The introduction of technology and social media changed communities forever. How we connect, collaborate, and communicate will never be the same. I took a hard look at the tenets of citizenship, digital citizenship, and character to create a unified theory of global citizenship. We can no longer look at any of these three ideas as a singular entity, but must look through a lens that encompasses each of them in a meaningful, comprehensive way. In an attempt to merge these ideas, I have developed a collection of principles, organized into the acronym “LICENSE”, designed to define what it means to be an exemplary member of a community - be it local, global, digital, or face to face.
The idea of a “LICENSE” brings to mind different forms of the word - maybe a driver’s license, license plate, or professional license. Regardless of the specific type, a license identifies who you are, tells others about you, and serves as a symbol that you have met certain qualifying criteria. Similarly, the components of a citizenship LICENSE help individuals identify who they are, how they are perceived by others, and symbolize a comprehensive knowledge of the attributes of a model global citizen.
With each principle you will find a short explanation of the concept, the identified components of different types of citizenship, several recent news articles addressing the topics, and a series of challenges collected from leading citizenship organizations. Each of the challenges is meant to serve as a jumping off point for teachers and students to address the topic in the classroom. These challenges address all age groups and would fit in many classroom settings. I hope you’ll join me in my quest to educate students about the true meaning of global citizenship.
- Legitimacy
- Identity
- Community Impact
- Education
- Networks
- Safety & Ethics
The idea of a “LICENSE” brings to mind different forms of the word - maybe a driver’s license, license plate, or professional license. Regardless of the specific type, a license identifies who you are, tells others about you, and serves as a symbol that you have met certain qualifying criteria. Similarly, the components of a citizenship LICENSE help individuals identify who they are, how they are perceived by others, and symbolize a comprehensive knowledge of the attributes of a model global citizen.
With each principle you will find a short explanation of the concept, the identified components of different types of citizenship, several recent news articles addressing the topics, and a series of challenges collected from leading citizenship organizations. Each of the challenges is meant to serve as a jumping off point for teachers and students to address the topic in the classroom. These challenges address all age groups and would fit in many classroom settings. I hope you’ll join me in my quest to educate students about the true meaning of global citizenship.
