digital dualism - online and offline life is completely separate
technological determinism - a society's technology can influence . the society's values and culture
The two big ones that I found important are the first two. First digital dualism, I do agree that both lives are completely separate but most people end up attributing online images to an offline person. With this being said this is why both a person's online and offline life need to reflect there values. So yes you can have to completely different lives, one online and one offline, but in the end they should reflect a person'a core values and beliefs. With this being said it leads right into digital identity. The importance of how you are perceived online depends, unfortunately, on your age and profession. After grade 12 is when your identity online becomes relevant. Post secondary, jobs, housing, etc. are all kinds of things that might take a look at you online. If someone researches you online and finds something they don't like they may put your name at the bottom of the pile.
So what does this mean for teachers?? Well first we need to really make sure anything we have online that may be interpreted, even a little bit negatively is not put online. Also we need to make sure our students understand how their online presence can affect their offline life. As an example I know of people who search people online when they get their resume... if they see something they don't like online about this person they don't get the job and most of the time they aren't asked to explain why such things are on the internet.
"we need to make sure our students understand how their online presence can affect their offline life." I really like this, and I think it's really important! I've talked to so many students who don't think their online presence has any affect on their life; they almost see it as a separate life, unless they've had the misfortune of having something embarrassing or hurtful go viral. Our job as ICT teachers is to help students understand this, and to model it in our own lives.
ReplyDeleteMark Sefton taught us last year that we have to have a "Presence". I liked that you used this term as our presence on and off line will be taken in to account when on the job search, looking for a house, car or anything. Having a positive presence and one that can be respected is very important as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteI was taught at RRC that "to be a better teacher, one needs to be a better person". That kind of sticks with me. I'm certainly not a sociopath, with one personality in real-life, and one for the profession.
ReplyDeleteAs for putting my thoughts out there online, I'm starting to realize that I do have a duality for specific purposes: one for PD needs where I connect with teaching colleagues; and one for how I address internet use for instructional purpose (the 1:1 for classroom use). Those "two" can blend quite nicely
It is very common that our students do not realize that what they do online can affect them offline. In my last placement, there were two high school girls suspended for online bullying. Not only did the police get involved, they had to miss school because of how they acted online. It is so important for all teachers to help all students understand how important it is to be good digital citizens.
ReplyDeleteThe point I was hoping to make with talking about digital dualism is that we are the same person online and off - this is what we need to get across. As Korey stated we need to be a better person - chances are if someone is a 'jerk' online, they are offline too.
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