The Introduction of Cyber Civics

Cyber Civics is a middle school curriculum, rooted in an understanding of child development, that prepares students to be ethical, confident, and empowered digital citizens. The lessons brought to the children this year have been lively, interactive, and full of good discussion and learning.

30 Oct 2024 | Michael Mount Waldorf School

The Introduction of Cyber Civics

By Mrs Tracy Donnachie, Pedagogic Coordinator & Class 6 Teacher

Most of the world is talking about the ‘need for digital citizenship’ and the importance of ‘educating our youth’ about media use, misinformation, balance and wellness and, most importantly, how to use technology ethically and wisely.

People are asking themselves “What can we do to help our children help themselves in the digital landscape?”

We have always asked families to be thoughtful, mindful, discerning, and slow with media access for children since the inception of technology. This is not to deprive them, but rather to give children the gift of childhood – the endless opportunities that come with downtime, boredom, and unscheduled freedom. To favour face-to-face interactions over abstract experiences. To work on self-regulation, problem-solving, physical movement, and social-emotional regulation.

By the time Waldorf students get to Class 5 or 6, and even though many aren’t using digital media (happily) as yet, it is now appropriate for them to begin participating in weekly Cyber Civics lessons ranging from simple concepts such as what it means to be a citizen in any community and how to apply that to the digital world through more advanced topics such as: privacy and personal information, identifying misinformation, reading visual images, recognizing stereotypes and media representations, and ethical thinking in future technologies.

While some students may know their way around the device/app platform, they probably haven’t been trained much in ethics, privacy, balance, and the decision-making aspects needed to survive and thrive in the digital age during adolescence.

We are so grateful that a Waldorf school in the US recognised the need for this important curriculum, which led to the formation of Cyber Civics. Cyber Civics is a middle school curriculum, rooted in an understanding of child development, that prepares students to be ethical, confident, and empowered digital citizens. The lessons brought to the children this year have been lively, interactive, and full of good discussion and learning.