Abstract:
An increasingly complex digital society creates challenges for tertiary educators wishing to equip students with the skills necessary to operate fully as citizens in their civic, social, academic, and work life. Society is moving towards a more creative and innovation-driven economy and a more globally connected world. In turn the capabilities, content knowledge, and expertise students require is also changing. Skills in problem solving, critical thinking, communication and collaboration are essential in order to thrive (P21. Partnership for 21st Century Learning, 2015). Graduate profiles and academic and information literacy initiatives go a long way towards instilling core literacies and higher order thinking as well as the decision making capabilities required by 21st century students in a digital society. However they do not always fully address the underpinning mindsets, values and responsibilities which are also necessary for students to graduate better prepared to thrive in today’s global economy. Digital Citizenship frameworks such as that developed by Mike Ribble provide an opportunity to frame graduate profiles, and academic and information literacy initiatives to incorporate not only capabilities, higher order thinking and essential literacies (information, visual, media, digital). They also incorporate the important mindsets, values, rights and responsibilities essential for successful 21st Century learners and citizens in a digital world (Ribble, 2017). This presentation evaluates Mike Ribble’s Digital Citizenship framework as a potential framework to develop effective content, learning environments and teaching practice, which fully engage students and better equip them to participate fully as digital citizens. References: P21. Partnership for 21st Century Learning. (2015). P21 Framework definitions. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/docs/P21_Framework_Definitions_New_Logo_2015.pdf Ribble, M. (2017). Digital citizenship: Using technology appropriately. Retrieved from http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/nine-elements.html
