Week 1 Report and Reflection

Hello everyone,

This week in ADED 1P32 revolved around one's digital footprint and being a digital citizen. Being a science student, I have learned a lot about one's carbon footprint and how it can contribute to climate change and global warming. I learned that it was important to strive to reduce your carbon footprint to create more sustainable environments. Before I started this week's tasks, I associated the idea of a digital footprint with something that needed to be reduced in order to have a positive impact. However, after reading Dodie Ainslie's blog post called "yes you should have a digital footprint...and keep track of it", I got a better idea of what a digital footprint was and that it can be a positive thing if the user is mindful of what they are posting on the internet. Because we live in a digital world and are constantly surrounded by technology, it is inevitable that we have all have a digital footprint. I feel that it is important to have a positive digital footprint to portray a true representation of yourself to future employers, colleagues, educational institutions, etc. It is so easy to find information on the internet, and oftentimes, people do not think about how readily accessible this information is to virtually anyone who has access to technology.

In order to better define a positive digital footprint, I think it is necessary to tie in the concept of proper net etiquette. After reading about the term "netiquette" this week, I believe that the set of rules of how to properly conduct yourself online strongly contribute to whether or not one has a positive digital footprint. Rule #1 really resonated with me and was a good reminder to always think about what you would do or say in real life when posting comments, blogs, photos, etc online. I am a strong advocate for making positive change and strive to be a positive role model for all everyday. Reading the rules of proper netiquette reinforce that not only do I have the power to influence people through my actions, but also through how I am viewed online. It is important to post with caution and to make sure that you are portraying the same message in person as you are online. In my opinion, that is the definition of a positive digital footprint: having the information about you online be a reflection of the person you are everyday.

The Secondary Digital Driver's License exam helped me to understand that digital access is an important component of digital citizenship. My score of 19/20 made me realize that although technology is something that surrounds us daily, it is important to realize that full electronic participation may not be feasible for some people. In order for all to have the opportunity to be digital citizens and to create a positive digital footprint, providing adequate accommodations, such as allowing students to use school computers to complete assignments, public library access, etc, are necessary to ensure that access is somewhat equitable. In the future weeks of the course, I hope to brainstorm and become aware of more ways to provide all groups of people with access to the digital world.

I look forward to reflecting again next week!

Megan