Digital Footprint - An impact on privacy, security and reputation

     As I begin my journey into my course I must also take my first steps into using social media and thus expanding my social footprint.  I have often thought of my digital footprint and thus check to see what comes up when I search my name.  I also search my children's names and found that my nine year old was linked to nine results and my four year old was linked to one result.  This was a little surprising as neither is active on the internet. 
      I was curious to find out more on digital footprints and found out that our footprints can be created through active and passive acts.  Active acts are when an individual willingly shares information and thus creating a footprint online.  Our footprint is also created through passive acts such as surfing the net.  Profile companies link and collect data on individuals to determine likes and dislikes.  The company then analyses the date and is able to determine habits, preferences, intentions and possible future behaviour of an individual.  It is important for all individuals to be aware of this in order to create positive footprints by discriminating what information is shared.
     A footprint is something we leave behind, it is like our legacy.  As teachers, we need to ensure that we leave behind a legacy that has a positive impact on students.  Our legacy should inspire, inform and teach.  Information that can do this should be shared by teachers. 
     The impact of sharing information:

• loss of privacy
• loss of trust others use our information inappropriately
• loss of reputation if information is negative or incorrect

As teachers we must model and guide students to develop a positive footprint.

 

What is your legacy?

Changing Role of Teachers in the 21st Century

     In the past, teachers were seen as "keepers of knowledge."  The teacher would share this knowledge and students would consume, memorize and regurgitate.  Today students have access to information 24/7 because of cellphones, tablets, pcs, etc.  The teacher is no longer the student's primary access to information and therefore the role of teachers must change is the teacher is to remain relevant in the 21st century. 
     To be relevant the teacher must now model and mentor students on how to share knowledge and learning.  With the availability of information, the teacher must guide students on how to access, analyse, evaluate, synthesise, create and collaborate in order to create global learners and citizens.  In order for this to happen the teacher must be willing to release "control" of the information and allow students to learn, explore, and create meaningful tasks relevant to their world.  The teacher's role should guide students to be wise consumers of information, responsible producers of content and active participants in collaboration with a global community.

Our changing students.
Follow the link to see the importance of changing the way we teach in the 21st Century.

"To grow is to change, and to have changed often is to have grown much." - Cardinal Newman