Beyond the classroom: exploring student digital leadership, responsibility, and regulatory function
To conclude the discussion groups, OŠ Toneta Čufarja Maribor exchanged opinions on the regulatory function and its connection to computer science education with a particular focus on how the regulatory function manifests itself in teaching and in students’ free time. For easier communication and more discussion opportunities, some groups were formed for the plenary session.
Let’s see what conclusions the discussion group participants reached.
The Dialogue Club session in Slovenia involved teachers, ICT staff and one parent with discussions focused on students’ behaviour, leadership, group dynamics and digital rights in digital environments.
Leadership and group dynamics in digital spaces:
It was highlighted that, when completing tasks, students often organise in groups using social media or online classrooms, with leadership typically assumed by those who take initiative in solving tasks and problems. However, the digital world can allow more ideas to come from usually passive individuals.
A born leader can manage in the digital environment, even without technical skills, by delegating tasks. In games, students quickly agree on a leader and stick to it, partly because games function on the principle of agreement for participation.
Leadership roles from the real world are, therefore, most often transferred to the virtual world. Younger children (4th to 6th grade, 9-11 years old) still primarily use physical leadership, while older students use online applications to give instructions.
Like real life, children who tend to “have the final say” in person often take on the same role virtually.
However, there seem to be limited opportunities in school for group processes using digital tools compared to students’ free time. Among secondary students, organisation for school help happens online, likely led by the group creator with a stronger influence.
Leadership among young people usually emerges in the physical world, less so digitally. Digitally skilled children often become peer leaders online, as their tech fluency provides authority. Social rules and shifting hierarchies emerge in online spaces, reflecting social intelligence.
Digital leaders are not always the same as classroom leaders; often, it’s the most tech-savvy student. Introverted students may find more space to express themselves and take initiative online.
Hence, leadership roles rarely emerge in chat groups but become more visible in virtual worlds where students build projects and organise teams. Creating a group and managing user permissions can establish virtual leadership. A group leader usually emerges spontaneously, often someone who senses when it’s time to act.
Students in digital environments tend to function more equally, and many find it easier to express themselves. This raises the question of whether digital spaces encourage greater equality.
While the digital environment feels natural to students, face-to-face collaboration is often more effective. Adults have limited insight into these digital group dynamics.
Group organisation, rules and exclusion:
Students organise themselves into groups on social media or within online classrooms, and, for school tasks, they mostly organise under the leadership of the person who creates the group and holds more influence.
In digital environments, if you want to be a leader, you need to bring fresh and exceptionally good ideas. Persistence can also helpand the “law of the physically stronger” does not usually apply digitally.
On social media, students avoid or withdraw from classmates they don’t want contact with by blocking them, whereas, in the physical worlds, classroom leaders sometimes pressure others regarding group membership on social media.
Rule-breakers or unwanted individuals are excluded or not allowed into the group, and online violence also occurs. The reputation from the real world is often transferred online. Imposing opinions using blocking, restricting access, etc., is common among those unwilling to accept different opinions. This affects socialisation and can cause conflict.
In the digital environment, students simply block each other or exclude those they don’t want in the group.
In larger channels (like Discord) or games (clans), students set up roles (President, Veteran, Newbie) and basic rules. Moderators (volunteers) enforce rules, leading to temporary or permanent blocking of violators. Exclusion is the most common consequence for violating rules.
Students often push boundaries and risk exclusion or banning in games. It’s unclear how regular students maintain order in digital spaces; they often prefer to leave or silently observe if there is no order.
However, blocking and muting individuals on social media is leading to exclusion. More specifically, the block function is more often used for withdrawal than for enforcing rules.
Students’ behaviour depends on group dynamics, following patterns of others.
Those who are “loud” (type or send voice messages a lot) are muted, kicked out or ghosted. Hard-working members are strongly supported.
Avoiding and leaving groups is frequent and impulsive. Some follow rules, others don’t, like in real life. Their sense of responsibility is not yet fully developed. There is an issue of dependency on certain group members, putting pressure on conscientious students who may end up doing too much work out of fear.
Groups can be formed and ended quickly, creating a fast dynamic. The main strategy is either excluding those who are different or adapting to the group.
Students rarely maintain order and tend to withdraw or switch groups. Individualism and a lack of responsibility are common.
Digital rights and awareness:
Students need to learn how to use digital tools responsibly and safely, with parents and teachers playing a key role in guiding them and developing digital literacy.
They can recognise their digital rights only if they are familiar with them in the first place.
Schools must encourage safe internet use, raising awareness that there is a human on the other side of the screen. Emphasis should be placed on online etiquette, humanity and safety. Rights are touched upon through the lens of morality, not legislation.
To recap these points, it is essential to educate students about their digital rights, introduce relevant legislation, encourage critical thinking, create a safe digital environment and work with parents. This content should be included in school curricula. Key regulations like GDPR, DSA, AI Act and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child should be explained in a simple way, using real-life examples.
Support can be given through education, awareness-raising and useful information on navigating difficult situations. Also, conducting workshops on online violence, personal data and on how to seek help is important. Class teachers, digital coordinators and informed parents all play a role. Many students do not consider the consequences of their online behaviour.
Therefore, regular lessons, workshops, activity days and class periods should address these topics. Media play a role, but family and friends remain the most influential ones.
Students are often unaware of how their behaviour is influenced. School activities only introduce topics, but a deeper understanding requires personal experience. Dialogue and discussion are key, especially for early school leavers. Most people (adults included) may not realise how many factors shape them.
Even adults are often not fully aware of their digital rights. Awareness among students exists to some extent, mostly regarding privacy and the idea that real-world rights (like protection from hate speech) apply online.
These topics are covered in Civic Culture and Ethics, from time, and when opportunities arise, especially if digital rights are violated. Regular, timely awareness-raising is important, e.g., discussing digital rights at least monthly in form time. Schools have made progress, with more discussion, posters and teaching digital rights from 4th grade. However, how much of this truly reaches students is questioned.
Prevention is better than a cure, but issues are often addressed only when problems arise. Awareness campaigns may not achieve true awareness.
Students are often unaware that others have the same rights, possibly stemming from a misunderstanding of rights or failing to recognise that their rights are linked to rules and the equal entitlement of others.
Supporting them includes awareness-raising, teaching safe internet use and encouraging reporting violations, and teachers need ongoing training due to the rapidly evolving digital environment.
Students must learn their rights and understand them to others. They usually look up to idols like YouTubers, and media they identify with are Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. Education and awareness-raising help them think critically and distinguish reality from populism. Covert advertising by corporations is seen as a major threat to digital rights, potentially for economic reasons or dominance.
It is difficult for students to assert their rights if they don’t see others respecting them, and vice versa.
