I've always had a tough time with online integration of my life. Every time I enter a new site, I'm asked the same series of questions. No, I don't want to link it to FB, no I don't want to link to my gmail...honestly, I'd prefer that everything remain completely distinct and separate. My name is common enough that it makes is pretty tough for individuals to track me down online with just my first and last names. I recognize, however, that as I type this, I'm entering information into a massive database that is probably being scanned in some capacity somewhere. It's entirely possible, the paranoia in my screams, that somebody can actually read this while I type it. Honestly, it's not even that unlikely. At my placement school, all the school computers, at least, have software installed that allows the tech specialists to mirror anything on the screen. I doubt that they can mirror personal computers.
I digress. In our last tech-ed class, we discussed integration of classroom assignments into a database like Google. Google Docs allows students and teachers to generate word documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Google Forms lets teachers create instant tests and share responses with the whole class in real-time. Specifically interesting about these suites is that students can retain "ownership" of their documents in a way that regular submission of papers does not allow. For instance, if a student turns in a paper they've spent days (or the night before) constructing and the teacher doesn't find it on his/her desk, it's simply one person's word against another. Through the online option, students simply send a link to their teacher, who can see when it was completed, what revisions have been made and much more. After the class is over, the students can revoke access to their documents and keep all of their content in one space through their entire HS career.
I have to admit that the permissions had not occurred to me. Additionally, it would be nice to have ready access to all of the papers that I wrote in High School and college. The presentation gave me new perspective, but I am still hesitant to turn to the dark side. We trust our privacy to these companies, but I've seen so many policies change and completely violate our faith in them. Who is to say that Google won't turn around in 10 years and release a paper I wrote when I was 18 to the media when I'm running for office somewhere? I believe they won't, but it really relies strongly on trusting that there are people behind the algorithms.
For now, I'll continue to try to keep my online life as disjointed as possible. As a teacher, I also must get past the idea that I have any privacy period and start to embrace some of the advantages of integration. Someday, I'll have a plan...
Google's Motto is "Don't be Evil" and I really hope that they aren't.
ReplyDeleteThere really is a challenge to maintain privacy and take advantage of the online world. The things I do online make my life better or at the very least they allow me to do the things that I want to do. Amazon knows most of what I buy. Google knows who I am friends with by who I write the most e-mails to. I get new purchases dropped off on my doorstep and I keep in better touch with friends than I would otherwise, but I am making it easier for some big corporation to track me. Although, I suppose, the problem isn't necessarily with online technology. With enough free time and money, someone could easily stalk me in real life. They could follow me around, track every public interaction and document every movement with photographs. It's just that following me around isn't worth the effort. In the end, I hope that is what happens with the internet. Yeah, people could violate my privacy, publish my personal messages and release information about purchases I've made. The thing, I really don't matter that much. It's just not worth it... until I decided to run for President in 2032.
Yeah David, this is definitely an interesting conversation that I think is worth having. I was looking into the readings that had originally been scheduled on the syllabus for November 7, and ended up checking them out. Lisa Nielson makes some very good points about managing one's digital footprint, and how parents and teachers can help young people learn to manage theirs. I actually Googled myself to see where it would take me, and was rather freaked out to see every address I've lived at in the past forty years, except for one significant one that seems to have been off the grid?? Where I guess I know where to go if I want to live incognito. Anyway, Nielson also suggests using "Recap Apps" with your young teen or even having your students take a look at it, to see what kind of map they have been leaving behind about themselves on the internet, and whether or not that is the impression that would like to continue to leave behind. I think that would be a powerful conversation to have with young people. It's definitely something I think about myself. Another site that I was led to through this whole search was to a talk by Alessandro Acquisti on how to take power over your digital footprint. Interesting stuff. I've attached the links.
ReplyDeletehttp://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/04/help-students-manage-their-digital.html
http://www.mydigitalfootprint.com