October 11, 2010

MY FOOTPRINTS

“There’s something happening here…. What it is ain’t exactly clear” – Buffalo Springfield

Social Media has become an important part of my life. I probably spend more time having conversations, discussions and collaboration with people online then I do face to face. My Digital Footprints come from a variety of social networking sites – all tell you something about me. You don’t need to be a profiler to know what music I like or where I enjoy spending my off hours. It is my intention to have a digital footprint that demonstrates my core values -That I am a strong believer in social justice issues, that my family comes first, that I love teaching and sharing. It is my intention to leave my own legacy – one that depicts a person that fights for what is right, a person that believes in sharing, and commitment to a cause. Last week @dougpete (Doug Peterson) wrote a blog that prompted me to reflect on my own Digital Footprint. When it started, Why it Started, How it impacted me?

I use twitter as my news and information aggregate, and to converse with and from people around the world. I use Skype to connect and talk at a more personal level with colleagues, friends and family. Google Voice to make my long distance phone calls, Facebook to connect at a more personal level with friends and family, Diggo for group bookmarking, blogging to express my own reflections and ideas about the changing nature of education, Wikis to collaborate and share, Nings to facilitate my online courses, Elluminate to learn and share, Flikr to display my pictures, Delicious to share my bookmarks, blipfm to share my music, Google Docs to collaborate and share documents….and on, and on, and on…..

Don’t misunderstand who I am. I would prefer face to face connections 98% of the time. My online digital life however, has opened up many opportunities. I attribute many of my successes to my PLN (Professional Learning Network). I have developed friendships across the globe – with people whom I share my visions and passions about education, about music, about social justice and about our environment. I feel so incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by some of the most innovative and forward thinking educators.

Am I concerned about leaving a footprint that can never be erased? Not for a second. In fact, the impression that anyone leaves – especially, face to face can have impressions that last forever. Whether it be online, or in person, I have made a choice to uphold a certain standard. My choice of blogs, music, friends, bookmarks, collaborators, twitterers, are all guided by these standards.

Do I stop behaving a certain way when I am not online? The day that I chose to be an educator was the day that I knew that no matter where I am – I have ethical standards to model and uphold. That is my choice.

Have you thought about your DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS? Have you thought about your CARBON FOOTPRINT? Have you thought about your FACE TO FACE footprint?

A few resources that I’ve collected along the way thanks to many of you out there:

http://www.mydigitalfootprint.com/

http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/how-to-build-your-digital-footprint-in-8-easy-steps/

http://edupln.ning.com/video/digital-footprints-your-new

http://www.slideshare.net/wfryer/internet-safety-and-digital-citizenship

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3994/is_200207/ai_n9112056/pg_5/

Track your digital footprint:

http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/koppel/interactive/interactive.html

http://seanbanville.com/2010/02/07/blush-my-digital-footprint/

“Oh, no , when did I do this?”

What’s a Digital Footprint and why would you want one?