Dr. Dave White's Visitor/Resident Theory (link below) provides a compelling recontextualization for people's motivations for their level of digital engagement online. White suggests that rather than forcing people into a digital dichotomy largely founded on age, perhaps we shift our perspective to perceive online engagement as a continuum. At one end of the continuum is the online "visitor," while at the other is the online "resident." The visitor is someone who uses the internet to meet specific needs while leaving no trace of themselves in the digital community. In contrast, the resident's digital self or persona stays online when he/she is offline. White addresses several popular concerns about social media by implying that 1) being a digital resident is not a bad thing, and 2) digital residency does not necessitate a surrender of privacy. What was most striking about his argument was his indication that we should all consider how we use social media in terms of our private and professional lives. As someone who greatly values her privacy, using social media has never been high on my priorities, given that many people I know only use social media to document their private lives. While I'm interested in staying in touch with people, using Facebook or Twitter to do so has never been my first choice. I would far rather have a conversation on the phone, text, or email. For that reason, I'm currently closer to digital visitor than resident. But using social media and the web to broaden and develop my professional network is certainly something with which I can get on board. It will require a change in some of my digital habits, but there is so much information on the web and so many opportunities for collaboration that altering my habits would prove to be beneficial and tremendously useful. In order to do this, many people will need to consider what exactly they currently use social media for and why. It might require another look at how you use each platform and it will certainly require some curation of each platform, in addition to finding a line to draw between personal and professional. Nonetheless, social media can be a powerful and effective tool for professional development, no matter what profession. Being a digital resident in today's economy will increase your marketability incalculably.
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AuthorI'm currently a teacher candidate in pursuit of my English Credential. Archives
February 2017
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Elizabeth Mauerman | Blog |