Have you ever thought about your digital footprint?
Just as in real life, actions we undertake online have real consequences. The newness of digital media and the apparent anonymity of Internet use can make our online lives seem inconsequential or unreal. However, as more and more of our lives are based online, real laws are being developed to apply to internet use, and real crimes can be committed online. Teachers, students and parents need to be aware of the benefits and dangers of digital lives, in order to protect ourselves in the real online world.
In real life the interactions we have with others are face-to-face, so we cannot say something anonymously or do something that cannot be attributed to us. Our actions will have consequences, positive or negative, for our lives and the lives of those affected by our words and actions. Thinking about the consequences can stop us from doing something unwise, unkind or illegal, or it can prompt us to do something actively kind and helpful. Stopping to think about the results of our decisions is a valuable use of a few seconds and helps us to become good citizens. This kind of thinking can break down, however, when it comes to our digital lives. As we create identities of our choosing on websites that we decide to use, we are tricked into thinking that the internet is a magical world of make-believe, in which nothing is truly real and nothing need be traced back to our real selves. While this may have been more plausible in the early days of the internet and social media, the reality is that our physical and digital lives are becoming more and more integrated, and our digital presence has a real impact on our lives outside the internet. We need to start applying the same codes of conduct we use in real life to our online behavior and presence, and we need to teach our students and children about responsible management of an online identity. This video highlights one possible result of thoughtless social media use.
One possible response to the dangers and consequences of an undesirable digital footprint is to avoid creating one altogether. Until very recently, it has been possible to avoid engagement in social media altogether, and to use the internet without being involved in any kind of online community. I myself am currently being dragged, kicking and screaming, into a higher level of involvement. While this may still be an option for some people, as teachers we need to embrace connected life for a number of reasons: we have a responsibility to be connected to the world our students will take charge of in the near future, and we miss out on the opportunity for great personal and professional growth if we resist becoming connected to a national and international community of supportive peers. It is time to become a good digital citizen.
So how can we ensure our digital footprint is something to be proud of? The first thing to do is to understand one key difference between the real world and the Internet: the Internet never forgets. While you may not remember those wild nights in college, Facebook still has photographic evidence, which it is more than happy to show anyone who cares to Google you. Do a thorough search on yourself and remove anything that you don't want Grandma or your future boss to see. Go on the offensive and make sure all your profiles are above-board and professional-looking. There's no need to be boring, though. Give it a bit of personality. Just always remember that any comments you make on websites are visible to the whole world. Would you say it to someone's face? No? Then don't say it online.
This great little mnemonic perfectly sums up a healthy approach to digital media. When I get my own classroom I will certainly print this for prominent display.
As well as working to be good digital citizens ourselves, as teachers and parents we need to help kids and teens understand how to manage their digital lives, and to be aware of the real impact of their online actions. They could be put themselves or others in real danger with irresponsible, aggressive or just plain careless sharing and messaging. This blog post from the Huffington Post discusses a particular social media app, and highlights the kinds of conversations parents and teachers should be having with teens about their digital lives.
As well as good practices and common sense, there are laws in place to protect teachers and students when using the internet in schools. This infographic created by my classmates and I covers the basics of three privacy and safety laws designed to protect students and teachers online.
Finally, remember that it's all too easy to be a thief on the Internet. If you are using images, videos, music or any other content created by someone else, make sure you have permission to use it. Teachers have some freedom when using content for educational purposes in the classroom, but this does not extend to sharing content on a class website, for example. If in doubt, get permission, and read this excellent blog post for more information.
Just as in real life, actions we undertake online have real consequences. The newness of digital media and the apparent anonymity of Internet use can make our online lives seem inconsequential or unreal. However, as more and more of our lives are based online, real laws are being developed to apply to internet use, and real crimes can be committed online. Teachers, students and parents need to be aware of the benefits and dangers of digital lives, in order to protect ourselves in the real online world.
In real life the interactions we have with others are face-to-face, so we cannot say something anonymously or do something that cannot be attributed to us. Our actions will have consequences, positive or negative, for our lives and the lives of those affected by our words and actions. Thinking about the consequences can stop us from doing something unwise, unkind or illegal, or it can prompt us to do something actively kind and helpful. Stopping to think about the results of our decisions is a valuable use of a few seconds and helps us to become good citizens. This kind of thinking can break down, however, when it comes to our digital lives. As we create identities of our choosing on websites that we decide to use, we are tricked into thinking that the internet is a magical world of make-believe, in which nothing is truly real and nothing need be traced back to our real selves. While this may have been more plausible in the early days of the internet and social media, the reality is that our physical and digital lives are becoming more and more integrated, and our digital presence has a real impact on our lives outside the internet. We need to start applying the same codes of conduct we use in real life to our online behavior and presence, and we need to teach our students and children about responsible management of an online identity. This video highlights one possible result of thoughtless social media use.
One possible response to the dangers and consequences of an undesirable digital footprint is to avoid creating one altogether. Until very recently, it has been possible to avoid engagement in social media altogether, and to use the internet without being involved in any kind of online community. I myself am currently being dragged, kicking and screaming, into a higher level of involvement. While this may still be an option for some people, as teachers we need to embrace connected life for a number of reasons: we have a responsibility to be connected to the world our students will take charge of in the near future, and we miss out on the opportunity for great personal and professional growth if we resist becoming connected to a national and international community of supportive peers. It is time to become a good digital citizen.
So how can we ensure our digital footprint is something to be proud of? The first thing to do is to understand one key difference between the real world and the Internet: the Internet never forgets. While you may not remember those wild nights in college, Facebook still has photographic evidence, which it is more than happy to show anyone who cares to Google you. Do a thorough search on yourself and remove anything that you don't want Grandma or your future boss to see. Go on the offensive and make sure all your profiles are above-board and professional-looking. There's no need to be boring, though. Give it a bit of personality. Just always remember that any comments you make on websites are visible to the whole world. Would you say it to someone's face? No? Then don't say it online.
This great little mnemonic perfectly sums up a healthy approach to digital media. When I get my own classroom I will certainly print this for prominent display.
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| source: www.technologyrocksseriously.com |
As well as working to be good digital citizens ourselves, as teachers and parents we need to help kids and teens understand how to manage their digital lives, and to be aware of the real impact of their online actions. They could be put themselves or others in real danger with irresponsible, aggressive or just plain careless sharing and messaging. This blog post from the Huffington Post discusses a particular social media app, and highlights the kinds of conversations parents and teachers should be having with teens about their digital lives.
As well as good practices and common sense, there are laws in place to protect teachers and students when using the internet in schools. This infographic created by my classmates and I covers the basics of three privacy and safety laws designed to protect students and teachers online.
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| See the full infographic here |
Finally, remember that it's all too easy to be a thief on the Internet. If you are using images, videos, music or any other content created by someone else, make sure you have permission to use it. Teachers have some freedom when using content for educational purposes in the classroom, but this does not extend to sharing content on a class website, for example. If in doubt, get permission, and read this excellent blog post for more information.
As usual, this is a well written post, Helen. Teachers and parents desperately need to become aware of the growing need to prepare our students to be good digital citizens. One critical issue is that many schools and districts feel that we can best protect students and develop good digital citizenship by blocking everything that could potentially be offensive, misleading, or misused. Instead, I believe one of the most productive ways to help our students become good digital citizens is to give them opportunities to use these tools with teaching, feedback, and guidance from educators. My hope is that you will not only work to instill good digital citizenship skills in your own students but that you will also help your colleagues make this a priority in their classrooms as well.
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