Each year, Richardson ISD observes Digital Citizenship Week in October to spotlight the use of technology and media safely, ethically, and responsibly. Throughout the year, Instructional Technology and Library & Information Technology collaborate to bring lessons to the classroom and resources that promote digital well-being, online safety, media literacy, and responsible digital behavior. Our district’s focus is on learning with technology, not from technology — using digital tools purposefully to enhance instruction, support learning and create engaging experiences for students.
Digital Citizenship Resources:
- Monthly classroom themes for Digital Citizenship
- Digital Citizenship Family Tips
- Online Safety At Home
Digital Citizenship & Screen Time:
Part of being a good digital citizen is establishing good habits. Balancing different types of screen time and considering the quality & purpose is important when creating a healthy and positive relationship with technology.
- Age and stage matters, and the quality of content is crucial.
- Find a balance between screen use and other activities.
- Involve kids in discussion around balance and device use.
- Model and teach offline strategies.
- Stay curious about and be familiar with what kids are watching, doing and playing.
- Model the behavior you want to see.
Screen Time Resources:
- Healthy Digital Habits and Quality Content (Common Sense Media)
- Screentime: How much is too much? (Above the Noise)
Digital Citizenship & Artificial Intelligence (AI):
Artificial intelligence is here and has many implications. Knowing how to support your student in this rapidly changing landscape can be tough to navigate.
- AI is embedded in many tools people use daily. Think about how shopping and streaming sites easily point you to the next thing.
- Academic integrity is an important part of using AI. It’s a great tool to spark an idea, but it should not be doing your work for you.
- AI may not always have the right answer. It’s important to check the sources and look for bias within the results.
- Know how the AI tool is using your information. AI tools train or improve based on what you are putting into it.
AI Resources:
- Teaching Kids About AI: A Parent’s Guide to Curiosity and Critical Thinking. (Family Online Safety Institute)
- Research Brief: Teens, Trust, and Technology in the Age of AI (Common Sense Media)
- What parents need to know about kids and AI (Ditch That Textbook)
Digital Citizenship & Social Media:
Social media is a part of daily life for many teenagers and can be a part of healthy development, but it can also carry inherent risks.
- Model and talk about good social media use.
- Investigate device and app controls to set time and content parameters.
- Monitor for behavior changes.
- Know the terms of use of apps – age restrictions for accounts, privacy settings, how content is being used by the application.
Social Media Resources:
- Keeping kids safe on social media (APA, 2023)
- When are kids ready for social media (Child Mind Institute, 2025)
- Podcast: Teaching Kids Digital Citizenship (Voices of Compassion, 5/1/2024)
- Website: https://www.smartsocial.com/
Technology is an integral part of learning, communicating, and preparing our students for the future. Richardson ISD is committed to developing quality digital citizens and successful graduates.
