Debate# 7: Educators and schools have a responsibility to help their students develop a digital footprint. Agree or Disagree

In the recent decade, the technology has changed the meaning of education and we can see that learning process is becoming digital these days. Whenever we work online, we leave some data in the form of digital footprint. A digital footprint is a collection of information about a person’s online activities. These people people lack mindset to use social media. This is becoming more apparent in today’s secondary schools. The question arises whom we should blame? Teachers or parents? Educators and parents both have a role to play in teaching kids about digital citizenship and guiding them about the digital footprints on the internet.

It can be difficult to strike a balance between permitting and encouraging children to use social media in school while also offering instructions for proper usage. The truth is that the majority of today’s high school students are unaware of proper online behaviour. In the Mike Ribble’s Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship, its explained that how we can be good citizens online. We may begin to properly prepare high school kids for college and the future by focusing on five twayswhen handling the issue of digital footprints.

Number 1: Google Yourself

Is it sound funny? Well, this is a good way to check your accountability online. Beginning with a simple task, such as a Google search, students can “enhance” their digital footprint. Encourage kids to “see what the world sees” by doing so. Try to scroll for the first few pages of Google and check if you exist there or not. If you find your name or ID, try to figure it out if it belongs to you.

Number 2: Preparation and Resources

Schools and teachers must develop some innovative approaches to teaching digital citizenship. Teachers can invite Guest Speakers in the classrooms to teach about digital footprints or choose some good reading material for kids. A student’s digital footprint is frequently based on their social media connections and interest-based social media apps. In this academic component is mostly absent.

Number 3: Question Yourself

Students should be taught to ask themselves, “Would you post this if your mother was reading it?” in addition to the frequent phrase “think before you post” and the golden rule. Because educators can only teach so much about digital citizenship, the expectation is that children will develop an awareness over time. To customize learning, teachers must establish relationships with kids. Moreover, participation of parents is must.

Number 4 Activate Google Alerts

Google Alerts is a notification service that alerts users to changes in search results. When new results are available, the user is notified through email if his or her name matches the search query. By activating these alerts one can save themselves from cyberbullying or hacking. If you find that you have not made any changes and still you get alerts, notify the support team immediately.

Number 5: Strong Passwords

While creating social media accounts, try to choose strong passwords. Your passwords can contain special characters, uppercase letters, and numbers in your passwords. Both teachers and parents should guide kids to decide strong passwords and they should change it from time to time.

Conclusion

For today’s high school kids, digital footprints serve as a reminder to utilize social media responsibly and for academic goals. A foundation can be formed utilizing the principles listed above, as well as many others. Our children will be able to comprehend the importance of digital citizenship and eventually model it for their peers if we raise awareness as educators by teaching the skills associated with it. Students will be guided in the construction of their digital footprint with the help of their parents.