Peer Review

CyberWise Digital Citizenship Hub

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 4, 2019 by ICT Literacy

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This webpage, created by CyberWise, provides links to articles and other web sites about digital citizenship. A 3-minutevideo is also available that provides a brief introduction to the topic of digital citizenship. The Cyber Civics middle school curriculum is also linked here, but this requires a subscription, available for either families or schools.
Type of Material:: Collection
Recommended Uses:: Instructors introduce digital citizenship via the website's video. CyberWise has its own fee-based turnkey Cyber Civics program, but the topics are listed freely. CyberWise also listed top resource, which can be used easily. For instance, instructors can use the guide "Our space: Being a responsible citizen of the digital world," which contains a 7-unit curriculum with ready-to-use lessons for in-class and homework activities. Alternatively, instructors may choose from the website's linked resources, which provide strategies for teaching digital citizenship.The free resources gathered here could also be used for professional development and education for teachers and parents.
Technical Requirements:: The Digital Citizenship HUB itself requires only an internet browser, such as Google Chrome or Firefox. Some of the linked resources require Flash and some are apps.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Parents and teachers will learn what constitutes digital citizenship, and find links to resources that will help them begin to teach children and teens to make ethical choices regarding their interactions online and through various media.
Target Student Population:: Most of the linked resources are aimed at K-12 teachers and parents. Some of the games that are linked could be used directly with K-12 students as part of an instruction program. Other target populations include communications studies majors, educational technology majors, librarian and information professional majors, pre- and in-service teachers, general studies students.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Basic computer and web browsing skills are required.

Content Quality

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Strengths:: The website provides a clear video overview of digital citizenship and its issues. T hub provides links the users to relevant, current resources. Most links work, and are appropriately attributed. A blog and newsletter keep the website up to date. The CyberWise curriculum and overall website are developed by academics who are also experienced in media. The dozens of materials reflect current practice, can be used and applied in several contexts with different audiences. Some materials are selected specifically for parents or for teachers.
Concerns:: Those wanting to put together a curriculum to address digital citizenship issues in the classroom will need to look elsewhere for much of their material. There is a lack of depth to the material here, and there is not a clear structure to them. While this material will help make parents and teachers aware of the issues, it provides only limited assistance in addressing the issues.The quality is also marred by broken links and especially by the disappearance of the e-book that is supposed to be available for download. The CyberWise curriculum is fee-based and costly.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

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Strengths:: The overall learning objective is digital literacy, which is core to ICT literacy standards. The various materials include both full curricula and specific strategies. The turnkey CyberWise curriculum, and some of the other curricula, do build on prior concepts and sequence content for progressive learning. Instructors can draw upon several resources to create assignments. Furthermore, some materials such as Our Space and Common Sense Media serve as self-contained ready-to-use learning activities. These materials enable users to learn a number of concepts effectively. Learners can apply the resources and their activities to daily life.
Concerns:: Much of the video introducing the topic is really a marketing tool promoting the organization's Cyber Civics curriculum and other materials that are made available for a price. While many of the links are to helpful materials, these materials do not provide a cohesive and comprensive coverage of the topic of digital citizenship; individual resources vary in completeness and scope. One-third of the web site space is devoted to advertising.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

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Strengths:: The layout is clear and easily navigable independently. The overall website provides clear instructions, and several of the resources are engaging. The main website includes a blog, and has materials targeted specifically to parents and to educators.
Concerns:: At the date of this review, several of the links to outside resources were broken. The link to download the CyberWise e-book, made available via Scribd, provided a message that the document had been removed from the Scribd site. The website does not appear to be ADA-compliant. No help feature is apparent.

Other Issues and Comments:: Be aware that the website is used to sell products and services.
Creative Commons: