Navigating the Digital Jungle Together: Building Digital Citizenship at Home and School.

Like it? Share it!

 

As a former Deputy Head and Class Teacher for over 20 years I have a real interest in helping schools and homes work together.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, teaching digital citizenship and literacy has become essential for both families and the school community. The huge increase of devices and online platforms presents immense opportunities for education, communication, and connection, but it also poses risks that require careful navigation. By prioritising digital citizenship and literacy, we all play our part in equipping students and families to use technology responsibly, enhancing safety, well-being, and the overall quality of their digital experiences.

I’ve been guiding schools and parents for many years on family well-being and balance, and it is one of the reasons I started my podcast “Navigating the Digital Jungle with Sue Atkins and Friends,” where we emphasise the importance of family engagement in managing digital life. (Feel free to share the podcast in your school newsletters as a free resource to support parents)

As schools become more digitally integrated, it is vitally important that both educators and parents work together to cultivate a healthy, responsible relationship with technology.

Ensuring students are safe and responsible online should be, and is, a top priority for all schools. While teachers often concentrate on teaching digital citizenship and literacy in the classroom, it’s essential to involve parents and the broader school community in the process.

School leaders have a key role in promoting and supporting this effort.

Understanding Digital Citizenship

Digital citizenship refers to the responsible and ethical use of technology. This encompasses how individuals interact online, their understanding of privacy and security, and the consequences of their digital actions. In the classroom, students are often taught to be respectful, aware, and accountable when engaging online—lessons that are critical as the digital world can blur the boundaries between reality and anonymity.

It’s important  these lessons should extend beyond the classroom into the home too – as we all can help to build bridges, not walls for families trying to navigate the digital jungle.

My approach to digital citizenship, highlights the need for open conversations within families. Children often engage with technology outside the supervision of their teachers, which is why parents need to be equally informed and proactive. By modelling appropriate behaviour, families can establish guidelines around screen time, social media usage, and online interactions. This cohesive and collaborative approach between home and school ensures that children are consistently reminded of the values of respect, empathy, and safety.

Digital Literacy: Empowering Families and Communities

While digital citizenship focuses on behaviour and responsibility, digital literacy refers to the skills needed to effectively and safely navigate the digital world. This includes understanding how to evaluate online information for accuracy, recognising online risks such as cyberbullying or scams, and knowing how to use digital tools for communication, research, and creative expression.

In my work, I frequently address how overwhelming the digital landscape can be for parents. The constant influx of new apps, platforms, and trends can leave families feeling uncertain about how to best protect and guide their children. To address this, schools and community organisations should provide resources and training to ensure parents are equipped with the tools they need to stay informed.

Workshops and school events that foster digital literacy for families can have a profound impact. These programmes might include lessons on understanding social media algorithms, setting up privacy settings, or recognising signs of online distress. With schools and parents working together, the entire community becomes empowered to engage with the digital world in a more knowledgeable and responsible manner.

As a reader of my blog, you know I have created a huge amount of practical advice to help you coupled with my unique Digital Jungle Scripts to help you start those important conversations with your children of different ages.

Cultivating Healthy Tech Habits

In my Navigating the Digital jungle podcast and resources, I often talk about the delicate balance between embracing technology’s benefits and avoiding its potential pitfalls. While technology offers incredible educational and social opportunities, it also presents challenges like screen addiction, lack of face-to-face interaction, and exposure to inappropriate content.

For families, understanding how to set boundaries and use technology as a tool, rather than a distraction, is key.

I suggest setting up a family digital agreement, where all members contribute to creating balanced screen time, healthy usage patterns, and clear expectations about what is and isn’t acceptable online. Schools can reinforce this message by incorporating discussions on digital well-being into their curriculum. When students understand the importance of moderation, they become better equipped to manage their time and interactions online, reducing the risk of burnout or addiction.

The Role of Schools in Fostering Digital Resilience

Schools play a critical role in not only imparting knowledge but also in shaping the attitudes and behaviours of young people. As students become more digitally immersed, they need the skills to handle the inevitable challenges that come with technology use. This is where digital resilience comes into play—the ability to recover from online setbacks like cyberbullying, negative experiences, or exposure to harmful content.

I am passionate about building resilience in both children and families. I emphasise how schools can teach students to recognise red flags online and how to respond appropriately. Equipping students with the confidence to speak up, block harmful content, or seek help is an essential part of digital literacy education.

When schools take an active role in teaching these skills, they create a safer and more supportive digital environment for their students. Teachers, parents, and students must all be on the same page in promoting resilience and understanding the potential risks associated with online interactions.

A Collaborative Effort

Ultimately, the responsibility of teaching digital citizenship and literacy cannot rest solely on the shoulders of either schools or parents. It requires a collaborative effort where educators, families, and the broader community work together to foster an environment of safe, responsible, and informed digital use.

Through my resources  “Navigating the Digital Jungle” podcast, families are encouraged to take an active role in managing their digital lives, while schools provide the foundational knowledge and support needed to empower their students. By prioritising digital citizenship and literacy, we prepare both students and families to navigate the digital world with confidence, responsibility, and safety, ensuring that technology enhances rather than diminishes their lives.

In the digital age, the partnership between home and school is more critical than ever, and together we can help guide our children through the complexities of the online world with care and confidence.

Related Articles

The Sue Atkins

Parenting Show

Discussing every possible aspect of parenting, giving you advice and support on topics which affect your daily life. Each free, weekly episode is bursting with practical tips, techniques and ideas.

Hi, I'm Sue Atkins

I will teach you my no-nonsense, simple techniques & give you hundreds of my expert parenting articles, videos & podcasts so you can get back to the business of having fun with your family!

As Seen or heard in