Digital Footprint
Our digital footprint. We talk to students a lot about developing their digital footprint. Yet, how often do we help them build this footprint in schools? As an instructional leader, my digital portfolio is hugely beneficial to this type of work to create an online presence and share the great work that is happening. It is also not limited to text, but can be anything that you can see or create. If our students want to be a photographer, animator, actor, athlete, or another profession, creating a digital footprint can help share that information and make it accessible to others. A portfolio that is able to bring together all of these different elements into one space will make their “footprint” that much better and easier to find. I'll make a comparison for you. When I bought my last house, I got online because I wanted to see what was available and a realtor had the virtual tour of this property. I took the virtual tour. Another realtor didn’t have any virtual tours; I never even looked twice at the listings that had no virtual tours again. Those listings had no snapshot, no picture, no visual. If it’s a new piece of technology and I’m at home in my fuzzy, black slippers with my cup of tea, I’m going to flip through those pictures and get that visual. I’m going to be more likely to call those people if I’m interested than if I’m just looking through a bunch of words in black and white. One of the most powerful things I have found by creating an online portfolio is the growth in my own learning that I have done by sharing. By having a digital footprint, people will see what I write or share. It helps me be more conscious of what I am writing and helps me put a lot more thought into what I am doing and saying. I also find tremendous value in the comments and conversation that is started from some of the things that I share; it's pushing me to learn more and more every moment.
View following video: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/understanding-the-impact-of-digital-footprints
