RAISING DIGITAL CITIZENS

Kells welcomed Dr. Alissa Sklar to share her knowledge on Digital Citizenship. It was an empowering evening, learning about the importance of safety and responsible behavior online. 

RAISING  DIGITAL CITIZENS

An Evening With Dr. Alissa Sklar

On the evening of November 17th, 2015, Dr. Alissa Sklar joined us at Kells Academy in order to share her expertise on Digital Citizenship. Parents, students, teachers, and members of the Kells community attended the event to learn more about this emerging issue.

The possibilities for technological knowledge has become endless! Naturally, as technology is now a fundamental learning tool in schools, students have access to a wide variety of  information online. While this is valuable, it is still imperative to address online safety, online responsibility, and to raise digital citizens. Through an interactive approach, Dr. Sklar asked the Kells community some thought-provoking questions and encouraged open dialogue with both parents and children.

Here are some highlights of the conversations that ensued:

Social media also creates social pressures! Dr.Sklar’s remarks, “The more we feel connected online, the more disconnected we normally are in our lives offline.” There is the concept of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), which causes people - especially teenagers - to feel the pressure of constantly making themselves look good online, as well as feeling as if one needs to be continuously “connected” by posting selfies on social media.

Posting Responsibilities! After demonstrating the many reasons to post safely and responsibly, Dr. Sklar shares, “An easy rule of thumb for students before posting, ask yourself: would I show my mom?”

Privacy? Online? Definitely! Dr.Sklar discussed how to create and adapt guidelines for safe internet use with parents. She emphasized the importance for modeling responsible digital citizenship for young adults as they get older. After all, “freedom is a privilege to be earned through constant responsible behaviour,” Dr.Sklar noted.

This was an empowering evening for parents and students alike, as Dr. Sklar demonstrated the importance of “keeping an open, ongoing conversation” when approaching digital citizenship.

To conclude, Alireza Kamali, Kells’ Technology Specialist, shared the rules and restrictions implemented at Kells to further ensure online safety with parents and students. If students choose to act irresponsibly, there are many ways that Kells can restrict, block, or manage certain applications and access levels. Following the same philosophy as Dr. Sklar, online freedom is re-granted as students become increasingly responsible online.

 “Alissa Sklar, Ph.D. runs risk (within) reason, a Montreal consultancy project focused on kids, technology and risky behaviours. Dr. Sklar has a Ph.D. in communications and cultural studies, taught in the Communication Studies Department at Concordia University and worked in the field of adolescent risk prevention at McGill University. In addition to her academic and consulting work, Dr. Sklar is a mom of three, and a multiple award winning feature writer, with a particular interest in parenting, youth, and digital technology issues.” 

For more information on Dr. Sklar, please visit:www.risk-within-reason.com