Page 176 - Šolsko polje, XXX, 2019, št. 5-6: Civic, citizenship and rhetorical education in a rapidly changing world, eds. Janja Žmavc and Plamen Mirazchiyski
P. 176
šolsko polje, letnik xxx, številka 5–6
V erba, 2012) have found that the use of digital technologies and social me-
dia in particular have a profound effect on youth’s civic participation and,
in addition, that social media can be more effective in enhancing partic-
ipation due to its interactivity, as opposed to the traditional media chan-
nels where communication is unidirectional. The power social media has,
however, can often be untamed and elemental. The book provides a good
example from a South Korean philosopher who points out that one of
the biggest challenges for digital citizens is the participation: the internet
did not make things easier for citizens, but harder and more complicat-
ed when it comes to gathering together in order to bring about collective
change in a way that can affect their communities. In this regard, the au-
thors stress the need for raising policymakers’ awareness of the risk that a
lack of digital citizenship education poses to youth in terms of exclusion
especially when if the youth lacks the necessary literacy to empower them
as citizens. This risk may also extend to creative and critical actors and
this is why the authors point out that digital citizenship education should
start at an early age. This shall be done through a communication plan
which uses the framework in a coherent way with simple messages aimed
at decision makers.
On the other hand, digital citizenship education needs to be a coher-
ent part of all other literacies instead of a separate or special form of edu-
cational content or discipline. This would also increase the need for train-
ing professionals in using competence frameworks and developing their
own capacities to (1) evaluate; (2) express their experience; and (3) trans-
fer their results.
The book will be of interest to policymakers, educators and research-
ers in the area of civic and citizenship education. The new realities which
technologies bring to our society come with new opportunities, but also
with certain challenges which we did not face with traditional forms of
communication, civic participation and engagement. It is important to
keep in mind that digital citizenship is not a state that everyone can reach
after completing a training course, it is a lifelong process. Thus, the imple-
mentation of digital citizenship in education requires a regular assessment
and monitoring.
Literature
Choi, M. (2016) A Concept Analysis of Digital Citizenship for Democratic
Citizenship Education in the Internet Age. Theory & Research in Social
Education 44(4), pp. 565–607.
174
V erba, 2012) have found that the use of digital technologies and social me-
dia in particular have a profound effect on youth’s civic participation and,
in addition, that social media can be more effective in enhancing partic-
ipation due to its interactivity, as opposed to the traditional media chan-
nels where communication is unidirectional. The power social media has,
however, can often be untamed and elemental. The book provides a good
example from a South Korean philosopher who points out that one of
the biggest challenges for digital citizens is the participation: the internet
did not make things easier for citizens, but harder and more complicat-
ed when it comes to gathering together in order to bring about collective
change in a way that can affect their communities. In this regard, the au-
thors stress the need for raising policymakers’ awareness of the risk that a
lack of digital citizenship education poses to youth in terms of exclusion
especially when if the youth lacks the necessary literacy to empower them
as citizens. This risk may also extend to creative and critical actors and
this is why the authors point out that digital citizenship education should
start at an early age. This shall be done through a communication plan
which uses the framework in a coherent way with simple messages aimed
at decision makers.
On the other hand, digital citizenship education needs to be a coher-
ent part of all other literacies instead of a separate or special form of edu-
cational content or discipline. This would also increase the need for train-
ing professionals in using competence frameworks and developing their
own capacities to (1) evaluate; (2) express their experience; and (3) trans-
fer their results.
The book will be of interest to policymakers, educators and research-
ers in the area of civic and citizenship education. The new realities which
technologies bring to our society come with new opportunities, but also
with certain challenges which we did not face with traditional forms of
communication, civic participation and engagement. It is important to
keep in mind that digital citizenship is not a state that everyone can reach
after completing a training course, it is a lifelong process. Thus, the imple-
mentation of digital citizenship in education requires a regular assessment
and monitoring.
Literature
Choi, M. (2016) A Concept Analysis of Digital Citizenship for Democratic
Citizenship Education in the Internet Age. Theory & Research in Social
Education 44(4), pp. 565–607.
174
