Educators and schools have a responsibility to help students develop a digital footprint
It was interesting as I got to debate this topic in Monday’s class. While Kimberly and Gertrude debated the “against” side of the statement, Rae and I discussed the “agree” side. It was a great opportunity to hear the opposing viewpoint and pick up new information. We found a lot of evidence that shows educators have a responsibility to help students develop their digital footprint. What will it mean when a student’s bad choices and mistakes are forever immortalized online? Concerns have been raised about their ability to understand the long-term repercussions of their online activity and cope with the increasing danger of hazards (invasion of privacy, identity theft, cyberbullying, etc.). Students are digital natives, but they are also digitally naive, and this is where educators have a responsibility to act on this generalized idea that students have to suffer without adequate reactive and preventive strategies to reduce the rate of social media hazards. Ultimately, being online is more like stepping out every morning and is fraught with danger. The ability to manage risk to the best of one’s ability requires awareness, knowledge, skill, and good judgment.
Upon further research, the challenges facing students in an increasingly digital world and the roles that teachers and schools can impact were explained well in Alec Couros TedTalk
Since there is so much for students to learn and understand about the internet, it essentially comes down to digital citizenship. If students are not made aware of the etiquette, literacy, rights and responsibility, law, and security that come along with having an online presence, they may easily get wrapped up in the negative aspects that are available to swallow them up. They need support to steer themselves in the right direction as well as assistance to avoid obstacles. What is inevitable is that students will be exposed to the internet throughout their academic careers and lives.
Who has the responsibility?
About The Author
Funmilola
Early Childhood Educator, Graduate Student of Curriculum and Instruction
Funmi, you make great points during the debate and also in the post. It’s true that not only educators and schools but external forces also play a great role in teaching and learning digital footprints. Students need to understand that their online identities can influence their real-world life. Schools, employers, and law enforcement could potentially use a student’s digital footprint when judging their character. A student’s digital footprint can have a deep and long-lasting impact on their life. Encourage students to learn about the risks they face each time they log onto the Internet.
Thank you for the feedback Gunpreesh. You are right and just as Dami quoted on her blog ” Your digital footprint speaks volume than your CV. It is important for students to know that.
You make some interesting points in your blog. Early education is not my area of expertise, but you certainly bring up some valid points regarding socializing and play. Even if we think outside the classroom and look at the skills developed over recess for our primary students. This is where they learn to follow rules, make friends, problem solve, build movement, and think creatively. Online school can not provide these skills and that may have some repercussions as we see these students in future years. As you mentioned, there are some good points for online school which may be important for some students to begin to develop at a young age. It is clear that online school does have it’s place, it is just a matter of finding how it will benefit a child the most and when.
You make some interesting points in your blog. Early education is not my area of expertise, but you certainly bring up some valid points regarding socializing and play. Even if we think outside the classroom and look at the skills developed over recess for our primary students, this is where they learn to follow the rules, make friends, problem solve, build a movement, and think creatively. Online schools can not provide these skills, which may have repercussions as we see these students in future years. As you mentioned, there are some excellent points for an online school, which may be necessary for some students to begin to develop at a young age. It is clear that online school does have its place; it is just a matter of finding how it will benefit a child the most and when.
Thanks for your great post. I 100% agree with you that we have the responsibility to guide students as they build their digital footprint. I think that you brought up a good point in your debate when you highlighted the broad areas of learning in the curriculum. That hopefully helps teachers to see how and why it is our responsibility to imbed digital citizenship into learning. I think that the disagree side raised some important points around teacher education and support. With this being such an important topic, we need to keep working on supporting teachers in understanding what needs to be taught and how to teach it.
Excellent points. Part of me wonders if our responsibility is more on our roles as good citizens, not just educators. The phrase it takes a village, could be seen as applicable for this. We’ve seen the mistakes of others and we can put up some warning flags for those that come after.
My worry is that it becomes another expectation placed specifically at our feet. I would love if this became part of our curriculum, they would just need to balance it with our already spoken for time. I would also appreciate some researched guidelines, so that any independently designed lessons I carry out are not leading them down the wrong path.
Nice writeup Funmi. I totally agree with you, as much as we hold our students’ hands in other ways, we need to sensitize them about this sensitive issue that can make or mar the future they are doing their best to prepare for. As typical for all teachers to do what is best for our students, knowing the importance of digital footprint will not enable us to play a blame game of “it’s supposed to be the parents or government’s responsibility”.
CommentDebate 7 In education and schools, are they responsible for developing a digital footprint or helping to students TO CREATE a digital footprint? WE need TO TEACH appropriate digital skills to ward off long term consequences. There must be less reactive responses and more preventative measures. This is the agree side the discussion was to cultivate positive digital front print to have more community involvement to achieve positive digital footprints foster change in the digital technological policy. There were also major concerns with parental sharing of digital information prior to entering school. Another area of concern was the proper instruction for educators when relied upon to teach the digital aspect of technology with their students. The onus that parents who shared their child’s technology / digital information does not leave teachers at an advantage because it is already “footprinted on the internet”. So how do we address the issue?
On the disagree side we need more security with kids on the internet. There is lack of parental control and mechanisms in place for children and the teacher need the digital skills to adapt with students today. With teachers there needs to be advanced training for the 21st century. The training and specific skills taught to parents and students will rectify problems and curb the “foot printing” and add a more positive presence for universally for all involved. The controlled environment with properly explained rules and guidelines will be taught universally to ADDRESS current and future problems,
I ENJOYED the debate on both sides, and I often was not aware of the greater problem. I have become aware and I will continue to seek or address online foot printing that is safe for all involved/ Thank you for your input and hard work/