Title: Digital Footprint
Course: 21 Things for Students > Section: Digital Footprint

Digital Footprint

Hosted on Vimeo and created with GoAnimate

Introduction

Welcome Special Agent!  Your next mission is called Operation Digital Footprint.  You may not realize this, but each time you logon to the internet, use your cell phone or do anything digitally you are leaving a digital trail. In this mission you will be completing the following five quests:

Quest 1:  3 R's
Quest 2:  Foot Work
Quest 3:  Codify
Quest 4:  Your evolving Footprint
Quest 5:  Creating your web presence

Once you complete these quests, you will earn the 21t4s Investigator Badge.

Briefing

Each one of the five quests will have Special Agent Instructions at the top of each page.  Make sure you fully read your instructions before preceeding on with the quest. All of the quests are interconnected and are best completed in order. Good Luck Special Agent!

Quest 1 The 3 R's

 This Quest requires you to put your thinking cap on tight and do some reflection, make a record of your agent activities, and calculate media usage.

Quest 1 The 3 R's

 This Quest requires you to put your thinking cap on tight and do some reflection, make a record of your agent activities, and calculate media usage.

Quest 1: Three R's

Secret Agent Briefing

You will be footing the future as your footprint continues to grow.  The first step in this quest is to take an online quiz about your current footprint and reflect (write) about what you think creates a digital footprint.

In the second step of this quest, you will record your media use over the next 24 hours.

Your third step will consist of working collaboratively with other agents on presenting a graph of your groups total media usage over an afternoon/evening.  Good Luck on the challenge in front of you!

Step 1 Reflection

A. Take the online Digital Footprint quiz:  Your Digital Footprint

B. How did you do on the quiz?  Large, medium or small footprint?

C. Open a word processing document & describe your Digital Footprint.

D. Write a 5-6 sentence paragraph about the role media plays in our lives.

- Discuss what type of media (internet, cell phones, video games, etc) do you think creates a digital footprint.

E. Save your document as Digital Footprint Quest 1 in your Secret File
    Space.  Your teacher will discuss all findings with the class.

Step 2 Recording

A.  Homework:  Secret Agent your next task is to log your use of digital media over this afternoon/evening.

B.  Some examples include:  playing video games 30 minutes, surfing the internet 15 minutes, texting 10 minutes and so on.

C.  Log your media in 5 minute increments

D.  Bring your log into class the next day

Step 3 Report

Special Note: (This activity takes place the next day)

A.  Add up your total media use in categories (i.e. internet, gaming, cell phone, etc.  Hold on to this information as you will need it for your group meeting.

B.  Once your media use is totaled, your SSI Department Chief will place  you in collaborative groups to compile your media data total as a group. Your group is responsible to assign roles within your group. Each Secret Agent should choose a role from the following options:

Facilitator of group (keep everyone on task)

Data Chief (Compile/convert all data)

Chief Graphic Artist (Create an overall graph of your group's data posterboard or spreadsheet)

Presenter of data to class (show graph and discuss data)

C.  Each group will present their media usage graphs to the class

Completing this Quest

In order to complete this quest, make sure to have a top secret meeting with your SSI Chief about your secret file space. This is extremely  that your files are saved in your secret file space so that your SSI Chief can see your quest is completed.

 Check off this Quest

Quest 2: Foot Work

Video hosted in Vimeo and Created in GoAnimate.

 Special Agent Briefing

Today you will be creating a physical picture or an online image of what your digital footprint looks like.  Follow the steps below.

Steps:

1.  Your first step is to download this foot .

2.  Print (or trace) the foot.  (OPTION: if you don’t want to print the foot or your printer isn't working, you may grab a piece of 8 ½ x 11 paper, trace around their foot with a pencil and write about their digital footprint in the hand drawn foot).

3. Create a compilation of sites you may have left a footprint on. These might include social networking sites (MySpace, FaceBook), gaming sites, shopping sites, learning sites.  Organize the sites in your foot by putting similar sites together. For example, all social networking sites together, all gaming sites together, etc.

4.  For a paperless/online version of your foot, fly over to Image Chef

Use the drop down arrow next to the heart and search for a foot.
Type in all of the sites you have left a footprint on.
Save a screen shot of your foot.

Completing the Quest

In order to complete this quest, you must secure your footprint in a safe, secure, top secret area.  It is extremely important that you keep this footprint to successfully complete your next quest 3 .

 Check off this Quest

Quest 3: Codify

Are you aware that your digital footprint cannot be erased and is available to others at any time?

Special Agent Briefing

During this quest you be using your physical representation of your digital foot from the last brainstorming Quest 2 . Watch the Common Sense Media video above about the Digital Footprint.  You will organize all of your sites into a digital “map” which will give you a picture of your current web presence. Follow the steps below to successfully complete this quest.

Example: Made at Bubbl.us

Steps:

1.  Create a visual/online map of your digital footprint by utilizing common mapping sites such as:

        Bubbl.us

    Gliffy

You may also use graphics, such as screen shots and/or pictures, to develop your map.  Above is an example of bubbl.us.

