Writing With Technology

There is some discussion out there that we should be teaching our students web presence. Some say that students only web presence is about relationship presence, should we be teaching them about publishing work online or a work related presence.

Travel suggestion for venturing into the online world. Store all of these in your online carryon (file) called a things-to-remember document.

1.  Create a things-to-remember doc with a list of places and all login information.  Remember a code for regular passwords.  List a question that only you know the answer to for the ones you think you may forget.

2.  Acquire at least one email account that is not your school account.  I recommend a Yahoo account and a Google account.  Example: rockyridge44@yahoo.com and rockyridge44@gmail.com   I would recommend you use the same password for both.  Do not use your grade book login password or your online banking password or your school email password.  You will need email accounts for most any activities from ordering books online to uploading pictures. These email accounts travel with you.  Your school account belongs to the school.   I do not recommend using your name.  It is good to teach students to protect themselves in this way.

3.  Establish a profile.  Write this in a word processor and save it.  This allows you to think about what you want the online world to know about you, nothing too personal. You may want to establish a couple of profiles.  Do tell the truth. ( Well maybe not if you are working the streets.)  This can get you in trouble.  Information on the Internet anyone can gather.

4.  Select an image or two as part of your profile.  These images should say something about you. About 39 KB in size. When searching for images type in clip art images.  This assures that the images you find will be close to the right size.

You may want your image to be different on different sites. 

On some sites you may establish what is called an avatar.  This is an icon that will appear online when you sign in or transmit on the Internet.  Some refer to them as buddy icons.

5.  Some sites encourage a screen name. Be creative.  Let it say something about you.

Check:

• Travel email address
• Password different from educational or bank password
• Profile
• Screen name
• Buddy icon/Avatar

You are ready to board the Web 2.0 travel plane, train, or boat.