This document provides guidance for students to establish a positive digital citizenship. It discusses how employers and colleges now search applicants online and the importance of curating a strong digital footprint. It recommends that students create professional email addresses and use social media to showcase scholarly interests and activities. A multi-stage process is outlined to help students build an online presence through Google sites, blogging, LinkedIn, and commenting on professional sites. Guidelines emphasize maintaining an informational, objective and professional online persona focused on topics rather than personal details. The overall message is that students' digital citizenship now represents their broader skills and character to potential opportunities.

1. Student Tools to
Establish a
Positive Digital
Citizenship
David F. Cain—Secondary
Curriculum Coach, HUSD
David.cain@hesperiausd.org

2. I don’t remember
that, but it must be
true...

3. In 2013, 48% of
employers performed
internet searches on all
applicants.
Career Builder
Survey, 2013
What do your digital
footprints tell us about
who you are and what
kind of employee you will
be?

4. In 2013, 31% of colleges
performed internet
searches on all
applicants—an all-time
high
Kaplan, 2013
What do your digital
footprints tell us about
who you are and what
kind of student you will
be?

5. Percent of applicants
with negative search
results, impacting
acceptance:
2013—30%
2012—35%
Kaplan, 2013
Students, now that you
know we are watching
you, are you changing
your online behavior?

6.  Untagging photos
 Changing user names on social network sites
 Deletion of social media accounts
 Increased privacy settings
The focus is on destruction, deletion, and
avoidance, rather than attempting to
build a positive digital citizenship.
Student Solutions:

7. A successful candidate
has built a brand—a
brand that is that
person’s repertoire of
skills, interests, and
positive interactions
with peers.
What colleges and employers want to find…

8. What do our
students need to
know and be able
to do?

9. Teachers are essential in the process of preparing students for the
21st century.
• Students should be able to move between a wide variety of
media forms, gleaning information, ideas, and an understanding
of arguments.
• Students should be able to express themselves in a wide variety
of media forms, communicating information, ideas, and clearly
reasoned arguments.
Building Transliteracy

10. Our digital moral imperative…
It is our job, not only to warn and
guide students about the proper
use of the internet, but to assist
them in establishing their
individual, positive digital
citizenship.

11. We need to assist
students in creating a
distinct digital citizenship
that is scholarly and
professional; one that is
truly reflective of the best
aspects of each student.
The world is watching.
Stake a claim in your
skills, abilities, and
character.

12. Best place to start
 Have students create an email address, preferably
gmail, that reflects who they are—not
snickersbaby98@gmail.com, but
gabriella.a.espinoza@gmail.com .
 Have students perform all professional correspondence
with teachers, schools, scholarship organizations, civic
associations, employers, etc., using that address—keep
the address clean.

13. POST:
Posts under this
identity should revolve
around scholarly
activities or interests.
CREATE:
Have students create a
distinctly professional
web presence.
COMMENT:
Comment on the
professional sites of
peers and experts in
field students are
interested in.

14. Linkedin:
Twitter:
Google+:
d
Follow colleges and leaders in the
field that students are interested in—
post content and link relevant sites
Establish a professional profile of
scholarly interests and connect to
experts and other like-minded people
Google+ adds Facebook-like elements
and additional features to increase a
students SEO (Search Engine
Optimization)
Stage One: A Soft Start

15. Google Sites:
Blogger:
d
Have students create blog entries on
topics related to class—use it as the
medium for significant assignments
The easiest way to have students
create webpages and professional
content—consider creating online
portfolios utilizing google sites. As
you build, have students include
images, audio, video, and even
podcasts that exemplify the scholarly
pursuits of your students.
Stage Two: Let’s Build

16. Kidblog.org:
d
No email address, no outside
access, but a place to practice digital
creativity, collaboration, communicati
on, and critical thinking
Paving the way for
younger students…

17. A word of caution..
• All content must be
informational, professional, or academic—not
personal.
• All interactions must remain objective and
professional.
• The focus is on topics and issues, not people.

18. What can they do?

19. Questions?
David F. Cain—Secondary
Curriculum Coach, HUSD
David.cain@hesperiausd.org