"If I Googled you, what would I find?"
I was in a meeting a while back and someone asked the above question. It was in regards to students and their digital footprints, and it got me to thinking, both about my own presence and that of my students. Actually, not just my students, but all students. I am trying to build a professional brand of my name and of my skill set in the industry. It makes sense for me to do so as I grow professionally and attempt to further my role as a technology coach in the district. What I hadn't considered, largely because I just didn't realize it, is that students can do the same thing. So many people know how to use social media for, well, social purposes, but how many students know that it can actually be used for continuing education. My guess? Not that many. If I Googled my students, what would I find? Much of the same stuff that would be found if you Googled me. Probably some pictures, an Instagram account, a twitter account. Maybe a Facebook account if the student is older. A smattering of things does not a digital personality make. So what? I have this question in my mind, but how do share this idea of a productive online presence with my students? Thankfully, in my new role as an instructional technology coach, I have the opportunity to meet with many many teachers and begin to share ideas, tips, tricks, curriculum, technology, and even some pedagogy. I have started to incorporate this idea of a student brand into my discussions and coaching sessions as teachers navigate familiar and unfamiliar waters in the tech realm of teaching. I ask teachers what presence they have online. I ask them to think about what their students portray online and what that digital presence says about them. Is it educational? Professional? But it's not just about school or work. We have deep, rich personalities that show our hobbies, interests, fears, triumphs and failures. People showcase these in person, online, via text and in a hundred other interactions. There is something interesting about an online presence, which is that we can present what we want to the outside world. While that may not immediately mirror our behaviors, there is something to be said about creating a positive personality online that is still a part of us. It encourages better. There is a saying in which I firmly believe: act the way you'd like to be and soon you'll be the way you act. Creating this brand of positivity and professionalism, especially at a young age, can have a tremendous impact on a person and how they interact with the world around them. So it's not just about the educational experience, though that is part of it. We as teachers have that obligation, but as any educator knows it goes far beyond that. It's about community, kindness, and knowing the impact one's actions can have on the world around them. If I Googled you, what would I find?
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December 2018
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