Abstract
Increasingly, globalization has become a significant factor in digital citizenship, yet students often lack systematic education in global awareness and civic education and have few venues to voice their perspectives. One solution to this problem is citizen journalism. Student engagement through citizen journalism provides a rich experience that can advance several competencies: communication, collaboration, information literacy, media literacy, digital literacy, and cultural literacy. It fosters civic responsibility through the confluence of digital citizenship and global citizenship. It also develops awareness of, and access to, issues of public concern. Importantly, it gives students the tools to take positive action to address global issues. This chapter provides several strategies for students to gain the knowledge and skills, as well as access to media outlets, to participate in global issues via citizen journalism.
TopIntroduction
Today’s students are bombarded with information, ranging from school gossip to international terrorism. News may range in importance from an entertainer’s new hair style to impending hurricanes in their area. Students’ involvement with information also ranges: from little access or interest to nearly non-stop engagement, frequent sharing, and even information (or misinformation) production. While local information may be more obvious, global information surrounds students as well, especially with the recent pandemic and climate change. Whether they pay attention to global information or not, students are affected by it, be it updates on vaccinations, racist attacks, or politics.
This chapter explores the role of digital citizenship, civic engagement and the impact of technology on it, and the potential of citizen journalism as a mechanism for facilitating youth-centered pro-active global digital citizenship.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Digital Citizenship: The ability and practice of using technology safely, responsibly, productively, critically, and civically.
Media Literacy: The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in a variety of formats.
Global Competence: Knowledge, skills, and dispositions to appreciate and engage in diverse perspectives and world views, and to act constructively toward sustainable development and collective well-being.
Citizen Journalism: User-centered news production and participatory journalism.
Participatory Politics: Peer-based interactive grassroots civic engagement.
Civic Education: Education that teaches about public institutions’ roles and processes, and ways to participate in the cultural life of the community and in public affairs.
Global Digital Citizenship: Digital citizenship at the global level; leveraging technology to contribute to global society or addressing global issues.