Digital Fingerprints

            Participating in the GOALs program over the past year has given me countless opportunities–attending the World Food Prize in Des Moines, learning from professors from multiple universities, interacting with teachers from across the country, and teaching in a high school classroom for a week with my own lesson plans. One thing that I did not expect to gain was getting more comfortable with leaving my digital fingerprint. 

            With so many of today’s connections happening online, it is not only crucial to know how to interact with others, it is just as important to leave your mark on the digital platforms. Whether this is replying to a tweet or tagging people or hashtags on a tweet of your own, leaving a finger print that you are there and connecting with others ensures that your voice is part of the conversation and other people know that. 

Pictured is a tweet I posted while teaching in Raleigh, NC

            I have also been able to leave my digital fingerprints on the GLAG Whova page, where educators from all over the globe can interact. There are different events to participate in that feature books to discuss or presentations. There are also discussion forums that are more casual and allow you to engage in smaller conversations. You can start these conversations or hop into ones that are already going. 

            I am glad that I have been able to become more digitally competent through this program because it has guided me to connect with people all over the world and has helped me to develop my communication skills that will be useful throughout the rest of my life.