E7 E - Identity online and offline
aiMOOCE7 E - Identity online and offline
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E7 E - Identity online and offline
Mini description: Compare fictional profiles and explore how people can present different sides of themselves online and offline. You will practise English, think about privacy and self-presentation, and make safe choices without using real social-media data.
Media starter – watch first: What do the teenagers say about presenting themselves online? Write down three English keywords. You do not need to understand every word.
Learning path: Notice → understand → try → use → communicate → feedback → improve → use again.
Safety rule: All profiles in this course are fictional. Do not enter real addresses, passwords, phone numbers, school schedules or other private data. Audio/video recordings are optional and should stay private unless you have clearly agreed to share them.
Einleitung
Your identity is more than one profile. Offline, people may know your voice, humour, habits and behaviour. Online, they may only see selected photos, posts, usernames, comments or avatars. This means an online profile can be curated: someone chooses what to show and what not to show.
This is not automatically dishonest. We all choose different information for different situations. But online self-presentation can create a limited picture. It can also affect privacy because posts and other online actions may become part of a digital footprint.
Deutsch-Hilfe, nur wenn nötig: curated = bewusst ausgewählt und zusammengestellt; digital footprint = digitale Spuren, die durch Online-Aktivitäten entstehen.
I can ...
- I can compare a fictional person's online and offline self.
- I can explain why people choose what they show online.
- I can identify information that should stay private.
- I can discuss advantages and risks of self-presentation.
- I can write and speak about online identity in clear English.
What you already know
Look at the two words online and offline. Think for 30 seconds.
| Online | Offline |
|---|---|
| profile, post, avatar, comment | face-to-face talk, classroom, sports club, family time |
Try: Add two more examples to each column.
Hint: Think about where communication happens and what other people can see.
Deutsch-Hilfe: Du vergleichst Situationen im Internet mit Begegnungen außerhalb des Internets.
Notice: What does a profile show?
The following people are completely fictional.
| Fictional person | Offline | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Maya | Quiet in large groups, very funny with close friends, likes drawing and basketball. | Posts colourful drawings, uses a confident caption style, rarely mentions that she feels nervous before games. |
| Leo | Talks a lot at school, enjoys gaming, sometimes needs time alone after a busy day. | Uses a simple avatar, shares game tips, does not post photos of himself. |
Notice: Which details match? Which details are missing online?
Try: Complete the sentence: Maya seems more ______ online than in large offline groups.
Quick feedback after you try: confident is a strong answer because her online captions show confidence while the offline description says she can be quiet in large groups.
Understand: Online identity is selective
An online identity can include a username, an avatar, photos, comments, interests and other visible choices. It usually shows only part of a person. The audience may make assumptions from that limited information.
People may select content because they want to:
- share an interest,
- be creative,
- connect with a group,
- keep some parts of life private,
- create a certain impression.
Key idea: Different does not always mean fake. A person can show a real part of themselves without showing everything.
Listening and Viewing
Before viewing: Predict two reasons why a teenager might present themselves differently online.
First viewing: Listen for the main idea. Do the speakers describe one fixed online identity or different ways of presenting themselves?
Second viewing: Note one benefit and one possible problem.
| Benefit | Possible problem |
|---|---|
| Example: creative self-expression | Example: other people may get an incomplete impression |
Hint: Listen for words around real, different, account, friends and online.
Deutsch-Hilfe: Beim ersten Hören zählt die Hauptaussage. Beim zweiten Hören suchst Du gezielt Details.
Mini-transfer: Would the same post work for close friends, classmates and a sports team? Give one reason.
Reading: Two fictional profiles
Profile A – Sam
Sam's profile is full of skateboarding clips and jokes. The bio says: “Always outside, always moving.” At school, Sam also loves reading fantasy novels and sometimes spends a whole afternoon alone with a book. Sam does not post about this hobby because the profile is mainly for skateboarding friends.
Profile B – Nia
Nia rarely posts photos. Her profile shows a digital drawing as an avatar and short comments about music. Offline, she sings in a school group, helps her younger cousin with homework and talks a lot with close friends. She keeps family life off her public profile.
Try: Which profile is more focused on one interest? Which person protects family privacy more clearly? Give evidence from the text.
Hint: Look for what each person does not show.
Quick feedback after you try: Sam's profile focuses strongly on skateboarding. Nia clearly keeps family life away from her public profile.
Vocabulary in context
| Word | Meaning in this topic | Example |
|---|---|---|
| identity | who a person is and how they are seen | My identity is bigger than one profile. |
| audience | the people who may see a message or post | Think about your audience. |
| private | not meant for everyone | My password is private. |
| public | open to many people | A public post can reach a large audience. |
| profile | information and content linked to a user | This fictional profile shows two hobbies. |
| curate | choose and organise what to show | People curate photos for different audiences. |
| impression | an idea people form about someone | One photo can create an impression. |
| digital footprint | traces connected with online activity | Posts can become part of a digital footprint. |
Try: Use any three words in one short explanation of Maya, Leo, Sam or Nia.
