immediate help if there are threats of physical harm, blackmail or exploitation.
• Support the affected person instead of forwarding or laughing at harmful content.

8. Misinformation and Responsible Sharing

Misinformation is false or inaccurate information shared regardless of whether the person sharing it knows it is false. Disinformation is false information deliberately created or shared to deceive people.

False information can spread quickly through social media, messaging applications, blogs and video platforms. It can cause fear, confusion and poor decisions.

How to Check Information Before Sharing

1. Identify the original source of the information.
2. Check the date to see whether the information is current.
3. Look for supporting evidence rather than relying only on a headline.
4. Compare the claim with other reliable sources.
5. Check whether images or videos may have been edited or taken out of context.
6. Do not forward a claim when you cannot establish that it is reliable.

Example: If a message claims that a school has closed because of an emergency, confirm it through an official school announcement or another reliable source before forwarding it.

9. Copyright, Plagiarism and Giving Credit

Digital citizens should respect the work and rights of creators. Text, photographs, music, videos and other creative materials may be protected by copyright.

Copyright refers to legal rights that protect creators' original works. Plagiarism means presenting another person's words, ideas or work as one's own without proper acknowledgement.

Students can respect creators by:

• Writing assignments in their own words.
• Acknowledging the sources of information they use.
• Obtaining permission or checking the licence before reusing protected material when required.
• Using properly licensed or public-domain materials where appropriate.
• Avoiding the unauthorised sharing of books, software, photographs and other protected work.
• Following school rules on the use of online resources and artificial intelligence tools.

10. The Digital Divide and Accessibility

The digital divide is the gap between people who have suitable access to digital technologies and the skills to use them and those who do not.

The divide may result from poor internet connectivity, the cost of devices, limited electricity, lack of digital skills, language barriers or inaccessible technology.

Ways to reduce the digital divide include:

• Providing access to computers and internet facilities in schools and communities.
• Teaching digital skills to learners and adults.
• Supporting affordable and reliable internet access.
• Designing digital materials that people with disabilities can use.
• Using captions, readable text, keyboard navigation and screen-reader-compatible content where appropriate.
• Sharing suitable educational resources responsibly.

11. Responsible Participation in Global Online Communities

An online community is a group of people who interact through digital platforms because of shared interests, goals or activities.

Examples include educational forums, online classrooms, coding communities, social media groups and international collaborative projects.

To participate responsibly, students should:

• Follow the community's rules.
• Contribute useful and accurate information.
• Respect other members and their different viewpoints.
• Keep private information confidential.
• Report scams, harmful behaviour and suspicious accounts.
• Use technology for learning, creativity, cooperation and problem-solving.

Class Activity

Activity: Becoming a Responsible Global Digital Citizen

Divide the class into small groups. Ask each group to discuss the following situations and suggest responsible actions.

1. A student receives a message containing an unverified story about another country. What should the student do before sharing it?
2. A classmate's embarrassing photograph is posted in a group without permission. How should other students respond?
3. A student copies an article from a website into an assignment without mentioning the source. What is wrong with this action?
4. A learner in a rural community has poor internet access. Suggest two ways the community or school could help.

Each group should present its answers and explain how the proposed actions demonstrate responsible digital citizenship.

Summary

Global digital citizenship is the responsible, safe, respectful and ethical use of digital technologies in a connected world. Digital citizens should understand their rights and responsibilities, communicate respectfully across cultures, protect privacy, maintain a positive online reputation, prevent cyberbullying, verify information and respect copyright. They should also support accessibility and help reduce the digital divide so that more people can benefit from technology.

Evaluation Questions

1. Define global digital citizenship.
2. State four rights of digital citizens.
3. List five responsibilities of a responsible digital citizen.
4. Explain the difference between digital identity and online reputation.
5. State four ways of protecting online privacy and security.
6. What is cyberbullying? Mention three ways to respond to it.
7. Differentiate between misinformation and disinformation.
8. Explain copyright and plagiarism.
9. What is the digital divide? State three ways to reduce it.
10. Give four examples of responsible behaviour in global online communities.

Assignment

1. Write ten rules that students should follow to become responsible digital citizens.
2. Describe three possible consequences of sharing false information online.
3. Explain why students should respect other people's privacy and copyright.
4. Suggest three practical ways your school can promote responsible digital citizenship.

Interactive Quiz

Choose the correct answer for each question and click Submit Quiz to see your score and review the answers.

1. What is global digital citizenship?

Using the internet only for entertainment Using digital technologies responsibly and ethically in a connected world Avoiding all forms of online communication Sharing every personal detail online

2. What does netiquette mean?

Installing computer applications Creating a digital identity Protecting computer hardware Rules of polite behaviour when communicating online

3. Which action helps protect an online account?

Using a strong, unique password Sharing the password with strangers Using the same simple password everywhere Posting recovery codes publicly

4. What is a digital footprint?

A mark made by a computer mouse A computer repair technique The trail of information and activity left through digital use A method of printing documents

5. Which of the following is an example of cyberbullying?

Helping a classmate with homework Sending threatening messages to a classmate Sharing a useful educational link Thanking someone for assistance

6. What should you do before forwarding a surprising news story?

Forward it immediately Change its headline to make it exciting Send it to every contact Check its source and verify the information

7. What is plagiarism?

Correctly listing the sources used in an assignment Writing an original story Presenting another person's work as your own without proper acknowledgement Asking a teacher to explain a topic

8. The digital divide refers to differences in:

Access to digital technology and the skills to use it The colours of computer screens The sizes of school uniforms The number of pages in a textbook

9. How should a digital citizen communicate with people from different cultures?

Insult anyone with a different opinion Share offensive jokes about other cultures Refuse to listen to other viewpoints Communicate politely and respect differences

10. What is an appropriate response to cyberbullying?

Forward the hurtful messages to entertain others Save relevant evidence and report the behaviour to a trusted adult or platform Threaten the person in return Publish the person's private information