After This Lesson You’ll Be Able To
- Tier 1 (9th–10th Grade): Recognize what makes an online presence professional and identify one small change you can make to strengthen it.
- Tier 2 (11th–12th Grade): Evaluate your existing online presence and take one real action to enhance your personal or professional digital footprint.
1. Kick-Off (2-3 min)
Prompt: When someone searches your name online, what do you want them to find?
Goal: Build awareness that digital reputation = personal brand. Encourage students to think about how digital traces (profiles, comments, shared work) communicate professionalism.
2. Core Concepts (5-7 min)
| Concept | What It Means | Practice Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Footprint | Everything connected to your name online — posts, photos, projects, bios, and comments. | Google yourself or imagine a future employer doing it. What do they see? |
| Professional Tone | How your voice and visuals represent your goals and character. | Keep bios, photos, and handles consistent and appropriate. |
| Platform Presence | Using spaces like Schoology, shared drives, or LinkedIn to show your best work. | Update your “About” info or profile image to reflect your professionalism. |
| Privacy Awareness | Knowing what’s public and what’s private online. | Check privacy settings and remove posts that don’t match your goals. |
Mini Demo: Show two anonymized profiles: one with an unclear, unprofessional presentation; one clean, consistent, and skill-focused. Ask: “Which profile looks more ready for an internship or job? Why?”
3. Guided Work Time (12-15 min)
Tier 1 – “Digital Clean-Up Challenge”
- Open your Schoology, Google Drive, or class shared folder.
- Check your profile name, photo, and file organization.
- Make one small improvement that makes your digital space look more professional (rename a file, update a photo, edit your bio).
Tier 2 – “Online Presence Audit”
- Choose one online space: LinkedIn, shared drive portfolio, or another digital platform.
- Use this quick checklist:
- My username and profile photo look professional.
- My “About” or bio reflects my current goals.
- My public content (posts, images, or folders) represents me well.
- I have at least one example of my work visible.
- Make one update or improvement during class.
4. Reflection (2-3 min)
Prompt: Write one small, realistic action you will take this week to strengthen your online image. (Examples: Update your profile photo, rewrite your bio, delete an outdated post, rename project files in your shared drive.)
Submission: Upload a short note or screenshot to Schoology or the shared drive under “Digital Presence Reflection.”
Key Terms
- Digital Footprint: All online activity and content linked to your identity.
- Professional Tone: The voice and visuals that reflect your character and goals.
- Privacy Settings: Tools to control who sees your content.
- Online Presence: The overall impression others get from your activity and digital materials.