FHI 360, a global, nonprofit human development organization, is spearheading a national initiative for children in grades PreK-3 to encourage good digital citizenship. Entitled Right from the Start in the Digital Age, the initiative aims to help children learn to become responsible digital citizens and to prevent them from engaging in, and being affected by, unsafe behaviors such as cyberbullying in their later school years.
Why Now?
Our rapid shift to digital media is reshaping the world of even the youngest children, but our guidance on how they should behave in this new, virtual world lags behind. Even though young children may physically know how to swipe a screen or tap an icon, this does not mean that they are prepared to use such devices in responsible ways. The youngest children may not yet be actively and independently engaged online, but research suggests that starting to teach children about safe online behaviors earlier rather than later will help them develop a strong sense of right and wrong both online and off. Inappropriate online behaviors, including cyberbullying, can have disastrous impact. A text message, a Facebook comment or an Instagram post can lead to devastating consequences. A new educational paradigm is needed so that teachers and parents may help children in the earliest grades develop the skills and establish the principles that will enable them to thrive in both the real and digital worlds in which they are growing up.
A Declaration
As parents, educators, publishers, media producers, advocates and policy makers, we declare:
As the use of smartphones, tablets and other digital devices become increasingly part of the lives of young children, a new avenue for teaching and learning is emerging. As children use digital devices at ever younger ages, learning how to be safe and responsible online must become an important part of parenting and classroom curricula. Social-emotional skill building that includes learning how to be responsible digital citizens is a necessary part of early childhood and primary education. There is a need for high-quality print resources about digital citizenship, such as picture books and easy readers that are good literature as well as being developmentally appropriate for young children. There is a need, too, for resources to help parents and family members, caregivers, and teachers to help children navigate the digital world in safe and responsible ways. It is important to be Right from the Start when helping children develop a strong sense of right and wrong while online and off.
Join us by adding your name to this vital national initiative. We are asking thought leaders like you to assist us in helping children develop the essential social and emotional skills they need to stay safe and responsible while online. To meet this goal, we are looking to engage:
Media literacy organizations and teachers to promote the positive and responsible use of online learning at home and in school.
Early childhood professional organizations to foster policy and best practices regarding pro-social and responsible use of digital media in grades PreK to 3.
Teacher educators to incorporate issues of responsible, pro-social online behavior in their preservice and in-service early education courses.
Parent organizations to spread the word about the new resources that are available to help children learn the safe and responsible use of digital media.
Publishers to develop picture books and trans-media classroom materials that promote appropriate social behavior for students in grades PreK to 3.
Producers of children’s media to create programming that models adults and children who act with empathy and kindness in the real world and online.
Policy-makers to incorporate responsible digital citizenship into their current and future policy development.