Module 5 Blog: Digital Citizenship/Digital Democracy

                                                       Module 5 Blog: Digital Citizenship/Digital Democracy


Digital storytelling is a method of telling stories utilizing digital tools/media to create a compelling narration that is both interactive and engaging. Digital storytelling can comprise of various forms, from something as simple and straightforward as a slideshow to interactive websites or multimedia presentations during symposiums/conferences. In the academic setting (education) digital storytelling is used to engage audiences in a more interactive and immersive way than traditional storytelling methods. In today’s digital and social media era, digital storytelling can be seen as an event or incident that is live-streamed to thousands, if not millions of people. According to Truong-White & McLean (2015) usage of digital storytelling can be useful in encouraging transformative education and self-stewardship in the form of global citizenship. The term digital citizenship has evolved from the self-stewardship of digital storytelling. Digital citizenship is the ethical and responsible use of technology to adapt, learn, create, and engage (Common Sense Education, 2021). As future educators, it is our responsibility to help our students navigate citizenship among their peers, as well as adhere to societal expectations of digital citizenship and digital democracy.  

How can we leverage new tech to aid each other to live a more engaged existence, and become more socially conscious to combat democratic determinents? I believe the access and opportunity exist to allow for this to occur. Aspects of social media, or live digital storytelling have become underutilized, triggering, or unethically disseminated. Apps that meld video/audio recordings with live-streaming functionality are tools that exist to help spread information to each other at an alarming rate of speed. The issue with fighting for democracy and subduing tyranny is the early and far-reaching dissemination of factual and pro-democratic information promptly. Individuals, particularly school-aged individuals fail to realize the “power” that they can wield when using new technologies, the opportunity to become journalistic members of society, versus Instagram story post people, could improve their sense of citizenship and their engagement with each other on a grand scale. 

What is a challenge or potential danger for individuals who become more engaged in new technologies or active members in fighting for democracy? Trigger Warning (TW)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….




In the summer of 2020 in the city of Minneapolis, MN, a 46-year black man was seen on video being kneeled on(a knee placed on his neck) by a police officer for over seven minutes, as he stated that he couldn’t breathe, and begs for his mother. This is an example of digital citizenship, individuals identified a potential violation of human rights, and a miscarriage of justice, and proceeded to record; and digitally story-tell what they perceived as an injustice to viewers around the globe. The dangers of this digital storytelling were the traumatic ramifications of this unfiltered incident being viewed by any and all viewers, as well as the loved ones of the victim. The storytellers need to quickly disseminate this occurrence, to obtain justice and fail to account for the lack of censors in place to properly share their story. 

Another challenge to proper leverage of new technologies to aid in engagement is the oftentimes youthful disconnection that takes place. In the textbook by James & Jenkins (2014), entitled “Disconnected: Youth, New Media, and the Ethics Gap”, the authors revisit the incident of a young high-school-aged female from Ohio in 2012, whose sexual assault is a digital story, which was told in real-time. This heavily intoxicated teenage girl was sexually assaulted by high school football players after losing consciousness at a party in Steubenville, Ohio.  What occurs next is the worst example of digital storytelling, for the next several hours, this young woman is dragged around, taken from party to party, and subjected to multiple acts of sexual violence. It is noted that several bystanders elected to take photos and videos with their cell phones and share them with others via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and text messaging. The pinnacle of disregard for human decency and respect occurred when a 12½-minute video was taken, in which onlookers joked about the assaults that were posted on YouTube (James & Jenkins, 2014, p. 132). Because these individuals choose to use the technology afforded to them to condone and perpetuate this crime, a clear disconnect is observed. Rather than use these videos as evidence to prosecute the perpetrators, these individuals choose to engage in this crime and disseminate the assault to others online via various media platforms. Thus, this will continue to be the greatest challenge to global citizenship, humane treatment, and ethical digital stewardship.


                                                                               Reference


Common Sense: Project Zero (2021). Teaching digital citizens in today’s world. Research and Insights Behind the Common Sense Digital Citizenship Curriculum. https://www.commonsense.org/system/files/pdf/2021-08/common-sense-education-digital-citizenship-research-backgrounder.pdf


James, C., & Jenkins, H. (2014). Disconnected: Youth, New Media, and the Ethics Gap. MIT Press. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/empire-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3339864



Truong-White, H., & McLean, L. (2015). Digital Storytelling for Transformative Global Citizenship Education. Canadian Journal Of Education, 38(2), 1-28


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