In the recent years, Digital Citizenship is gaining more attention as educators start to direct their focus on the learners (of technology) in today's context, a move onward, after placing so much emphasis on how to deliver the technology-enhanced learning experiences in the past few years.
Well, the use of technology to create an effective and beneficial learning experience is still an important area. Nevertheless, now the emphasis has gradually been broadened to include the learners, looking at how technology has influenced them and their well-being. There is also greater emphasis of the cyber wellness in schools today.
The move of further broadening Cyber Wellness to Digital Citizenship programme is one way to see the well being of individuals in a more holistic manner, not divorcing the "real" and "virtual" selves.
Some individuals might think, Physical well-being and Cyber well-being are mutually exclusive. However, with technology penetrates into our livelihood (in different forms), we cannot afford to turn a blind eye to it. No matter what, it impacts us directly or indirectly. It's no doubt, part of our environment. Environment is not just the 'space' that we are in physically. It includes people around us, as well as the culture that we are immersed in. People, of course, it includes their mindset and behaviour.
Recognising this, there is no doubt that school plays an important role in shaping one's attitude and behaviour. How to approach Digital Citizenship programme? Not just directly on the students, but also the people around them. In addition, leveraging on the programme, we could further level up the capacity of our students, who are in the forefront of the programme. Hence, it's not just digital citizenship programme, but also student leadership development programme :)
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HERE to view the presentation (by Johari & myself)
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