Patterns of Inclusion: Fostering Digital Citizenship through Hybrid Education

Abstract

Reconsidering the concept of digital citizenship and the essential component of education the authors propose that the concept of Hybrid Education may serve both as a guideline for the utilization of digital technologies in education and as a methodology for fostering new forms of participation, inclusion and engagement in society. Following T.H. Marshall's conception of citizenship the authors suggest that becoming, belonging and the capabilities to do so is essential to digital citizenship in a culturally diverse and digitally mediated world. The paper presents a theory-based, value driven and practical orientated framework for innovation in education. The paper documents a process where participants situated around the globe worked in collaboration with a group of participants gathered at a workshop on the concept of hybridity in education and on identifying and describing educational patterns for Hybrid Education that are directly applicable in relation to the concept of digital citizenship. The process introduces a value-based and vision-driven design pattern approach to innovation in education by framing and aligning values and visions of the participants. This work resulted in approximately 85 unique pattern candidates that address various aspects of hybridity in education. In conclusion, the concept and practice of Hybrid Education is both productive and conducive to the reconsidered idea of digital citizenship proposed in the paper.