I have spent a lot of time this week trying to find different resources to use when talking about leaving our digital footprint.
These first two videos I use each set of challenges as it shows how easily a footprint can be created. It is not only you but your relatives, friends, newspapers etc also add to your footprint.
Then I thought with so many students now involved in social media such as facebook, instagram, pinterest and twitter, how much information are they leaving by not checking their privacy settings but leaving things on default?
Watch this video to see how easy it is to find out information about you. Jenny Luca, director of ICT and eLearning at a college in Australia used this with her grade 7-12 students. Read her post to find out their reactions. Jenny then directed me to another tweet from Doug Peterson in Canada linking to this post from lifehacker.
You also leave a footprint when you sign up to join websites such as Moshi Monsters, Voki, Animoto and photopeach. Do you ever check the terms of service or privacy settings? Have you joined a site that says you must be over 13 years old yet you are only 10?
Being connected with all this technology means everyone is leaving a digital footprint.
Activity 1. Watch the first two videos above then leave a comment on this post about something that you found very interesting in one of the videos. Write a post explaining the differences between the videos. Which did you prefer and why?
Activity 2. After watching the two videos, write a post about your digital footprint. Is it positive or negative? Would you be proud to have your grandparents or your future grandchildren look at everything you have included in your digital footprint? Why or why not? Maybe Google your name to see what is online about you, that you might not have put there. Remember to Google your nickname used in online games etc as information might be included there.
Activity 3. Imagine you are debating this topic: It is better to have a negative digital footprint than no footprint at all. Give three reasons to support each side of the debate.
Activity 4. Watch the third video. Why is it important to check out the settings whenever you buy a new device? Default settings often allow the manufacturer to gain information about you without you realising it.
Activity 5. Should all teachers,principals and parents have a digital footprint in this time of technology? Google your teacher or principal (with their permission first) or even your parents. What have they got online? Do they have some information you think should not be there? Discuss it with them. Write a post about the discussion you had without giving away personal information to your readers.
Over Easter I am going to be adding to our list of web tools to use in the challenge (see list on sidebar) I am going to be sorting them according to how old you have to be to use them, whether they are free or you have to sign up, whether there is an education version or not and whether that is free or paid and finally what is the tool/app used for.
Activity 6. I would like your help to get the list organized. Write a post about 5 of your favourite web tools or apps. In your post mention how old you need to be to use it, whether you had to sign up to use it and what type of tool or app it is eg mindmapping, poll/survey, slideshow. Also tell me why you enjoy using the tool or app.
Activity 7. Here are some websites to visit related to cybersafety and digital footprints. Visit some of them and write a post, create a poster or glogster, create a cartoon about what you found out. Your teacher might also give you other websites to visit.
ACMA Australia – cybersafety for young kids, kids and teens.
Google has some digcitizenship adventures relating to digital footprints - more for middle and high school students
Kidsmart from the UK has some great tips and information
Activity 8. Mainly middle and high school students – There are 9 elements to being a good digital citizen. Read this post then write your own post about what you consider are the most important parts of the nine elements. Are there certain areas you need to improve on? Why?
Activity 9. There are both advantages and disadvantages to being able to connect and communicate more easily. Write a post or run a debate on this topic. Maybe create a comic strip showing each side.
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Teachers
Here are some links to sites relating to digital footprints and internet safety
Kathleen Morris - blog
Jenny Luca - blog post with grade 8 students and managing footprints
Pinterest - deaflady, somslibrary, janetcorder,
Cybraryman’s digital footprint links
scoop it - digital citizenship for teens
Still time left
Check your widgets. Do you have one called Class blogs? If yes, then add it to your sidebar. Use the drop down arrow and make sure the number is 30 or so to cover all the students in your class.
Visit other student and class blogs, read our new flip magazines, add links to your blogroll of blogs you visit often. Try to categorize these eg class blogs, overseas students, my friends etc. If unsure how to do this use the Get Help section on the sidebar of this blog.
Remember, next Saturday is Earth Hour. Have you registered to join yet?