Digital Identity

This page was created by the Winter 2010 Community class in order to educate parents about how adolescents interact with digital media and manage virtual identities.  As part of this project, the class created surveys that were completed by students, teachers and parents to figure out how these different groups of people use technology.

What is digital identity?

Digital identity is the online representation of an individual within a community, as adopted by that individual and/or projected by others. An individual may have multiple digital identities in multiple communities (source: eFoundations.typepad.com). 

What is a social network?

A person's family, neighbors, and friends with whom they are socially involved (source: Reference.com). With digital identity, these people are connected online.

Survey results

In January 2010, the 8th grade Community class conducted a digital communications survey for parents and students.  Subsequently, in 2012 our classes conducted a more current usage study.  Below are results of the 2012 survey.  

Weekly Digital Activities

Cell Phone use

Other Activities

 

Sources: html version of student survey data | html version of parent survey data

 

References for further learning...

Contrary to popular parental belief, Facebook is not evil.

For people who have social difficulties, like Asperger's syndrome, Facebook is great because don't have to talk face to face. Facebook is also mainly used for keeping in contact with people you met offline, for example old classmates, or friends from camp. Also myths that Facebook can cause cancer and loneliness are not true. Facebook makes it so you can connect with your friends after school without using the phone. The same thing goes for Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo's online gaming service, which are XBOX Live, the PlayStationNetwork, and WiiConnect24. This proves social networking sites aren't completely evil.

Want more info?  New Scientist


It's the "birds and bees" of the 21st Century

Talk to your kids about digital identity and privacy in order to keep them safer and smarter online: http://www.onguardonline.gov/topics/net-cetera.aspx


Think kids will have a negative experience if they make an online friend they didn't know offline? Think they will have a negative experience if they then meet them in person?

A survey conducted by Bridgewater State College was based on cyberbullying experiences in high school. The survey asked if the taker knew someone (including themselves) who had met an online friend in person, and if that person did meet an online friend, did they have a positive or scary/intimidating experience. The results were that 34% knew someone who had met an online friend in person, 28% knew someone who had a good experience, 12% knew someone who had had a scary or intimidating experience, and 62% didn’t know anyone who had met an online friend in person. This shows it is possible that people will have a bad experience if they meet a online friend that they don't know face to face (if they do meet one at all).

Want more info? Bridgewater State College


Think staring at a screen for hours can ruin your eyesight?

Playing action games that involve shooting a gun can actually improve your spatial resolution. This is your ability to see crowded shapes, like letters. Games like Tetris do not have the same effect. Ten non-gamer male college students that received 30 hours of training for first person action games were compared to ten other non-gamer college students. The gamers had a better ability to see objects in cluttered spaces. This proves that in addition to not ruining your eyesight, action games can improve it.
Want more info? Live Science


Hey Doc, what's your highest Guitar Hero score?

The benefits of virtual exercise—studies have shown that certain video games can help improve eyesight, attention, and even surgical skill for doctors: http://www.howstuffworks.com/surgeon-video-game.htm


Think violent video games cause violence?

At least 50% of the people at Billings play 'violent' video games, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. You may have heard about it on a major 'news' channel like CNN, FOX, etc. The portrayal of the game in the media is: "A game that allows you to actually become a terrorist and gun down hundreds of innocent people!" Reality check! In actuality, this only goes on in one five-minute level in the game, and upon loading the game disk, you are told about the level and are given the option to skip it entirely. In addition, you are not actually a terrorist, but an undercover CIA operative who's trying to bring down the terrorists from the inside. So instead of killing people for the sake of killing people, you're actually killing people for the sake of bringing down an international terrorist organization, thereby saving many, many more people. This definitely does not encourage terrorism.

Want more info? Den of Geek

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Student Response summary - [ 2010 Student Tech Survey ] - Google Docs.pdf266.57 KB