Unit Description

This lesson examines the concepts of a digital footprint, how to examine yours and what implications that can have. This can involve looking at your search history and your Google account activities. Additionally, we also learned how to use operators, such as quotes or minus signs to refine Google searches.

Terms and Definitions

What are the 7 Competencies of Digital Literacy?

1. Technical Skills, 2.Independent Research, 3.Media Literacy 4.Digital Citizenship, 5.Communication and Collaboration 6.Information Literacy, 7.Digitial Creativity and Innovation. Source: UNIS Communication Team. (n.d.). Top 7 essential digital literacy skills for students. Articles UNIS Hanoi. https://articles.unishanoi.org/digital-literacy-skills/ 

Search Query

What is typed into a search engine to get information about from the internet. Source: Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Search query. In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/search-query 

Natural Language Query

 a capability that lets users conduct searches as they would normally talk instead of using things like keywords, operators, wildcard, etc. Source: Robinson, S., & Wigmore, I. (2024, November 26). What is natural language query (NLQ)? TechTarget. https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/natural-language-query 

Digital Footprint

The unique trail of data that a user creates by using the internet. Source: IBM. (n.d.). What is a digital footprint? IBM Think. https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/digital-footprint 

What are the 5 basic computer components?

1. Motherboard, 2.Central Processing Unit (CPU), 3.Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) 4. Random Access Memory (RAM), 5.Storage either as a Solid State Drive (SDD) or Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Source: iD Tech. (n.d.). The 5 different parts of a computer: Taking a look under the hood. iD Tech. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://www.idtech.com/blog/parts-of-a-computer 

What is a file as it relates to computers?

a medium used for saving and managing data in a computer system. Source: GeeksforGeeks. (2025, July 23). What is a computer file? GeeksforGeeks. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/computer-organization-architecture/what-is-a-computer-file/ 

File Extension

suffixes added to the end of a file name that represents the file type. Source: GeeksforGeeks. (2025, July 23). What is a computer file? GeeksforGeeks. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/computer-organization-architecture/what-is-a-computer-file/ 

Zip File

a computer file that contains compression of one or more of the original files from which redundant information has been removed in the interest of storage. Source: Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Zip file. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zip%20file 

Saas

Software as a Service; a cloud-based software delivery model, where providers host applications and make them available over the internet. Source: China, C. R. (n.d.). What is software as a service (SaaS)? IBM Think. https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/saas 

Digital Bubble

a phenomena where users of the internet consume or engage in content that reinforces their views and/or opinions. Source: Okyle, C. (2016, June 11). Are you living in a digital bubble? This flowchart will tell you (infographic). Entrepreneur.https://www.entrepreneur.com/science-technology/are-you-living-in-a-digital-bubble-this-flowchart-will/277351 

Generative AI

AI systems that can create new content such as text, images, music, code, or video Source: Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. (n.d.). What is generative AI? Stanford HAI. https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-definitions/what-is-generative-ai 

Prompt (as related to AI)

A question, command, or statement that a person gives to an AI model to guide the model in generating a response. Source: GeeksforGeeks. (n.d.). What is an AI prompt? GeeksforGeeks. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/artificial-intelligence/what-is-an-ai-prompt/ 

What is the difference between the Internet and the WWW?

The internet is primarily hardware based as refers to the infrastructures, whereas WWW is the service on top of the Internet's infrastructure and is more software oriented. WWW is a subset of the Internet. Source: GeeksforGeeks. (n.d.). Difference between Internet and WWW. GeeksforGeeks. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/computer-networks/difference-between-internet-and-www/ 

Browser

A software application that allows users access websites and applications via the internet. Source: Ramotion. (2026, February 18). What is a web browser: Definition, types, and features. Ramotion Blog. https://www.ramotion.com/blog/what-is-web-browser/ 

URL

Uniform Resource Locator. a compact string of numbers, letters, and symbols that a computer uses to locate a resource on a network and act upon it. Source: Volle, A. (2026). URL. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/URL 

Router/Modem

A modem provides the link between the internet and a home network. A router allows multiple devices on to connect to the modem simulataneously, by directing internet traffic. Source: Ghribi, A. (2024, January 10). What’s the difference between a modem and a router? How-To Geek.https://www.howtogeek.com/234233/whats-the-difference-between-a-modem-and-a-router/ 

Lessons Learned

I learned a lot about digital footprints in this lessons. I am someone that values privacy and have made a conscious effort to minimize my digital footprint, but there was one part of the assignment where we checked our google activities, and I was surprised to see that my YouTubeTV account was logged. That was totally unexpected and goes to show you, even when you think you're being private, you're still being tracked. I also learned how to use Google more effectively with certain search terms and operators. I had known about these things, but I would always rephrase my question so I would get the results I wanted. That's probably the motivation for Google to make the switch to the Natural Language Model for the latest installment of their search engine.