2.  Organize your sites into categories such as social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook, etc), gaming sites, shopping sites, learning sites, etc.

3.  Save your work in your Secret File Space as Digital Footprint Map

Completing the Quest

In order to complete this quest, you will need to make a screen capture or download and save your map to your secret file space. Organize a top secret meeting with your SSI Chief so that he/she can see that you completed Quest 3.

Other Resources:

Mindmapping:  http://www.wisemapping.com/c/home.htm

Quest 4: Your Evolving Footprint

This is a schooltube hosted video.

Special Agent Briefing

Just as you can be a different person to different people (sibling, child, cousin, student, friend, etc), you can be deliberate about developing different areas of your web presence.  Even at your age, it is important to begin thinking about creating a more formal or “professional” web presence.  Watch the movie above known as The Digital Dossier on School Tube.  This is a movie about how your digital footprint began and is evolving.  Follow the steps below to reflect on how your Footprint has developed and is currently being developed.

Steps:

1.  Writing Reflection:  Write a paragraph (5-6 sentences minimum) answering the questions below:

Q1  When do you think your Digital Imprint began?  (You may want to ask your parents about when they began posting information about you online.)

Q2  Go to Google and do a search for "Barack Obama" , then Google yourself  ( "your first and last name and hometown" i.e.  "John Smith Grand Rapids"). Use Quotation Marks " " for a more accurate search.  What are your findings?  Is the information accurate about Barack Obama and how about the information about yourself?

Q3  Think about the specific "footprints" or information you leave behind on the sites on your map (such as what you viewed, typed, or accessed).  If this was the only information someone had about you, what would they think about you? What assumptions would they make about your habits & behaviors?

Q4  What does your web presence say about you?

Save this paragraph as Digital Footprint Reflection in your Secret File Space.

Completing this Quest

In order to complete this quest,  make sure your file is saved in your secret file space. Make sure to have a top secret meeting with your SSI Chief about your secret file space. You may need this in a future mission.

Check off this quest

Quest 5: Web Presence

Special Agent Briefing

This is your final quest in the Digital Footprint Mission.  You are so close to completing your Webmaster Badge.  Before you receive your badge, you mustbegin developing a more "professional" web presence.  Choose from the options provided :  Weebly,  Wiki Spaces, or Edublogs.  Special agent, this is it!  What are you waiting for?  Get going and have fun creating!

Steps:

1.  Check with your SSI to see if there is a preferred presence for your class

2.  With this portfolio you will begin to develop a web presence that has a professional purpose: demonstrating your tech-savvy skills and knowledge to others.  Choose one of the following websites to create your web presence:

Weebly- The easiest way
to create a website
Wiki Spaces-space on the Web where you can share work and ideas, pictures and links, videos
and media
A  better way to  blog.

3.  Now that you have chosen a website to create your web presence on,  go to the site and create an account, (use the tutorials below if needed)

HOT TIP:  Avoid sharing your last name, your user name should never include your first and last name.  A better choice is your first name followed by your last initial.

4.  Create an introduction page for yourself

5.  Upload or link to the graphical web presence you created in Basics

6.  Add a link to your social bookmarking account, if you completed "Staying Organized".

Resources

Weebly

- Weebly Videos

Wikispaces

- Wikispaces tour

Wordpress

- Getting started with Wordpress

Other options include:  EduBlogs , Blogger , Blogmeister , and Live Journal

Check with your SSI about which option you should follow.

To Complete this Quest

Special Agent you are well on your way to receiving your Webmaster Badge.  Make sure your web presence website is saved in your Diigo or Delicious account and share your account information with your SSI.  Your SSI may have special instructions for submitting your webpresence, confirm reciept of your website with you SSI before returning for your badge.

  Check off this Quest

Digital Footprint Question

Each time you log onto the internet you leave a digital trail of your internet activity.

- True
Feedback: Great job!
- False

Digital Footprint Question

Your digital footprint

- most likely began when you were a baby and your parents posted information about you
Feedback: Great job!
- most likely just began
- most likely does not exist
- most likely began when you started school

Digital Footprint Question

Just as you can be a different person to different people (sibling, child, cousin, student, friend, etc), you can be deliberate about developing different areas of your web presence.

- True
Feedback: Great job!
- False

Digital Footprint Question

At your current age it is not important to think about a “professional” web presence.

- True
- False
Feedback: Great job!

Digital Footprint Question

Your digital footprint grows each time you perform searches online, post pictures online, or/and use your cell phone gps.

- True
Feedback: Great job!
- False

Digital Footprint Award

Congratulations you have completed the  Digital Footprint Mission.

To receive your Badge or certificate for completion from your SSI Chief :

1.  Take this Digital Footprint quiz .  The password for the quiz is digital21 .  Do your best!

2.  Take a screenshot of your quiz results to show your SSI Chief.

3.  Please take this short survey to share your ideas on how to improve these activities and this 21things4students resource.

4.   Show your completed work for this mission to your SSI Chief to receive your Digital Footprint badge.