Hector’s World began as education about online safety but has evolved out of necessity into something more holistic – digital citizenship. We have been inspired by discussions in the last few years with a number of colleagues, especially Dr. Michael J. Berson and Dr Ilene R. Berson of the University of South Florida. 

We have identified four different areas of knowledge a young child needs online today:

• Digital literacy
• Media literacy
• Online safety and security (cybersafety)
• Information literacy

In the younger years there is a tremendous amount of overlap in each of these topics. For example, teaching young children good searching skills when doing homework would have elements of each of the above disciplines. At the risk of being too simplistic, such education might include:

• What a search engine is, how it works and good search practices (digital literacy)
• How to filter and target searches to avoid unwanted content and malware (online safety and security)
• How to evaluate the possible bias of information found online (media literacy)
• How to validate a source and acknowledge it properly (information literacy)

As children mature, they will require more specialised information in each of these subject areas. But for a good foundation, young children also need education that includes the values implied in the word ‘citizenship’ – the responsibilities and wonderful benefits of being a member of a caring community. Messages about respecting yourself and others, about standing together as a community and not tolerating hurtful behaviour, about celebration of diversity and respecting difference are as valid online as they are offline.

Why foster digital citizenship?

Economic development agencies in most countries have clearly articulated the ICT skills and knowledge adults need to maximise business, education and community opportunities. Most education authorities have identified the ICT skills and knowledge that students need as they become adults, and have structured an ICT curriculum for the school years to deliver this. What has not been articulated as clearly is what we want children to learn as they are first introduced to ICT.

In New Zealand, the Ministry of Education has done an excellent job of working with the Early Childhood sector to successfully structure ICT education and infrastructure in centres across the country. However, a growing number of children will begin exploring the internet and using digital devices before they begin learning at an early childhood centre or primary school. That’s why at Hector’s World we suggest starting this digital citizenship education with first access to the online world.