Nocking the Arrow

"If Google sees that you're searching for specific programming terms, they'll ask you to apply for a job. It's wild."   - Max Rosett, theHustle Modern learners need to understand the permanence of a digital footprint, & this footprint can be advantageous or detrimental. #edslowchat — Robert Schuetz (@robert_schuetz) January 17, 2016 The common dialogue is to tell learners, young and old, to tread lightly into the digital fray. Digital footprints are permanent, thus, there is danger afoot. Certainly, there is potential for long-term damage to one's reputation by sharing material, or information that paints us in a negative light. Conversely, our online activities can be very advantageous to our personal and professional growth. Like many folks, I enjoy listening to music while driving. Additionally, I frequently use time behind the wheel to get caught up on current events. Yesterday, while riding in the car with my teenage sons, we listened ...

. ..tomorrow's adults will need an online home that  they  control. They need an online home, a place where they tell the world who they are and what they've done, where they post their own work, or, at least, some of it. Dan Gillmor The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when James Marshall struck gold at Sutter's Mill. A mix of good and bad, the " Forty-Niners " accelerated development of the western United States.  At noon on April 22nd,1889, fifty thousand settlers charged into Oklahoma to each stake their claim of 160 acres of unassigned free land. The lack of civil authority invited thousands of immigrants, " Sooners ," to stake out prime parcels in advance of the official Oklahoma Land Rush . Once again, a mixture of good and bad policy but the event forever impacted westward expansion in the United States. Today, there is another rush to acquiring space and value, and it is occurring on the Internet. Those people not...

Last week's frigid weather not only prompted many school closings, it prompted some students to take to social media in a negative way. The reaction to the negative messages was swift and predictable with teachers, administrators, and parents calling for digital citizenship training programs. A common popular analogy suggests young drivers take coursework and an assessment before obtaining a license to legally drive. Shouldn't similar steps be taken before people put their reputations and futures at risk from ill-advised sharing on social media?  "We need to look beyond the scary stats and help kids start thinking about the things they want to share with their families, with their classrooms, or with a larger audience." - Alec Couros With the stakes being so high, it's hard to argue against teaching young people about responsible use and proper etiquette when using digital tools and social media. However, I would like to suggest another way. Educators should ...

This evening, amidst the onslaught of holiday shopping commercials, a favorite retailer showed a proud, but sleepy, father urging his two excited daughters to get ready for bed. The girls snuggled together in a fuzzy blanket, along with their iPad, in anticipation of Christmas morning. This scene 's not Cindy Lou Who  ( "who was no more than two" ) with her oversized candy cane, but it's pretty close. What Target needs to realize is that conscientious parents don't allow their children to sleep with their mobile electronics, not even to capture Santa in the act of conditional generosity. Much like the Grinch , this commercial dad should have gently taken the iPad away for safe keeping, and overnight charging. With more schools providing tablets or laptop computers to students, and more families purchasing cell phones, many parents are left wondering how to best support their children's learning, while at the same time, protecting them from the hid...