Before I began CIED 7601 I did not know what digital citizenship was. I now know that there are nine individual elements that should be addressed in the classroom and that each of these play an important role. Each of these elements should be addressed as a school and by teachers in individual classrooms in order for students to use technology correctly and appropriately inside and outside of school. 

Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship

1) Digital Access: It is important to realize that not everyone has equal access to the internet. There is a digital divide that is present because many people due to lack of funds can not access reliable network connections. As a digital citizen it is our responsibility to help create access and opportunities for everyone to have reliable access to the internet and create an even playing field in the digital world. 

2) Digital Commerce: Digital commerce deals with the buying and selling of goods in an online setting. This is a very large industry now with supplier like Amazon and Ebay. It is important to be safe when completing transactions online and to make sure that all connections are secure so that personal information is not lost in cyberspace. Another key point when purchasing items online is to make sure that the items are legal and have not been stolen or purchased under false pretenses. While online shopping is a great option it is important to always be cautious. 

3) Digital communication: There are many types of digital communication to consider including emails, phone calls, conference calls, text messaging, instant messaging, social media sites, etc... It is important to be careful when using digital communication because conversations can be taken out of context and misunderstandings could arise. Another key point is to use communication tools appropriately because the information that is transmitted will be seen by many people and is often hard to get back once it has been sent. 

4) Digital Literacy: Digital literacy means that you are able to learn about new digital tools that are available and how to use them appropriately to better your life. New technology is being created everyday including new phone, tablets, laptops, desktops, etc.. and it is important to stay abreast with the new technology and stay informed on how to use these tools. Many schools, jobs, libraries and other locations offer professional learning opportunities to experience new technologies and play around with them to become comfortable. To be an up to date digital citizen it is important to stay current and always keep learning. 

5) Digital Etiquette: Digital Etiquette is important to address for users who are new or veterans to the online setting. It should be made clear the the digital environment should be treated with respect and people should treat each other online how they would want to be treated in a real world setting. Because digital etiquette is an ongoing issue it is important to remind users constantly to keep morals and good manners even in an online environment. 

6) Digital Law: Digital law deals with the ethical issues that exist in an online setting. It is important to be current with the latest fair use and copyright policies and laws so as not to break them . Some of the biggest digital laws include downloading of media legally, creating viruses and Trojan horses, plagiarizing, and damaging other people's work. 

7) Digital Rights and Responsibilities: There are rules and regulations that exist online just like they do in our everyday society. It is important to be informed on online rules and laws so that they are not broken. Some of the standard rules for online use are that people have the right to privacy and freedom of speech, but it should be used in a tactful and respectful way. 

8)Digital Health and Wellness: The first issue to address with digital health and wellness is the physical health. When using technology for extended periods of time it is important to have proper chairs, keyboards, and mice so as to create good posture and not create problems with hands and joints in the future. It is also important to consider issues created from an online setting such as internet addiction and other addictions like online gambling. Use of the internet in an balanced healthy manner is to be desired. 

9) Digital Security: Digital security is just as important as protecting your physical possessions such as your car and home. Virus software, and data backups are a few ways to help protect yourself against digital security breeches. There is a constant threat for people to try to steal your digital identity so make sure that secure connections are always made anytime personal information is transferred in a digital setting.  

The following links provided will provide references to resources concerning the digital citizenship issue of digital law. 

Digital Law

http://alexismcivor.weebly.com/ This website helps to explain what plagiarism is an ways that you can help to prevent it. A video is provided to give further detail and explanation. It is also a great resource because it provides a list of possible punishments when a digital law is broken because many students do not believe there are real consequences to breaking digital laws. 

http://copyright.lib.utexas.edu/copypol2.html This website provides a crash course in copyright and fair use laws. Each type of work  is described, and given an example of how it can and can not be used in easy to understand language. A four factor fair use test is also provided on the site to help each person determine if they are following the fair use laws accurately so as not to harm work done by others. 

http://www.cyberbee.com/cb_copyright.swf This is a great website aimed at teaching digital law to young students. The website is interactive and allows students to learn on law or idea at a time. It also provides examples for the students that they can understand such as using music in a project, and the proper way to do so. 

http://www.teachingcopyright.org/ This website provides 5 units that help to break down digital law for students in a way that they can understand at a young age. Each of the lessons provides curriculum as well as assessments to check for understanding after the students have completed the lesson. There is also a great wealth of resources including

blogs, podcasts, online quizzes, and books to help further the education on the topic of digital law and digital citizenship. 

http://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/ This is a government website that explains how computers crimes and crimes of intellectual property are handled. There are lists of documents describing different laws that are in place as well as crimes that have been committed. A link is also available if someone would like to report a computer or intellectual property crime so that the report is sent to the right government agency to handle the law that has been broken. 

Creative Commons   http://us.creativecommons.org/   The following link provides information describing what creative commons is and the licence that are required in order to have creative commons rights. There are also great resources including a blog and creative commons in a action page to show how the creative commons are used. There is also a link to the over 350 million creative commons that exists so that people can use it as a helpful search platform while using the web. 

Electronic Plagiarism   http://library.csusm.edu/plagiarism/index.html  This website offers a great kid friendly explanation about what electronic plagiarism includes.  There are resources provided to explain how not to plagiarize and how to credit your sources appropriately and what format to use whether it be APA, MLA, etc...  Lastly, there are checkpoint quizzes offered at the end of each section of the instructional material to make sure that the students knowledge of the content is proficient to help avoid plagiarism in the future.