Digital Footprint

Have you ever Googled yourself?  Have you ever checked your virtual identity?  You leave a digital footprint anytime you are online. Your digital Footprint is the data that is left behind by users on digital services. Managing one’s digital identity is a skill, so to speak, that we need to learn and teach our kids and students about. In a world digitally focused, the boundaries between the real and virtual are blurred. As teachers and educators, we need to be a role model for our students and show them how they can interact with the virtual world and what they should do to keep themselves safe. We want our students to use technology to create a positive digital footprint rather than a negative one.

Digital Footprint in the Classroom:

In a digital world and information-sharing age, it can sometimes be hard to understand where privacy ends and what the real risks are. Everyone cares about their reputation, but many students don’t know that what they do online can impact their digital footprint, permanently. It is essential that students continue learning about the rights and responsibilities they have as digital citizens, and gain awareness of steps they can take to be safe and secure, and be empowered to make smart choices in order to remain in control of their digital reputation!

There are many resources you can use to teach Digital Footprint including: Common Sense Media,  Netsmartz, InCtrl, and iKeepSafe.

Common Core Connections:

Many 21st century standards are met when addressing digital footprint.  Also, common sense media has created a chart of all of the standards their curriculum addresses – which is a bunch!

Earn your badge!

Teach a lesson on one’s digital footprint or digital literacy!  Every time you teach these concepts, you can earn this badge – it should not be a one time lesson!  Tell what lesson you taught in the submission area below.