If I was forced to use the latest ed-tech terminology to describe myself I would fall in the category of digital natives…that interesting group of toddlers, tweens, teens, and twenty somethings who have always lived with a computer at arm’s reach. As such, I participate in social networks, twitter, blog, have a flikr account, purchase 99% of my media online, and much of my social interaction take place online as well.
According to a number of recent reports this puts me in a precarious situation. A number of teachers have been suspended, fired, and had their professional licenses revoked because of their participation in “web 2.0 scandals”. Most of the scandals involved the teachers revealing way too much of their personal lives on very public personal profiles,which isn’t a good idea for anyone, let alone an educator.
My advice to them is to simply be smart about what you post publicly. Facebook and Myspace both allow you to block the public from seeing the details of your personal profiles. With the simple click of a button you are free to post pictures of yourself at a drunken two way petting zoo if you so choose. Although the image of such a thing is disturbing at best.
To those of us who use the net to communicate, network, or just to amuse ourselves I encourage you to do what I do; take control of what people see about you online by being mindful of what you post. My entire online life is available for others to peruse at their leisure. I’m on twitter, classroom 2.0, facebook, flickr, youtube, teachertube, vimeo, etc. I choose to publish those attributes about myself that I think potential employers, parents, and the general public will find acceptable. I always have the option of posting or writing under a pseudonym if I feel the need to express any ideas that are not appropriate for children or nuns to read. I would never do such a thing though….really.
I suppose my overall point is that educators should use common sense when navigating the world wide web. Privacy is a myth and you never know who is watching.
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