The moment I saw a middle school student confidently describe how an algorithm decides what appears on her social media page, I understood an important truth: our students are already living in the digital world, and we’re just behind in teaching them how to thrive in it.

They know how to swipe, scroll, post, and share. What they don’t know is why some content shows up on their page, how false information spreads, or what it means to have a digital voice that can reach farther than any classroom discussion ever could. This is where Digital Literacy and Citizenship go from being a trend to a need for survival.

The Problem: Students Are Fluent, But Not Literate

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most students know how to use technology, but very few know how to understand it. They can swipe, scroll, post, and search at lightning speed. Yet many struggle to:

• Differentiate fact from misinformation
• Understand how data is collected and used
• Identify online manipulation or bias
• Communicate respectfully online

In my work with schools, I’ve watched students click on fake news headlines in seconds, not because they’re careless, but because no one has ever taught them how digital information is created.

A highly respected education study revealed that more than 60% of students cannot distinguish between a credible news source and an advertisement. That’s not a student problem, it’s a system problem.

The Agitation: The Cost of Getting This Wrong

The absence of digital literacy displays itself quickly. Students are overwhelmed with information. They post information out of context. Cyberbullying makes its way into the classroom. Privacy is taken lightly until it’s been broken. And, most tragically, students feel as though they have no power, powerless to technology, not in control of it.

I have spoken with teachers who feel as if they are constantly “putting out fires” as a result of online activity. I have also spoken with students who have told me that they are nervous about turning on the computer, but that they do not feel as if they have a choice about opting out.

Without digital citizenship, technology is a busy city with no traffic laws. Everyone is moving quickly. Crashes are bound to happen.

The Turning Point: Digital Literacy as the Mentor

Every hero’s journey has a direction, and in education, digital literacy is that mentor. Digital literacy is not only about knowing how to use technology. It’s also about learning how technology works, how information moves, and how our decisions online can affect the world around us.

Digital citizenship brings the moral component. It asks:

• Should I share this?
• Who might be affected by my words?
• What is my role in this space?

When combined, these elements can completely change students from passive viewers to thoughtful contributors.

I’ve seen classrooms shift when these ideas are brought into the mix. Conversations become more in-depth. Students ask better questions. They think twice before they post. They begin to see themselves not just as users, but as participants in the technology world.

The Skills Students Actually Need (And Why They Matter)

Consider digital literacy and citizenship as a toolbox, not a to-do list.

Critical Thinking Online: Students know to critically assess sources, assess credibility, and avoid emotional manipulation. This is important in a world where algorithms favor irritation over exactness.

Digital Communication: Tone, context, and industry are essential online. Teaching students to respectfully disagree online is as necessary as teaching grammar.

Privacy and Data Awareness: When students realize that “free” apps come with a price tag in terms of data, their attitudes shift. They become more aware and authorized.

Ethical Technology Use: From AI-created content to plagiarism, students need guidelines on how to use technology responsibly in today’s learning and working environments.

The Resolution: Preparing Students for the World They’ll Inherit

The point is not to scare students from technology, but ot train them to lead within it. Digital communication skills, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making are always at the top of the list of skills that employers want in their workers. 

The world of civic engagement takes place online. Even one’s identity is made, in part, through online presence. When schools focus on digital literacy and citizenship, students receive something profoundly helpful: agency.

• They will learn that technology is a tool, not a victor.
• That their voice matters, but so does their responsibility.
• That being “good online” is not about rules, but about values.

Final Thoughts

As I constantly tell educators, the purpose isn’t to produce students who can quickly learn about the latest and greatest app or platform that comes out every time. 

Yes its true that technology will continue to grow, but what’s more important is teaching students to adjust simply, to ask the right questions, and to show goodness in the digital world, regardless of what tools they are using. Digital literacy and citizenship aren’t trends. They’re necessary skills that tell how students learn, interact, and engage with the world around them. 

When we intentionally teach these skills, we’re doing more than preparing students for a world

that’s increasingly pushed by technology; we’re empowering them to lead it. And from what I’ve observed in classrooms around the country, students are more than up for the task.