Essential Question: What issues -- both positive and negative -- are associated with digital footprints and living public lives on the Internet? How does the private sector view the importance of digital citizenship? What should we encourage students to include in their digital footprints?
It wasn't that long ago that talk of "digital footprints" was all about warnings for students: BEWARE what's out there on the dark, dangerous, predator-filled World-Wide Web! BE CAREFUL when you're online! BE WARY of sharing any information! Yep. O.K., educators do have a responsibility to teach students to be cautious and mindful of the negatives, but we also have a major obligation to teach students to be smart and savvy not only about what they should NOT share, but about how important it is to share the right kinds of information. Jason's video this week notes that, "If we can't hide online, then let's shine!" GREAT advice for educators as they contemplate how best to support students in developing positive digital footprints that will last a lifetime.
Each spring, I spend countless hours online "researching" potential hires for our small, rural school district. Our typical routine is this: Find candidate on ATP whose online application looks promising, and then go to work. Google the person, review every bit of their public Facebook profile (including friends; "favorites" lists of movies, TV shoes, books, and music; and organizational affiliations), check out their Twitter and Instagram feeds, consider additional email addresses found in these profiles and what they "say" about the candidate; review any blogs to which they subscribe or retweet; etc. THEN we decide whether or not to check professional references and have a conversation with the candidate. The potential employee's online self plays a huge role in what kind of teacher or administrator we believe that person will be...before we have even spoken on the phone.
This reality struck me as I read and viewed material for this week: It is SO important that we actively teach students how to create their best online selves while they are in school so that it's a habit after they graduate. We need to provide them with a multitude of opportunities to learn about how their online selves will affect them later, and how things they choose to put online now (or allow others to put online about them) could influence future employers, scholarship grantors, colleges, and even future friends.
This reality struck me as I read and viewed material for this week: It is SO important that we actively teach students how to create their best online selves while they are in school so that it's a habit after they graduate. We need to provide them with a multitude of opportunities to learn about how their online selves will affect them later, and how things they choose to put online now (or allow others to put online about them) could influence future employers, scholarship grantors, colleges, and even future friends.
I recently had a conversation with a few teachers in my district about digital citizenship, and we were commenting on how far we have to go in really developing a strong set of policies and procedures related to educating students about what it means to lead an online life that a student can be proud of later on. We're still stuck on the "Should we allow students to post their first and last names online with their work?" debate; meanwhile, the students are on Twitter and Facebook, posting away with mad abandon with no concern for what all of it will say about them tomorrow or next month or next year.
We are currently working on a tech-skills timeline for students in our district, but we have been working on things like keyboarding speed, apps and software to be introduced and mastered at certain grade levels, etc. We haven't talked at all about intentional additions to a student's digital footprint...or specific approaches to helping students understand why this matters or how to be proactive in highlighting their strengths and creating on online persona that shines.
Resources:
Ohler, J. (3 Feb 2014). MOOC spr2014 Digital Footprint. YouTube video. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQq-k3E6A3s
Siba Digital. "Managing Your Digital Footprint." Retrieved 27 March 2015 from Syba Digital. Managing Your Digital Footprint. Retrieved from http://sybasigns.com.au/digital-resources/web-2-0/digital-resource-managing-your-digital-footprint.
Queensland Government Department of Education and Training. "Mind Your Step" infographic. Retrieved 27 March 2015 from http://behaviour.education.qld.gov.au/cybersafety/school-staff/Pages/digital-footprint.aspx
TeachThought Staff. 8 March 2014. "11 Tips for Students to Manage Their Digital Footprints." te@chthought. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/technology/11-tips-for-students-tomanage-their-digital-footprints/
We are currently working on a tech-skills timeline for students in our district, but we have been working on things like keyboarding speed, apps and software to be introduced and mastered at certain grade levels, etc. We haven't talked at all about intentional additions to a student's digital footprint...or specific approaches to helping students understand why this matters or how to be proactive in highlighting their strengths and creating on online persona that shines.
Resources:
Ohler, J. (3 Feb 2014). MOOC spr2014 Digital Footprint. YouTube video. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQq-k3E6A3s
Siba Digital. "Managing Your Digital Footprint." Retrieved 27 March 2015 from Syba Digital. Managing Your Digital Footprint. Retrieved from http://sybasigns.com.au/digital-resources/web-2-0/digital-resource-managing-your-digital-footprint.
Queensland Government Department of Education and Training. "Mind Your Step" infographic. Retrieved 27 March 2015 from http://behaviour.education.qld.gov.au/cybersafety/school-staff/Pages/digital-footprint.aspx
TeachThought Staff. 8 March 2014. "11 Tips for Students to Manage Their Digital Footprints." te@chthought. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/technology/11-tips-for-students-tomanage-their-digital-footprints/