An Investigation of the Digital Footprint Awareness and Experiences of Secondary School Students

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the digital footprint awareness of middle school students according to grade level, gender, time spent on electronic devices and media. First of all, the digital footprint scale developed for secondary school students was evaluated in terms of its psychometric properties. Then, the digital footprint awareness of the participants was examined according to the variables mentioned above. Participants consisted of 204 female and 189 male students. In addition to the Digital Footprint Scale, participants were given a form containing questions about students' gender, age, grade levels, and time spent with a mobile phone, internet, social media, and online game playing. The results indicated that the Digital Footprint Scale is a valid and reliable tool for the use of researchers, educators, administrators, and parents.