We’re frequently invited to schools to talk about online privacy. And when we’re there, we often hear about the challenges related to kids’ use of technology that educators face daily. For many teachers, the question of their own involvement is murky at best – much of this online activity takes place outside of the schoolyard, often after the end of the school day. But the repercussions of those activities can reach into, and disrupt, the classroom.

Technological solutions, like attempts to limit access to certain websites, seem backwards and futile. The most successful approaches so far seem to be the ones that aim to empower and engage young people, by helping them evolve beyond simply users of technology to become true digital citizens.

A recent study from the U.S. suggests that teachers who are comfortable with technology report greater student learning, specifically when it comes to those skills related to digital citizenship:

“Frequent technology users place considerably more emphasis on developing students’ 21st century skills–specifically, skills in accountability, collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, ethics, global awareness, innovation, leadership, problem solving, productivity and self-direction. Frequent users also have more positive perceptions about technology’s effects on student learning of these skills–and on student behaviors associated with these skills.”

This skill set is increasingly becoming essential for success in our world. Having a true digital citizenry is still a long way away, but the march toward this goal has already started, at home, and in classrooms and libraries and community centres around the world. We need to continue to play and experiment and grow comfortable with these new tools, and we need to encourage those of us around us – teachers included – to do so as well.