Inappropriate Use of Digital Media

There have been multiple times over my years of teaching where I have experienced students receiving inappropriate use of digital media from each other or not using digital media appropriately. I have taught elementary aged students and always try to give them the benefit of the doubt and use these experiences as teaching moments. Students will report that other students pulled up “inappropriate pictures”, posted inappropriate comments on Google Classroom, or another situation this past year was with the Momo Challenge. In most cases, this makes people on the receiving end uncomfortable, hurt, or scared when it came to Momo. I wish that there was an “easy” answer to the question, “What might have been done differently?” but there isn’t. I know as an educator, I am always trying to improve educating my students about Digital Citizenship. Teaching students how to use technology appropriately is essential. I believe there does need to be consequences for misuse, but I also believe that coming back to Digital Citizenship (online safety, cyberbullying, etc) is very powerful.