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<\/a>Ray Kurzweil\u2019s theory<\/a>, the<\/em> Law of Accelerating Returns<\/em>, illustrates how and why progress seems to be escalating exponentially. Kurzweil claims that the rate of change is such that in the next 100 years, we won\u2019t progress 100 years, but we will progress 20,000 years. The tension comes in that he believes humans to be linear by nature, while technology is exponential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the 2021 Common Sense Census<\/a>, media use in tweens and teens has grown faster since the start of the pandemic than it has over the four years prior to the pandemic. Additionally, teens 13- to 18-year-olds spend nearly an hour and a half a day using social media but have conflicted feelings about the medium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No longer are students referred to as digital natives<\/a> — those who were brought up with digital technology, never not knowing a world without the Internet. Post GenZ is Generation Alpha (born 2010-2025), born completely in the 21st century. This generation does not differentiate between what is online versus offline. Their world is<\/em> digital. It is a world full of media consumption, artificial intelligence, and full of pings, dings, and buzzes. In this Age of Information, many use the analogy that we are bombarded with a firehose of content. So how can we teach what is a digital citizen and model it while encouraging our students to develop such foundational skills?<\/p>\n\n\n\n New to Nearpod? Make sure you\u2019re signed up to access these lessons and activities!<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Teachers can sign up for free below to access and create interactive lessons. Administrators can schedule a call with an expert to unlock the full power of Nearpod and the 21st Century Readiness Program for schools and districts.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Common Sense Education<\/a>, leaders in digital citizenship, define the field as empowering students to take control of their digital lives. What are the appropriate behaviors and accepted norms for using digital devices and participating in digital spaces? In short, how can we all be safe, responsible, and respectful online?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of these ideals are fundamental to being a good citizen in general. However, the digital landscape is riddled with more opportunities to misstep, and the fall is much greater since our digital footprint is public, pervasive, and often permanent. So while kids may not be online at an early age, these conversations must start as early as kindergarten (or even earlier<\/a>) to form good habits of mind, including a clear understanding of digital citizenship for students, that they can lean on when they do encounter devices and the Internet, whether at home, at school, or at a friend\u2019s house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When exploring what is digital citizenship for students, it’s important to understand the elements of it. While the field of digital citizenship is evolving as rapidly as the tech landscape itself, we know that we want students (and adults) to be fluent in the opportunities and pitfalls around:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These topics can all be bucketed in the overlapping notions of safety, respect, and responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Digital citizenship is important for 21st-century students because it ensures their safety<\/strong> online, promotes respect<\/strong> in digital interactions, and teaches responsibility<\/strong> in managing personal information and media consumption. When understanding why is it important to be a good digital citizen, students gain the skills needed to navigate the digital world responsibly while fostering a positive online community and protecting their personal and digital well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n Digital is all about data, so it can be difficult to know where to draw the line on how, where, and when to share information. When it comes to safety<\/strong>, posting a photo of one\u2019s first day of school in front of a school sign is one of those innocent missteps — now anyone can find where you go to school. We all need to be diligent about not oversharing the personal ins and outs of our daily lives as well as safeguarding our personally identifying information (PII)<\/a> to avoid identity theft. Today\u2019s digital systems are designed to track and target, so we need to teach students how to be savvy consumers.<\/strong> Especially when it comes to app settings. Knowing what apps are capable of makes it easier to understand how to use settings on apps to limit their reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respect<\/strong> is one of those ideals that deserves some extra TLC and effort when it comes to any actions online. While hopefully, the students you know won\u2019t be the targets of cyberbullying and hate speech, we all need to be aware of the subtle signs. The worst is when a young child tries to shoulder the devastating effects on their own. Likewise, we need to encourage our students to stand up and help others who they think are being cyberbullied<\/strong>. And don\u2019t forget about all the nuanced shades of gray when it comes to digital drama. While bullying and drama are not new, the 24\/7 access perpetrators have to subversively taunt others takes the devastating effects to a whole new level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This sense of respect segues into responsibility<\/strong> as students learn how to form open and trusting relationships with one another. One of the upsides of the Internet is how students can explore and pursue diverse interests. They can meet others who share these passions and begin to form an independent sense of self. Yet they need to understand how anyone can curate an unrealistic or even fake identity online. Students need to understand the perils of oversharing and that there is no erase button online, so it is best to pause and think before hitting a send or share button.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n Spiderman\u2019s uncle said it best when he said, \u201cWith great power comes great responsibility.