One of the thought provoking discussion we had in class this week surrounded around digital identity. As an educator, especially a connected educator who partakes in many formats of social media, not enough stress can be placed on your digital identity. A quick google search or a hit of the retweet/share button is all it takes to have your thoughts posted online to your friends available to the whole world, and while this is a powerful tool, it is also scary (just ask one Winnipeg teacher).
Not only is having a digital identity to be proud of an important task for teachers, but also for students.With such a plethora of social media sites available it is without a doubt most students from middle years up (and some even lower) will be subscribers to some of these sites. Many students who I have discussed using social media with are unaware of the audience there posts can reach, from a retweeted tweet or a screen shotted Snapchat. Not only are they unaware of their audience but also unaware of the privacy of their accounts. A simple conversation by a teacher or class guest can go a long way in educating students how to use these sites appropriately.
I share your sentiments exactly. I was, like many others, terrified to put anything online. I mean, I just joined twitter a few weeks ago. But, after having been shown how I can use social media, such as Twitter and even Instagram, to my advantage, I joined. Same thing needs to be done with today's students. We need to show them that they can create or be a smart digital citizen, that they can use social media safely and effectively. We are a new society, using technology as part of our everyday life. This should not only be taken into consideration but should also drive the way we teach.
ReplyDeleteIt's scary how far your online presence can reach! I remember sitting down with my sister and showing her that a "private" tumblr post showed up when I googled her name!
ReplyDeleteStudents definitely need to be taught that once something is posted online, it's there for everyone to see.