Is My Cyber-Self a Reflection of My Real-Self?

This lesson gets student's unnerved. As part of our Digital Citizenship Unit, we explore the concept of Digital Reputation, and it's easy to give opinions about other's online habits, but once we ask students to explore their own digital reputation, the class gets tense. We ask students to gather up all their social networking posts for the last month (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Vine, etc.)  this represents their cyber-selves. Then we ask them to ask their parents, siblings, three friends and one teacher/coach to each give three words to describe them, this represents their real-selves. Then we ask them to use Wordle to create two word clouds, one for each side of them. They then analyze the word clouds and reflect: 
 
Is my cyber-self a reflection of my real self?

Alana Doesn't think so...

Real Self:

Cyber self 

Is my cyber self a true reflection of my real self?

I think that my cyber self is not a complete true reflection to my real self. I think that because some of the things that are posted on social media websites are not how i really am. My cyber self does things that aren’t as thought out sometimes and don’t reflect how I truly am. However, I am nice to pretty much everyone on social media just like how i am in person. Therefore, my cyber self is a true reflection to my real self to a certain extent. However, I think that at times some of the things that are posted on my facebook, twitter, tumblr, etc are not how i really am in person. For example, if someone only knew me through social media and had a conversation with me, i think that they would be surprised how different I am from how I am on social media. They would be surprised in how energetic and friendly i actually am, in person rather than on different social media sites.

Rob thinks so...

Realself:.

Cyber self:

Is my cyber self a true reflection of my real self?

I believe that my Cyber self is a true reflection of my real self. I don’t do a lot of social networking or social media so when i do do social networking it is usually only for stuff that is important in my life. It also might be something that is important to me. I don’t act any different when im online then when im offline. I don't tolerate people harassing other people whether it is online or if it is offline. I will stand up for my beliefs and defend them. I argue with others online the same way i argue offline. I also make friends online. I believe that you should act no different online than you do offline. You should give people the same amount of respect and decency that you extend to them offline.