CREATING A DIGITAL PORTFOLIO
NATURE
public vs. private:
it is an active choice
As our world becomes more digitized, it's not suprising that more and more of us feel that the line between public and private (or perhaps online versus in real life) is blurring.
Sharing online can be a lot of fun, but it is important to be aware of what content you choose to share and what you choose to keep private.
How do online content creators view the difference between public and private? Is there a clear separation?
Check out the video "Public Versus Private" below, which is part of the I REC Responsibly campaign, which explores explore "the real impact that the digital content you produce and share can have."
You might find the other three videos interesting when considering other aspects of your digital portfolio. We recommend watching all of them!
the public domain
Start by thinking about the target audience of your portfolio - what information do you feel comfortable sharing with them? If you are making a portfolio for employers, you might choose different content than if you were making a portfolio for friends. If you are making a portfolio for a course, then your content should be tailored to the requirements.
A target audience can be very broad or it can be very narrow. It can also be helpful to consider additional groups who might be interested in your digital portfolio, and to check that your shared content is okay for them to see as well.
Sometimes our approach to sharing online is different from our approach to sharing in real life. Some people share more online, and some people share less. The important thing to remember is that there is no single right way to approach what you make public; you need to find what is right for you!
your private life
A critical thing to remember when building a digital portfolio is that you must take control of what you share and what you keep private. Always check the privacy settings of any new online tool you use for your digital portfolio - you cannot assume that the default setting has the most privacy!
Keeping track of your online presence is important, especially if you hope to use a digital portfolio for professional purposes. As narcissistic as it may seem, searching the internet for your own name is a good thing to do from time to time.
Choosing an approach to sharing online that is comfortable probably means you need to try some new things. However, it's a good idea to start off with very limited sharing (keeping most things private), since it can be difficult to make something invisible on the internet once it's out there.