Paving the Path to Positive Digital Footprints
When it comes to digital footprints, are your students on the right path?
I came across an article last night that really caught my attention... The gist of it insinuated that when applying for jobs, a background check can include all of an individual's Facebook activity.
As a strong advocate for embracing technology and utilizing the power of social media as much as possible, I'll admit that even I was caught a little off guard at first. I'd like to think that I do a pretty good job using the Internet appropriately, but what about our students? If their future jobs could be at stake, I'd say this is more important now than ever before!
Undoubtedly, as children enter their teenage years they begin participating more and more in online environments. And if we live in a digital world and have digital students, surely we are preparing our students to take responsibility for their online actions.
So tell me... what steps are you taking to help your students manage their digital footprint?
(To find out more about the article I mentioned, click here.)
Since 2007 I have been running workshops on digital footprints. First, I started with year 3 Education students who might become teachers. At their request–saying their younger brothers & sisters needed to hear about the importance of managing digital footprints–I took it to grades 6/7 in local schools & other grades since then. I have presented on this topic to various teacher associations across BC & will be bringing this message to the BC Teachers’ Federation Leadership Conference in Kamloops this summer. In addition, I have published an chapter in Education for a Digital World 2.0 (in press, BC Crown Publishing) Vol. 1 entitled, “Managing Digital Footprints: Ostriches v. Eagles”.
I think managing digital footprints is a highly critical skill for anyone in society these days. The Vancouver riot and the digital data being used to track down rioters–especially via social networking–is a great example. I still struggle with what the long range consequences will be re. youth development. (Take a look at my blog post, “Fleas in a Bottle?: Will Social Networking Stymie Personal Development of Youth?” http://bit.ly/d43WDi )One of the greatest stumbling blocks to developing digital footprint management skills is prohibition of social media use by schools & districts. Another is lack of good role models who can talk about what they do and why they do it. Rather than scaffolding appropriate behaviour, I believe that schools and districts that do not adequately teach students how to manage digital footprints & the long term impact of digital footprints is abdicating a moral responsibility with regard to education youth to be productive members of society. The only way to teach this, is to give them practice.
I advocate having young students work through savvy teachers–e.g. K & grade 1′s tweeting about what they are doing today in class through a class account under teacher supervision & with individual names protected. As students write (or propose what to write), the teacher can discuss what is appropriate & what isn’t. Later students can graduate to working in fenced social networking @ school with adult monitoring, discussion & correction of behaviours. They may also continue to post to “open” networks under teacher or parental supervision. By grade 11/12, students should graduate to full, self-moderated behaviours online, having been schooled in the best practices for protecting themselves & others.
Grace Reply:
June 21st, 2011 at 1:47 pm
Julia,
Thank you so much for your response! You’re absolutely right, managing digital footprints is critical for anyone in society these days -not just students. It’s so important for us to take responsibility for our actions, and the only way to do so is to properly learn. I love the ideas you suggested. Someone else told me that the way they prepare their students is by sponsoring a blogging club. They’ve found a lot of useful information from this site: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/ Hopefully you will too.