Promote and Model Digital Citizenship, Standard 4

The fourth standard for the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards and Performance Indicators for Teachers states that the teacher will “Promote and Model Digital Citizenship” for the students. It basically states that a teacher will be able to comprehend local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. According to this standard, the educator will advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology. The teacher will instill in the student respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources. Also, the educator will address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources. Educators will also promote and digital etiquette and responsible social interaction related to the use of technology and information. Finally, educators will develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.
I feel that I can meet this standard without much hassle. I consider myself a regular consumer of global, international news and I do so through a variety of channels; internet, radio, television. Modeling this in my classroom will be difficult, though. My classes are primarily concerned with American Literature, so 98% of what I do in my classroom revolves around American Literature. I do attempt however, to make connections to the wider world and ask my students to venture beyond what they know.