Who are you online?

Essential Question How do you present yourself to the world online and offline?

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to... ➔ ‡reflect on the similarities and differences in how people represent ➔ themselves online and offline. ➔ ‡understand that they might choose to show different parts of themselves online, depending on context and audience. ➔ ‡consider the risks and benefits of assuming different personas online, and think critically about what it means to be genuine in an online context.

Key Vocabulary represent: to depict yourself to others as being a certain way or having particular characteristics

persona: an image and personality that you show to others.

Consider the following: Does the way you represent yourself online differ from the way you represent yourself offline? What is similar and what is different about your online and offline selves?

avatar: a graphic image that represents a person online

AVATARS (Not the movie) You are going to view various avatars and the real people. Respond to each avatar and note the similarities and differences between the real people and their avatars.Be sure to address characteristics beyond physical looks, and remember that you should avoid passing judgment or making fun of anyone’s avatar.

NAME Choi Seang Rak BORN 1971 OCCUPATION Academic LOCATION Seoul, South Korea AVATAR NAME Uroo Ahs AVATAR CREATED 2004 GAME PLAYED Lineage II HOURS PER WEEK IN-GAME 8 CHARACTER TYPE Dwarf Warsmith SPECIAL ABILITIES Craft siege weapons, whirlwind in battle

NAME Tommy D. Graves BORN 1978 OCCUPATION Bouncer, recording engineer, recording artist LOCATION Bedford, Tex. AVATAR NAME War Catalyst AVATAR CREATED 2004 GAME PLAYED City of Heroes HOURS PER WEEK IN-GAME 15 CHARACTER TYPE Electric blaster SPECIAL ABILITIES Flying, enhanced stamina

NAME Jean-François de la Fage BORN 1979 OCCUPATION Journalist LOCATION Paris AVATAR NAME Dark Freeman AVATAR CREATED 2005 GAME PLAYED City of Heroes HOURS PER WEEK IN-GAME 21 CHARACTER TYPE Natural hero SPECIAL ABILITIES Invincibility

NAME Ailin Graef BORN 1978 OCCUPATION Metaverse entrepreneur LOCATION Frankfurt AVATAR NAME Anshe Chung AVATAR CREATED 2004 GAME PLAYED Second Life HOURS PER WEEK IN-GAME 30

NAME Lucas Shaw BORN 1985 OCCUPATION Student LOCATION Texas AVATAR NAME Gaenank AVATAR CREATED 2003 GAME PLAYED EverQuest HOURS PER WEEK IN-GAME 55 CHARACTER TYPE Barbarian berserker SPECIAL ABILITIES Dual wield

NAME Andreas Fischer BORN 1980 OCCUPATION Designer LOCATION Vienna AVATAR NAME Zero Cold AVATAR CREATED 2005 GAME PLAYED City of Heroes HOURS PER WEEK IN-GAME 17 CHARACTER TYPE Human SPECIAL ABILITIES Controls ice and storms

NAME Elizabeth Brown BORN 1979 OCCUPATION Junior network systems administrator LOCATION St. Charles, Mo. AVATAR NAME Thalia AVATAR CREATED 2004 GAME PLAYED Hero’s Journey (in development) CHARACTER TYPE Gearknight, wizard SPECIAL ABILITIES Godlike powers

NAME Jason Rowe BORN 1974 OCCUPATION None LOCATION Crosby, Tex. AVATAR NAME Rurouni Kenshin AVATAR CREATED 2003 GAME PLAYED Star Wars Galaxies HOURS PER WEEK IN-GAME 80 CHARACTER TYPE Human marksman, rifleman SPECIAL ABILITIES Ranged weapon specialization

NAME Harisu BORN 1975 OCCUPATION Actress LOCATION Seoul, South Korea AVATAR NAME Not given AVATAR CREATED 2003 GAME PLAYED Lineage II HOURS PER WEEK IN-GAME 13

NAME John Palmer BORN 1962 OCCUPATION I.T. consultant LOCATION Dorset, England AVATAR NAME Zafu Diamond AVATAR CREATED 2005 GAME PLAYED Second Life HOURS PER WEEK IN-GAME 20 CHARACTER TYPE Buddhist monk SPECIAL ABILITIES Power hugs, ultimate wisdom

Real or Fake? What do you think it means to be “real” or “fake”? Do you think it’s easier for people to be “fake” online than in real life? Why or why not?

Ramon’s Story – Being Real Online

Consider the following: Some people exaggerate or seem very different online than in person. How do you explain these differences between their online and in-person personas?

Are there risks for creating an online presence that is very different than the offline one? Are there benefits? What are other reasons why people might feel they can act in ways online that they wouldn’t act offline?

Key Vocabulary: anonymous: without a name or other information that identifies who you are inhibited: careful or restrained about your actions or impulses

Are there any benefits to being anonymous or being less inhibited online? Are there risks involved with being anonymous or less inhibited online?

Staying Real Online In groups of two or by yourself, create one piece of advice and design a role-playing exercise of an online situation in which a student faces a dilemma, and what would happen if that student does or does not follow the advice. (See my webpage for example and google drive) -Share with me -Save as LastNameFirstInital_Advice

Avatars Create three avatars of themselves for three different social networks: 1. A school social network where teachers, students, and parents communicate 2.A social network where you connect mainly with friends and people you know 3. Second Life ( where you communicate mainly with people you don’t know in real life You will create these through a Google Presentation with each slide representing each social network site. You DO NOT have to really create these accounts. For each avatar write a 5 sentence explanation about why you decided on the certain aspects of your avatar. (see sample on my webpage) USE THESE SITES FOR YOUR AVATAR: Build Your Wild Self ( copy and paste avatar in presentation; need to click print so that you can copy and paste (DO NOT PRINT AVATAR); may not workwww.buildyourwildself.com --Build avatar then click ok I’m done; click print in order to copy and paste Marvel Create Your Own Superhero ( own_superhero).--will avatar to me ( to a friend); in the message type your explanation