Online+Identity+and+Professionalism

**Reflection**  **- How do we shape our ability to critically evaluate the credibility of information available online? **** - How do we represent ourselves online? **  Online identity and professionalism is a major concern in today's society, especially with teachers. Something that may seem as simple as a Facebook status or picture while on vacation can create a major problem for teachers. See the news report posted on the YouTube video: Teacher Fired Over Photos. This video is not the only incident of a teacher, or other person, losing their job on account of Facebook or other online posts. In keeping a professional identity online, I think it is very important for educators and others to either 1) not post incriminating photos, videos, updates, etc. which can be detrimental to their identity or 2) make sure privacy settings are enabled so you can share with only those you want to share with. I know on my Facebook page, I made sure to have my status updates, photos, and ALL information on my page to only be seen by my friends. I also added a setting which does not allow people to search for me unless we have a mutual friend in common. I chose to enable these settings when I realized a couple of my former students found my Facebook profile and sent me a request. Even though I am no longer their teacher, I denied their request simply because they do not need to be in my personal life and I want to maintain that teacher/student professional distance. I think it is very important for educators, especially with all of the court cases of teacher/student relations, to maintain that distance and keep relationships strictly teacher and student. Too often teachers cross into that line of being "friend" and it's not a very professional or safe place to go.

  1) Flanagin, Andrew J., and Miriam Metzger. “Digital Media and Youth: Unparalleled Opportunity and Unprecedented Responsibility." Digital Media, Youth, and Credibility. Edited by Miriam J. Metzger and Andrew J. Flanagin. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008. 5–28. @http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/dmal.9780262562324.005
 * Readings: ** 

2) Lankes, R. David. “Trusting the Internet: New Approaches to Credibility Tools." DigitalMedia, Youth, and Credibility. Edited by Miriam J. Metzger and Andrew J. Flanagin. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008. 101–122. []

3) Heverly, Robert A. “Growing Up Digital: Control and the Pieces of a Digital Life." Digital Youth, Innovation, and the Unexpected. Edited by Tara McPherson. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008. 199–218. @http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/dmal.9780262633598.199

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">4) Stern, Susannah. “Producing Sites, Exploring Identities: Youth Online Authorship." Youth, Identity, and Digital Media. Edited by David Buckingham. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008. 95–118. @http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/dmal.9780262524834.095

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Optional Reading: Buckingham, David. “Introducing Identity." Youth, Identity, and Digital Media. Edited by David Buckingham. The John D.and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008. 1–24. [] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">5. http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Privacy-Matters-Even-if/127461/