Expanding Digital Citizenship to Confront Racism and Promote Democracy

• In Event: Civic Reasoning and Discourse in a Post-Pandemic World

Abstract

During the 2016 elections, Russian operatives tried to use social media to weaken confidence in our democratic institutions. They often did so with posts aiming to inflame racial tensions (Mitchell, 2018). What Russian operatives understood about us - and what educators must understand if we are to fully prepare youth for digital citizenship - is that systemic racism, hyperpartisanship, and disinformation represent a triple threat to the health of our democracy.
As part of the National Academy of Education Commission, Educating for Civic Reasoning and Discourse, we conducted a systematic review of research and curriculum focused on digital citizenship to understand whether such efforts adequately respond to this triple democratic threat. We found that efforts primarily cluster around preparing youth for three priorities: Civility, Information Analysis, and Civic Voice. While this work shows promise in terms of diminishing cyberbullying and increasing capacities to decide what to trust online (e.g., Author, 2019; Gaffney et al., 2019), it should expand to respond to threats posted by systemic racism, hyperpartisanship, and disinformation. Although such efforts will be difficult, especially in the current political climate in which discussions of race and racism in schools are under increased scrutiny, such expansion is needed to respond to our online reality. We argue that current efforts should expand in the following ways:
1. Delve deeper than surface civility. Lessons that focus on instilling values of kindness and civility in the face of online racism dodge much thornier questions: What does the prevalence of racism online suggest about the state of our society? What can be done beyond the interpersonal level to address this urgent social challenge? Dialogue about these questions gets us closer to tackling what it means to be a citizen committed to challenging systemic racism in our democracy.
2. Focus on credibility and underlying motivations. Efforts to teach students online evaluation skills can help them get better at finding high-quality sources (Author, 2020). In addition to learning to evaluate online content, students should analyze the political partisanship and systemic racism that fuel the production and spread of so much online information, particularly disinformation, and learn to recognize, cope with, and respond to racist online content (Author, 2021).
3. Support youth civic voice. Today’s digital tools broaden the ways young people may engage with complex civic ideas and shift the landscape of civic involvement to recognize the legitimacy and civic brilliance of young people. By creating a class-shared Twitter account or digital PSAs that can be shared on school social networks, teachers can promote ample opportunities for supporting digital civic voice.

Implicit in this expanded view of digital citizenship is the recognition that teachers must not sidestep interrogating and confronting systemic racism. While digital citizenship skills like civility and information analysis are valuable, these skills alone are insufficient if our goal is to further a more democratic society. Educators must help youth link digital skill development to broader understandings of societal dynamics like racism and of ways civic and political engagement can shape society.

Authors

• Nicole Mirra, Rutgers University

• Sarah McGrew, University of Maryland

• Joseph E. Kahne, University of California - Riverside

• Antero Garcia, Stanford University

• Brendesha M. Tynes, University of Southern California