Last week, we had Jesse Miller in to talk about technology and the contemporary classroom. Miller is a trained keynote speaker and typically presents at conferences, schools or businesses on a variety of tech related topics, including “mediated reality, social media, external and internal internet policy, mobile technology and gamification” (mediatedreality.com). Miller’s got a slick, big-city vibe, which I found particularly entertaining.
The first portion of Miller’s talk had to do with naughty digital foot prints or, in other words, those questionable photos, social media posts, or search entries that you’d rather not have strangers (or your future students’ parents) stumbling upon. As Miller explained, this pixel trail is hard to get rid of largely because whatever you post can generally be re-posted, screenshotted, or downloaded, at which point the information becomes impossible to track down. While most of us have already thought of these sorts of consequences before, Miller did prompt me to broaden my ideas concerning my future social media audiences.
Aside from curious students and faculty, Miller also suggested vengeful parents or future employers as likely screen-skulking perpetrators. Perhaps, angered by a bad grade on their child’s report card, Miller had us imagine what lengths a revenge driven parent might go to in order to find juicy bits of social media blackmail. Alternatively, Miller noted that school administrators often perform cursory internet searches of future teaching candidates before interviews, seeking to uncover any future lawsuits waiting to happen.
Rather than become overwhelmed by the potential dangers of being present online, Miller encouraged us to search out its advantages. The internet provides a fast and easy way to showcase portfolios, past accomplishments, and share one’s teaching philosophy. Indeed, rather than fear our digital footprints, Miller proposed we draw attention to the admirable path we’ve chosen to walk through cyberspace. This portfolio, for instance, provides an excellent digital resource for future employers and colleagues interested in my teaching interests. In this easy-to-access and attractive portal, future colleagues, parents and students can take a peak into my professional mindset, crediting instead of discrediting my future practice.
