Digital Literacies

Summary of Ribble's Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship

Ribble’s work on digital citizenship (Ribble, M. S., Bailey, G. D., & Ross, T. W., 2004) breaks down the wide range of ways in which we use technology into categories. Though intended for digital citizenship training, these nine elements are also useful in building our framework to ensure the development of strong modern literacy.  

Please take a minimum of two hours to read about each element of digital citizenship noted below.   Click on each link to read the information and watch the videos provided in order to gain a deeper understanding of each element.  This will provide you with the knowledge that you need to begin to plan your final project on digital literacies.

• Digital Access - Just as it is important to ensure that all learners have access to text resources for learning, it is important that we ensure all learners are able to access digital resources and tools to support and enhance their learning and engagement in society.

• Digital Commerce - In addition to understanding the impact of bias, misleading visuals and other aspects of advertising is part of modern literacy, so is understanding and practicing responsible, ethical and safe electronic buying and selling of goods and services.

• Digital Communications - Electronic exchanges of information, from email to text messaging and sharing on social media. More importantly, examining how the exchange of communication is a positive experience for the sender and receiver.

• Digital Literacy - Accessing and knowing when to use the plethora of tools to organize and research information. Further, the ability to use a variety of strategies to find information and determine the accuracy and reliability of the information.

• Digital Etiquette - Having the ability to be an upstanding citizen by communicating appropriately and respectfully online and offline.

• Digital Law - Practicing legal responsibility for acquiring and sharing electronic content.

• Digital Rights & Responsibilities - Understanding technology is a privilege and is not a right and be accepting of the consequences of inappropriate online behaviour.

• Digital Health & Wellness - Ensure you have a balanced physical and psychological lifestyle in the digital age.  There are physical and psychological dangers of excessive internet usage.
  

• Digital Safety & Security (self-protection) -  Setting up secure privacy settings and identify means to seek assistance when encountering unsafe situations online.

Ribble, M. S., Bailey, G. D., & Ross, T. W. (2004). Digital citizenship: Addressing appropriate technology behavior. Learning & Leading with technology, 32(1), 6.