When it comes to my digital footprint, I leave very few
trails. I have a Facebook account that is completely private. I make sure that
I use a name that is not my exact first and last name where I am easily
identified. I have a website that is connected through the school I work at.
With my Google account I do not let just anyone into my Google+ Circle. I also
have an account on Pinterest and Instagram that family and friends follow. I
make sure that I do not share too much private information about my life on
Facebook or on any online account. Pictures that I post onto my accounts I
always make sure or appropriate and professional.
Personally, I feel that today’s generations of kids are very liberal when it comes to digital media. They are very eager to post pictures and statuses of their every move throughout the day. It makes it very easy for anyone to follow these particular students online. It can become a great fear of parents when their child is posting everything over the internet. I think that it is important for schools, especially 1:1 schools or B.Y.O.D. schools to offer a night where the students and parents learn about digital citizenship. Inform the students AND the parents on the dangers of your digital footprint.
As an educator I feel that it is important to students at an
early age about their digital footprint. Today, students are starting to use a
variety of devices as soon as they can walk (and sometimes sooner). It is
crucial to help them understand the importance of their digital footprint. When
teaching students about this topic ask them the following questions…
·
If we were to look you
up online what would we learn about you?
·
What are your digital
footprints?
·
Is there anything
online that you wouldn't want your teacher or parent to know about
you?
(EdTech Team, 2015)
Below are some videos that
teachers could show their students to help introduce the topic of the impact of their
digital footprint.
References
Common
Sense Media - Digital Footprint Intro [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuepKmROKzQ
EdTech Team.
(2015). A Great Guide on Teaching Students about Digital Footprint ~
Educational Technology and Mobile
Learning. Retrieved from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/04/a-great-guide-on-teaching-students.html
Oversharing: Think Before You Post [Video
file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyjd73tUXig
You have made some great points about today's generation. It is much easier in today's world of technology to take pictures and share them on a variety of social media sites. Apps allow people to "check in" at different places which shares their specific location. The younger generations do not have a real understanding of the dangers in the world and in my experience have no idea how some of the seemingly innocent things they do could cause them harm. This is why digital citizenship is an important topic that has to be taught and shared with students at a young age and revisited frequently.
ReplyDeleteSociety as a whole has changed and everything has become so easy and acceptable that I feel this liberal view is just too much. We see so many safety issues not only with technology but the world in general, yet people still don't practice safe behaviors- even just buckling up in a car isn't a mandate. I completely agree that it begins with educating the parents because even they can be lax with their personal technology use. I sort of compare it with recycling- I feel like teachers need to be that all around role model of appropriate and safe behavior that just as out footprint on Earth is impacted by the way we live, so is our digital footprint. One can never educate the public enough and our community of parents and kids is a large one! I also wanted to thank you for the conversation starters and videos. These are such simple ways to keep the discussion open. My favorite is "is there anything online you wouldn't want your parents or teachers to know/see" because that is the ultimate test of professional and safe behavior because nothing is a secret these days. You can find anything out there!
ReplyDeleteThank you for those videos....great resources for teachers re: digital footprints! And I agree...these conversations do need to happen at an early age.
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