\u201d Students need to hone their critical eye when it comes to AI literacy<\/a> and media literacy and cross-reference what they are reading or watching before believing it is true. And all of this use culminates in taking a balanced approach to digital media consumption. Additionally, a solid grasp of digital commerce and digital rights and responsibilities helps students make informed decisions and protect their online privacy. As with any diet, one wants to consume quality media in a balanced manner to stay on top of their overall well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n School communities need to commit to weaving digital citizenship throughout the curriculum to build a strong school culture<\/a>. School leaders can begin by outlining clear policies around acceptable policy use, which may address device handling, student accounts, cyberbullying, social media, and cheating. <\/strong>Many schools have parents, and the students themselves sign contracts or agreements at the beginning of the school year to make sure that all parties understand the expectations (and repercussions). Schools and districts play a pivotal role in equipping today’s students with vital 21st-century skills they need, such as technology literacy, to foster responsible behavior in the digital community and emphasize the importance of digital citizenship. Practicing digital etiquette and understanding digital communication are essential for students to maintain respectful interactions online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Join Nearpod and Common Sense Education on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 4:00 PM EDT for a timely webinar designed for educators and school leaders. We’ll explore practical strategies to guide students in making safe, responsible choices online, build digital citizenship skills that connect to real-world tech use, and navigate today’s AI-powered landscape with confidence. Whether you’re leading classroom instruction or shaping district-wide initiatives, you’ll leave with ready-to-use ideas and free resources to implement during Digital Citizenship Week and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once educators understand what is digital citizenship for students, they can focus on being proactive with digital citizenship lessons. With many cross-curricular ties, the learning objectives can be hit upon in core disciplines like ELA or Social Studies. This proactive approach again emphasizes habits of mind versus a reactive, one-time plug. Remember, with many of the obstacles students face online, they are not developmentally ready to tackle them. In this modern age, the importance of digital citizenship cannot be overstated. Children\u2019s prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain that controls impulsivity, decision-making, and compulsivity, isn\u2019t fully developed until one turns 25. So it is completely natural that students will misstep, experiment, and explore as they form their own identities and relationships — but the repercussions of posting an inappropriate photo, making a crass comment, or sharing private information can haunt one for decades to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As with any muscle, students need to exercise these skill sets to develop such habits of mind. Adults and students alike need repeated and consistent instances of practice in learning about digital citizenship.<\/strong> Schools can be that needed safe environment to explore the concepts under the guidance of an adult who may have more foresight (developmentally at least!). Teachers can share the challenges and opportunities they have experienced to better personalize the twists and turns within our digital world. Students can engage in rich discussions and role-playing to share their experiences, which will vary greatly depending on their digital access to devices and the Internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this modern age, it’s important for students to understand how to be a good digital citizen. These skills ought to be woven school-wide throughout the curriculum, spiraling in a developmentally appropriate way in order to take a dedicated year-long approach to digital citizenship. Digital health and digital literacy empower students to manage their online presence effectively and responsibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most agree that digital citizenship is a vital set of skills we need to develop. However, it is becoming harder and harder to dedicate time during the school day to these skills. Nearpod\u2019s 21st Century Readiness Program<\/a> makes it easy to find a year\u2019s worth of digital citizenship content that any educator can embed into their class as the content is aligned to cross-curricular standards. The 21st Century Readiness Program contains engaging learning experiences by leveraging Nearpod\u2019s features making lessons interactive and collaborative. The digital citizenship portion of the program is broken down into topics with assessments and activities such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Digital Citizenship Week is the most popular time for schools and educators to focus on developing these skills. We\u2019ve curated a list of our most popular digital citizenship lessons<\/a> to help teachers celebrate the week and be inspired to keep the conversation going.<\/p>\n\n\nWhat is digital citizenship for students?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Elements of digital citizenship<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Why is digital citizenship important for 21st-century students?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Safety<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Respect<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Responsibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow can schools teach digital citizenship?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Webinar: Teaching Digital Citizenship in an AI-Powered World<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Fostering proactive digital citizenship across the curriculum<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cultivating digital citizenship skills through engagement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nResources to build digital citizenship skills year-round<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Nearpod\u2019s 21st Century Readiness Program<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nFree Nearpod digital citizenship lessons<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n