Pronunciation: Make yourself understood
Clarity is more important than sounding like a native speaker.
| Word | Stress focus | Short practice phrase |
|---|---|---|
| privacy | first syllable | protect your privacy |
| audience | first syllable | know your audience |
| identity | second syllable | online identity |
| present | second syllable when it means “show yourself” | present yourself online |
Try: Say the four short phrases slowly, then at normal speed. Recording yourself is optional. Keep recordings private unless you choose to share them.
Privacy: What should stay private?
Privacy means deciding carefully who can access information about you. Some information can identify you or give others access to your accounts.
| Safer to keep private | Usually less sensitive in a fictional classroom task |
|---|---|
| passwords | a made-up favourite colour |
| exact home address | a fictional hobby |
| private phone number | a made-up avatar |
| live location | a fictional music preference |
| personal login details | an invented nickname |
Rule for this course: Create examples with invented data. Never test tasks with real login data or private social-media information.
Digital footprint
A digital footprint can include things you post and things connected with your online activity. Other people may also share content that includes you. This is one reason to ask for consent before posting someone else's photo or personal information.
Viewing task: Listen for one example of oversharing and one idea for making a better choice.
Think-pair-share: Why can a post reach a bigger or different audience than you expected?
Hint: People can forward, screenshot or show content to others.
Speaking: Compare and discuss
Work with fictional profiles only.
Round 1 – Compare: Choose Maya and Leo, or Sam and Nia. Speak for about one minute. Use more ... than, less ... than, both, while and however.
Round 2 – Perspective change: One person is the profile owner. One person is a classmate who only sees the online profile. What different impressions might they have?
Round 3 – Short discussion: “A profile should show the whole person.” Give one argument for and one argument against this statement.
Useful language: In my view ... / One advantage is ... / One risk is ... / I see your point, but ... / The profile suggests ... / We cannot know whether ...
Writing: A safe fictional profile comparison
Create one fictional character. Do not use a real classmate.
Write 80–100 words:
Offline, ...
Online, ...
The profile shows ... but it does not show ...
This may create the impression that ...
A safer choice would be ...
Feedback check: Have you compared online and offline identity? Have you explained at least one privacy choice? Have you used evidence from your fictional profile?
Mediation: Explain the idea, not every word
Your German-speaking cousin says:
„Ich dachte, online identity bedeutet einfach mein Benutzername. Aber eigentlich sehen andere auch Bilder, Kommentare und andere Spuren. Ich will deshalb genauer überlegen, was öffentlich sein soll.“
Explain the main message to an English-speaking exchange student in 2–3 English sentences.
Hint: Start with: My cousin has realised that online identity is more than ...
Deutsch-Hilfe: Sprachmittlung heißt hier: sinngemäß erklären, nicht Wort für Wort übersetzen.
Functional grammar: Comparing impressions
Use grammar to communicate a real idea.
| Function | Example |
|---|---|
| compare | Maya seems more confident online than offline. |
| show contrast | Sam posts about skateboarding, while he also enjoys reading. |
| limit a claim | The profile suggests that Leo likes gaming, but it does not show his whole identity. |
| avoid certainty | Nia may want to keep family life private. |
Try: Write two comparison sentences and one careful sentence with may or might.
E-outlook: Past perfect, controlled
This is only a small preview.
After Leo had changed his privacy settings, he checked the fictional profile again.
The past perfect shows that one past action happened before another past action.
Try only this pattern: After Maya had ______, she ______.
Do not build long past-perfect texts yet.
Self-presentation without stereotypes
A selfie, avatar or profile photo can communicate mood, interests or style, but it cannot tell you everything about a person. Avoid quick conclusions about personality, culture, gender, family background or abilities from one image.
Mini-transfer: Write one sentence that starts with The image suggests ... and a second sentence that starts with But we cannot know ...
Data traces and invisible audiences
Online information can travel beyond the audience you first imagined. That is why it helps to ask:
| Before sharing | Question |
|---|---|
| Audience | Who may see this now or later? |
| Privacy | Does this include private information? |
| Consent | Does it include another person? |
| Purpose | Why do I want to share it? |
| Future view | Would I still be comfortable with it later? |
Feedback and improvement
After a speaking or writing task, use this short routine:
Two strengths: Name two things that are clear or effective.
One next step: Suggest one specific improvement.
Try again: Improve one sentence or repeat 20–30 seconds of your answer.
AI rule: If your school allows AI feedback, use invented content only. Ask for feedback on clarity, vocabulary or grammar. Check the feedback yourself. Do not let AI replace your own text, and do not send private data, private recordings or classmates' information to external AI tools.
