The Importance of Developing a Positive Digital Footprint

   Technology and our access to it affects us and almost every aspect of our lives. I remember a time when I had midnight curfew, and my mom worked nights. My brother and I had to race home to our rotary phone that was attached to the wall and call my mother at her work before midnight, or we would

be grounded for a month! Today, both of my daughters have cell phones, and I get frustrated with them if they don't answer their phones when I call them. If I leave the house without my cell phone, I will turn around and go back to get it, even if it means I will be pushing it to be on time to work. Back in the day, I would have to go from store to store in search of the things I wanted or needed. Now, I can not only search the internet from virtually anywhere to find the best deals on those things, but also have them delivered to my doorstep. Our society has become so dependent on technology that it is very difficult to function without it.

The advances in technology have allowed schools to go one-to-one, so students can take their Chromebooks or iPads home to do homework and complete digital projects outside of school hours,
which allows them to dig deeper into topics and be more creative in their presentations. Students essentially have access to social media 24 hours a day. The problem with this, however, is that students

cannot escape the cyberbullies. I was bullied as a kid--like a lot of people, but I knew that once I got home, the bullies couldn't get to me. Today, cyberbullies can text, tweet, and post hurtful comments, and the victims cannot escape it, unless they turn their phones and computers off. Fights are oftentimes started through social media and finished in real life at school.

           Many students do not take into account that all of their time online, positive or negative, leaves a footprint. They do not realize that anything they post is out there forever, and anyone can find it, no matter how old the posts might be. Last summer, a prospective employer told me that he looked me up on Facebook and found that we had some mutual friends, which gave us an opportunity to connect. This made me really stop and think about the the

types of things I post online. Because digital footprints and tattoos can have a profound effect on a young person's future, digital citizenship must be taught from an early age. Furthermore, students need to be aware of the unintentional footprints they leave as they browse from one site to another. This unintentional foot traffic is what cultivates the types of ads that people see as they move through the digital world. Even Netflix gathers information on your viewing habits, so they can add recommendations based on your viewing habits.

           As my students create their e-portfolios and make adjustments, I try my best NOT to micromanage their content. Because most are beginners at creating their eportfolio, I do give them lots of suggestions of things they can include. Most of the portfolios assignments have a minimum requirement so they know what they have to include, but then I leave the rest up to them. I also think is important for teachers to model good portfolio development. When I introduce something new, I open up my own e-portfolio so they can see what I have included. My students like it, because I am not asking them to do something I am not already doing. Furthermore, students can see first-hand a real-world application of the e-portfolio by looking at mine. I want them to know that creating an eportfolio is not just busy work. I also want them to know that creating an eportfolio is one way they can deliberately cultivate their digital footprint.