HYDERABAD: In the age of digital technologies, it is not uncommon to wake up to news about some new development or innovation. Artificial intelligence and Web 3.0 based immersive technologies like augmented reality, and virtual reality fuelling the Metaverse is being talked about as the future for youth skilling, education, and jobs. While the rising digital adoption in education is certainly commendable, it also carries with it equally significant cybersecurity concerns that we need to address. We speak to experts to help understand ‘netiquette’ and other concerns.
“Here comes the role of a skilled programme like digital citizenship to safeguard students from an early age. By integrating such a curriculum into our mainstream education setup, we might be able to use technology to create awareness about the ‘do and don't of using the net. Our education system needs to implement netiquette into our educational system immediately to prepare young minds for a world of infinite possibilities that lie ahead. So it’s best to start early and get them ready,” says Manav Subodh, founder & MD, 1M1B (One Million for One Billion) Foundation, Hyderabad.
With the rise of technology use among teachers and students especially after the pandemic, it becomes mandatory for everyone to know about the responsible and meaningful usage of digital technologies for teaching-learning purposes.
“In order to have successful technology integration, we should have a digital citizenship curriculum and it has been imparted in a periodic manner to ensure teachers and students take ownership of their digital lives. This curriculum would help them navigate the web effectively for authentic and reliable sources of information available online.
Apart from ensuring positive engagement while using the internet, teaching digital citizenship would create awareness among students regarding safe usage of technology, the impact that they would leave through their digital footprints and their rights and laws governing their online safety. Teachers also should be role models while leveraging digital resources by following cyber ethics, inspiring students to be global digital citizens of the future,” says Ramya Sriram, HoD, Computer Science, Meridian School, Kukatpally.
We live in a digital space and in order for us to be proactive we should work towards certain rules and regulations to enhance digital citizenship and netiquette today. “We’re being increasingly mediated through digital technologies, digital acts and that becomes important through which citizens can create, enact and perform their role in society,” concludes Gulnar Virk, Founder HashTag Marketing, Banjara Hills.