Social-Emotional Learning, Digital Citizenship, and Media Literacy

Social-emotional learning (SEL) lays the foundational components of effective digital citizenship and media literacy skills.

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many young people are being asked to engage even more in online and digital platforms. Increased internet use while schools are closed presents increased risk for child abuse, sexual exploitation, and cyberbullying.1 Digital citizenship and media literacy are garnering more attention as means to address these potential risks.

Increased internet use while schools are closed presents increased risk of child abuse, sexual exploitation, and cyberbullying.

Digital Citizenship Skills

Legislation commonly defines digital citizenship skills as encompassing ethics and norms for appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior. (See “How Are States Furthering These Efforts?” on page 2.) Digital citizenship skills:2

  • Comprise media literacy and SEL
  • Promote safe online behavior with skills necessary for thoughtful and empathetic participation
  • Forge positive connections and productive engagement in the digital world

Media Literacy Skills

Legislation commonly defines media literacy as skills for analyzing and evaluating situations and communicating across media platforms. Media literacy:3

  • Provides the framework of abilities that enable one to act on digital citizenship, such as being able to analyze, evaluate, and engage with digital platforms and media
  • Encompasses the skills of inquiry to identify scams and fake news

SEL and Safe and Healthy Online Behavior4

It would be challenging to partake in digital citizenship or develop media literacy without social-emotional skills.5 As SEL is the very process by which we understand and regulate our emotions and behaviors, express empathy, engage in positive relationships, and make responsible decisions, SEL is foundational to the development of these internet-related skill sets.6

Based on the skills commonly included in state policy definitions, SEL competencies show up in:

  • Digital citizenship, realized through responsible decision-making, social awareness, and self-management competencies
  • Media literacy, strengthened by the competencies of responsible decision-making and forming and maintaining healthy relationships

Policy Recommendations

To strengthen legislation and policy for digital citizenship and media literacy in schools, we recommend that legislation:

  • Align digital citizenship and media literacy with state standards for SEL as available (Wisconsin provides an example at the state agency level)
  • Make the SEL foundation explicit in identification of digital citizenship and media literacy skills
  • Cohere online instructional strategies with evidence-based SEL methods

Table 1. States That Have Passed Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Legislation

(Scroll right to view all information)

State and Year Analyze and Evaluate Understanding Norms
(social and ethical)		 Healthy Behavior
(inclusive of safety and responsible use of media)		 Communication Cyberbullying Prevention Sexual Abuse Prevention
Illinois,
2009
New Jersey,
2014
Utah,
2015
Washington,
2016
Rhode Island,
2017
California,
2018
Texas,
2019
Minnesota,
2013
New Mexico,
2017
Colorado,
2019

References

  1. Federal Bureau of Investigation National Press Office. (2020, March 23). School closings due to COVID-19 present potential for increased risk of child exploitation. Federal Bureau of Investigation. https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/school-closings-dueto-covid-19-present-potential-for-increased-risk-of-child-exploitation

  2. Galoustian, G. (2020, March 26). Unintended consequence of COVID-19: Cyberbullying could increase. Florida Atlantic University.
    https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/covid-19-cyberbullying.php

  3. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (n.d.). Digital citizenship in education. https://www.iste.org/learn/digital-citizenship

  4. Starrett, J. R., Lipkin, M. C., & McNeill, E. (2017). Creating access to digital citizenship and media literacy education. Common Sense Kids Action. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/pdfs/2017_dig-cit-white-paper_final.pdf
  5. Common Sense Education. (2017). Digital citizenship & social and emotional learning: Navigating life’s digital dilemmas. https://www.commonsense.org/education/sites/default/files/tlr-blog/csedigitalcitizenship-sel.pdf
  6. Center for Media Literacy. (n.d.). Media literacy: a definition and more. https://www.medialit.org/media-literacy-definition-and-more
  7. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (n.d.). Online safety & social and emotional learning. https://dpi.wi.gov/internet-safety/online-safetysocial-and-emotional-learning
  8. Common Sense Education. (2017). Digital citizenship & social and emotional learning: Navigating life’s digital dilemmas.
    https://www.commonsense.org/education/sites/default/files/tlr-blog/csedigitalcitizenship-sel.pdf
  9. Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (n.d.). What is SEL? https://casel.org/what-is-sel/