My second driving question is “Will my digital footprint really last a lifetime?”. A digital footprint “is a trail left by your interactions in a digital environment” this includes “TV, mobile phone devices…smart watches and the internet” (Buchanan et el, 2018, pp.8). This means that a digital footprint is basically your own personal online identity and is therefore able to impact your life both professionally and socially in positive and negative ways.
I believe that a person’s digital footprint does last a lifetime as it is online and traceable by many people. Once something is online, it’s really never removed, even once the history has been cleared, a digital footprint is permanent. Personally, I have noticed that when looking at particular styles of shoes for example, these advertisements or similar ones tend to pop up again a couple of weeks down the track. Although good in some cases, the fact that everyone has a digital footprint may not always be positive as it allows others to find out information about yourself without you knowing.
A positive of having a digital footprint which is managed well is that it’s likely a future employer will investigate your profile to determine if you are suitable for the position. In this case, having a good digital footprint will give you a better chance at getting the job as it promotes your “interests, achievements and skills” (Buchanan et el, 2018, pp.5). A negative aspect associated with having a digital footprint is that children may not understand the risks connected to the technological world including cyberbullying, security and privacy (Buchanan et el, 2018).
According to The University of Edinburgh, social media is known to be “embedded in higher education students' personal, working and learning lives” (Osborne et al, 2015, pp.1). This demonstrates that for today’s generation, it is inevitable to escape from this digital age and therefore, it must be embraced in a safe way. Similar ideas are expressed by Buchanan (2018) who states that most social media profiles are created in high school where there is a “significant increase in social networking” (pp.3). Buchanan also explains how adolescence communicate with others via social media which contributes to the “individual’s online identity and digital footprint” (pp.4). This demonstrates that social media is where a person’s digital footprint is really enhanced and should therefore be used to educate others on the risks associated.
As a future educator, I believe it would be beneficial for students to be taught how to develop a positive digital footprint as this is something which their future employers will be looking at before hiring. I think it is important for students to be taught about the ethics of the digital world, including what is right and wrong as well as what is appropriate to post. Students should understand that their digital footprint will last forever and identifies them as a person online. As many students today are digital natives, I believe it is also important for them to understand more about privacy and safely online in order for them to become informed and aware citizens.
References
Buchanan, R., Southgate, E., Scevak, J., & Smith, S. P. (2018) Expert insights into education
for positive digital footprint development. NSW Department of Education, 37(2), 1-23.
https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/scan/past-
issues/vol-37-2018/expertinsights-into-education-for-positive-digital-footprint-
development
Osborne, N., & Connelly, L. (2015) Managing your digital footprint. The University of
Edinburgh, 1-2
https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/managing-your-digital-footprint-.
possible-implications-for-teachin
Hi Claudia!
ReplyDeleteI loved your response to this particular driving question about digital footprints and how they can impact our lives. I liked how you referred to a digital footprint as a personal online identity as well as your argument that if something is shared in the online world that it can be traceable in the future, creating a real seriousness about this certain topic. I would love to see your aspect on more negative ways this digital footprint could cause to young generations who are not educated. A suggestion I have is that you could include a table maybe outlining the positives and negatives of the digital footprint effects on the individuals life in the online world and physical world. Overall, a wonderful job done and liked how you used creditable sources throughout your post. Thankyou for your consideration of my feedback and I hope to see another great blog post from you!
- Jessica E
Hi Jessica,
DeleteThank you for your feedback.
I have taken the changes you recommended on board by including a table, outlining the positive and negative effects of digital footprints on individuals lives. The use of a table also breaks up the writing and makes it more appealing for visual learners. This table will be positioned after the second paragraph and will replace the original third paragraph.
Positive Effects of Digital Footprints:
• Future employers will investigate your profile to determine if you are suitable for the position. In this case, having a good digital footprint will give you a better chance at getting the job as it promotes your “interests, achievements and skills” (Buchanan et el, 2018, pp.5).
• An online presence can also make it easier for students to engage with peers in the class for group work (Eg. using a Facebook group chat) (Osborne et al, 2015)
Negative Effects of Digital Footprints:
• Children may not understand the risks connected to the technological world including cyberbullying, security and privacy (Buchanan et el, 2018).
• Not everyone understands that digital footprints last a lifetime and determine your personal online identity. A negative footprint will impact employment opportunities.
• Individuals are so intrigued by technology and maintaining an online presence that they forget about basic life skills such as communicating socially with others, rather than texting.