Thing 11

"The ability to form one's opinion and validate sources is the key. Digital citizenship is more than literacy, it is living safely, civilly, and effectively in our increasingly digital world." -cool cat teacher blog

This is the basis of a lesson I would create for middle school students learning about digital citizenship and ethical use of resources. Because there is more information available than ever before, it is even more important for them to carefully evaluate materials and their own opnions about works by the millions of internet authors. Lessons on ethcially using materials and copyright stem from an understanding of digital citizenship.

Stephen Downes says, "Indeed, a person who reads a website and concludes that it's true, no matter what it says, is dangerously illiterate."