I’ve been doing some reading about student blogging and giving some thought on how to help students look at what they post to promote a positive image online. In particular this post on Assorted Stuff made me realize the need to be more intentional about communicating the things we should be thinking about. This is aside from abiding by a school’s Acceptable Use Policy and whatever a teacher decides to include in a rubric. This is more in the form of discussion with students about how and why they should filter what they post online.
Here are some ideas I’m thinking about:
As a student blogger, before you post, read what you have written with the following in mind:

• What if a future or present employer read this?
• What if a family member or friend read this?
• What if this were printed in a local newspaper?
• What if this were written by someone else – what opinions might you form about the writer?
• What if a teacher or student at another school read this?
• What if your future teenage child or grandchild was reading this?
• What if this comment were on a screen in front of an educators conference?
• What if you were trying to find the person who wrote this – are there any personal clues?
• What if a family member read this?
• What if your future spouse read this?

Even if commenting on a blog is restricted, you can be quoted and a discussion about your post or comment can find it’s way to another blog. Everything on the internet is searchable, clickable, and quotable so it is always a good idea to step back and look at what you have written with an objective eye.

Google some people to see how clickable they are. If you are a “blogging” teacher you could even Google yourself or someone else in the community that would be familiar to the students.

Any ideas to add to this? I would be glad to hear them.