A Digital Confidence Boost

As if it was not hard enough for individuals to find their unique place in the world where they can leave a lasting impression, the Internet has opened up a whole new challenge. Establishing an online identity can be just as hard, if not harder, for some people because not only does one have to create a positive reputation, one also has to complete this task using technology that digital immigrants may not even know exists. My journey to identifying and evaluating my online identity this week has lead to a positive revelation.

I began my journey using the REACH Online Identity Calculator. Although I am a digital native and have been blogging and networking online professionally for at least a year, for some reason, as I clicked “submit” on the bottom of the “Online ID Calculator,” I felt a wave of nervousness because I did not feel as though I have “made my mark on the Internet world.”

When I saw that I was “Digitally Distinct,” I gained an instant “digital” confidence boost. After Googling my name, news articles from the University of Central Florida came up which described my accomplishment of graduating top of my class last year for my Bachelor’s degree. In addition, my social network profile on the educational Ning, Classroom 2.0, and my old profile for the UCF Writing Center were among top search results of my name. In a way, my search for my digital identity turned into me reminiscing via a Google scrapbook! (haha!) I feel as though my outside reading, in addition to reading textbooks, has contributed to my evaluation of my personal online identity.

As a first year teacher, I feel as though I have the opportunity for a fresh start/clean slate, as referred to by Solove (2009). As suggested by Shelly, Gunter, and Gunter (2010), the use of blogs and wikis not only develops my personal online identity as an educator, but allows my students to contribute to their online identity and purposeful audience by promoting classroom discussion and feedback. For example, as an educator, I can reference students’ blogs and wiki’s from my teacher web page, resulting in an improvement in my students’ work because they feel as though they have a global audience, and increasing my own online identity with digital proof of my learning activities I create in my classroom. Both myself and my students are digital natives; therefore, using blogs to comment, reflect, and document class activities/learning outcomes establishes an positive online persona. “Never before in history have ordinary people been able to reach out and communicate to so many around the globe” (Solove, 2009, p. 20). Solove (2009) and Shelly, Gunter, and Gunter (2010) emphasize the importance of online identity and the seemingly endless opportunities for enhanced learning through Web 2.0 tools. I feel as though my “distinct” identity online is an accurate depiction of who I am as an educator.

I spend countless hours “Googling,” blogging, and networking with teachers all over the world in an attempt to establish new ideas for my content area, Reading and Language Arts. Throughout my searches, I have created many memberships and profiles on educationally-based websites. In addition to my active, professional “online life,” I also have a personal identity through the use of Facebook. Solove (2009) identifies reputation as “a core component of our identity—it reflects who we are and shapes how we interact with others—yet it is not solely our own creation” (p. 26). In order to control my online identity and reputation as much as possible, I ensure that all photos, comments, and information on my Facebook is a professional and positive reflection of who I am. I embrace my Facebook as an opportunity for my “friends,” and employers if they so happen to find my page, to clearly see who I am and what I do in education. With the new paradigm of online identity, there is always a possibility that when I apply for “technology” positions, employers who have mastered the technology will evaluate my online identity. My goal is to continue to remain “digitally distinct.”

I plan to maintain and build my online identity through participating in online educational communities. In addition, blogging, linking my teacher website to my school’s county website, and linking my students’ blogs/wikis to my website will increase my online identity. After reading several examples of “About Me” blog pages and Google profiles, I have found many important characteristics of an effective “About Me” section.

Online, I feel as though you only have “one shot” to really capture your personality. When expressing yourself online, the reader has the convenient option of easily ignoring you with a simple click of the mouse if your words are mundane or uninteresting. Words, with the occasional audio attachment, are the only way to truly convey to others who you are as a person. When posting on the Internet, without the “hook,” readers will see plain, boring, un-chunked text and automatically move on. By creating a personality through writing, whether it be the use of emoticons, humor, or vibrant tone/language, my online identity will not be overlooked. Naturally, I am an outgoing, joking individual. When composing my Google Profile, I ensured that I did not sound “too” serious or “too” casual. Similar to writing a quality essay, I began with a “hook,” and continued to express my personality. I wanted to write so that my intended audience (other professionals in education) WANTED to keep reading about me and my personal thoughts on my blog with the understanding that I am very serious and passionate about my topic, but also very entertaining in the way I present my ideas/findings.

To check-out whether I accomplished my goal, click here to view my first Google Profile.

Overall, I am pleased with my online identity and I hope to continue in my positive path of remaining DISTINCT….digitally, that is.

Digitally yours,
Jessica :)

References:
Shelly, G.B., Gunter, G.A., & Gunter R.E. (2010). Integrating technology and digital media in the classroom. Boston, MA: Cenage.

Solove, D. The future of reputation: Gossip, rumor, and privacy on the Internet. New Haven, CT: Yale Press.