Self-check: Can do
| I can ... | Yes | Almost | Not yet |
|---|---|---|---|
| compare online and offline self-presentation | □ | □ | □ |
| explain one benefit and one risk | □ | □ | □ |
| recognise private information | □ | □ | □ |
| use topic vocabulary in context | □ | □ | □ |
| discuss a fictional profile with reasons | □ | □ | □ |
| improve my own answer after feedback | □ | □ | □ |
Next course: E7 E - Digital footprints and choices
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
What does a curated online profile do? (It shows selected parts of a person) (!It shows every detail about a person) (!It automatically deletes private information) (!It proves what a person is like offline)
Which information should stay private? (A password) (!A fictional favourite colour) (!A made-up hobby) (!A fictional avatar name)
What is a digital footprint? (Traces connected with online activity) (!Only the shoes a person wears) (!Only one profile picture) (!A private paper notebook)
Why should you think about the audience before sharing? (More people may see the content than expected) (!The audience always sees every offline detail) (!A public post can never be copied) (!Online content is always temporary)
Which sentence compares online and offline identity carefully? (Maya seems more confident online than in large offline groups) (!Maya is definitely confident in every situation) (!Maya is a completely different person online) (!Maya has no offline identity)
What does privacy mean in this course? (Thinking carefully about who can access information) (!Sharing every detail with everyone) (!Using only real names online) (!Posting another person's photo without asking)
What is a good way to talk about an online profile? (The profile suggests something but does not show the whole person) (!The profile proves a person's complete personality) (!One photo tells you everything about a person) (!An avatar always shows a person's real appearance)
What should you do before posting content that includes another person? (Ask for consent) (!Add their private phone number) (!Share it first and ask later) (!Assume they agree)
What is the best use of AI feedback for this course? (Check feedback and improve your own fictional text) (!Replace your own writing completely) (!Upload classmates' private information) (!Send private recordings without permission)
What is the main goal of pronunciation practice here? (To be understandable) (!To copy one perfect accent) (!To speak as fast as possible) (!To avoid speaking at all)
Memory
| Online identity | How a person is presented or seen online |
| Audience | People who may see or hear a message |
| Privacy | Control over access to personal information |
| Avatar | A visual representation of a user |
| Digital footprint | Traces connected with online activity |
| Consent | Permission given before something is shared |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Thema |
|---|---|
| Private data | Password |
| Self-presentation | Profile photo |
| Audience awareness | Viewer group |
| Digital trace | Old post |
| Permission | Consent |
Kreuzworträtsel
| Identity | What word means who a person is and how they are seen? |
| Privacy | What helps you control access to personal information? |
| Audience | What do we call the people who may see a post? |
| Profile | What online page can show selected information about a user? |
| Footprint | Which word completes the phrase digital ...? |
| Avatar | What visual symbol can represent a user online? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Profile comparison: Create two short fictional profile cards for the same invented person: one online and one offline. Mark three similarities and two differences.
- Privacy traffic light: Sort invented information into safer to share, think first and keep private. Explain two choices in English.
- Avatar meaning: Design a paper avatar for a fictional person and write three sentences about what it shows and what it cannot show.
- Audience switch: Rewrite one fictional message for a close friend, a class group and a public audience.
Standard
- Short discussion: Discuss whether an online profile should show many sides of a person. Give at least two reasons and respond to a partner.
- Fictional feed: Create four fictional posts on paper or in a local document. Explain how they shape the character's online identity.
- Media reflection: Rewatch one video from the course and make a five-keyword summary plus a 60-second spoken explanation.
- Mediation challenge: Explain a short German privacy rule to an English-speaking fictional exchange student without translating word for word.
Schwer
- Perspective change: Write two short texts about the same fictional profile, one from the owner's perspective and one from a viewer's perspective.
- Privacy redesign: Improve an unsafe fictional profile by removing or changing risky details. Justify every change in English.
- Mini presentation: Give a two-minute presentation on “One person, different audiences”. Use one fictional example and one visual.
- Digital identity project: Create a safe fictional identity case study with profile, audience, privacy choices, possible assumptions and an improved version after peer feedback.
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Lernkontrolle
- Profile evidence: Compare two fictional profiles and explain how limited information can lead to different impressions. Use evidence rather than guessing.
- Privacy decision: A fictional character wants to post a photo that also shows a friend and a school timetable. Explain what should be changed before sharing and why.
- Audience transfer: Adapt one fictional message for two different audiences and explain how your language or content changes.
- Identity argument: Respond to the statement “Online self-presentation is always fake.” Give a balanced answer with examples.
- Feedback revision: Improve a short fictional profile text after receiving two strengths and one next step. Explain what you changed.
- Media transfer: Connect one idea from a video to one of the fictional profiles in this course and explain the connection in your own words.
Lernnachweis
For a successful learning record, you should be able to:
- compare online and offline self-presentation in clear English,
- support ideas with details from fictional profiles or media,
- explain privacy, consent, audience and digital footprint,
- use comparison language and careful claims such as may, might and suggests,
- participate in a short discussion and respond to another view,
- write a short structured text and improve it after feedback,
- mediate a simple privacy message between German and English,
- work only with invented or safely provided information.
OERs zum Thema
A useful German background article about self-presentation:
Verknüpfte Lernbereiche