Topic 1

Topic 1 in the Online-course was about digital literacy and the scenario described a course participant that felt a bit lost when register and starting up the work in an online course and taking on the task of blogging for the first time. In my group, we started off a bit confused and did not know what was expected of us within this topic and within this on-line course. I felt a bit like the person in the scenario, but gradually the feeling changed. The group is very supportive and eager to learn. We started off by just expressing put thoughts more freely in a Google document, we then tried to choose four main areas to look into and two group members per area worked on the specific topic. I looked into the concept of digital footprint and the role of a teacher and blogger.

Within this topic I got to lean what a Digital Footprint is. I thought that the information on the site:  “the digital society” ( https://www.internetsociety.org/your-digital-footprint-matters)  was very useful and it describes your digital footprint as something that forms by your movements on the Internet.  It is a part of your online history that can potentially be tracked by other people or organizations. You can leave a Digital Footprint at web sites you visit or during online shopping. Some websites and retailers leave cookies on your system which can track your movement so that they can target future advertisement for you based on the products or sites you have clicked on. In social media, every like, comments or retweet leave a record.

This was very interesting and a bit scary. I guess you have to get use to that you are more visible in a digital world. Facebook is like a small town, were everyone knows everything about you and you do not have separate spaces anymore between family and colleges. Your role as a blogger is also something that you need to think through before you start. I have not talked about where I work on my blog, but if I had done so, I would have needed to be familiar with my employers digital policy and follow those requirements while blogging.

I also learned during topic 1 that a blog is a great way to self-express and self-reflect on the subjects you learn during the course (Deng and Yuen, 2011). It took me some time to find accessible research within the area, but journals like: Computers & Education is spot on. A blog is a reflective device that helps you take the leap from visitor to resident online. The course webinar on the topic of the different roles you can have online was very interesting as well as the discussion on which pictures and other material that you can or can not use in you online teaching. I have previously been active as a visitor online, but will be forced into a resident-mode though this course. Perhaps this is a good thing for me.

 

References:

Deng L, Yuen A.H.K, Towards a framework for educational affordances of blogs. Computer and education, 56 (2011), 441-451.

Internet Society, online-reference, text on the aspects of the digital footprint, 7^th of March 2017, https://www.internetsociety.org/your-digital-footprint-matters