Reflective Summary: Topic 1

When I first came across the question for topic 1 I had no idea what my answer would be. After using my Web skills to carry out some research, however, I soon discovered not only White’s theory on ‘Residents’ and ‘Immigrants’, but also the previously commonly held theory by Prensky, that Web users can be divided into ‘Natives’ and ‘Immigrants’.

It was interesting to see the way that, in a matter of about a decade, thinking around this topic has changed so much. While in 2001, it seemed perfectly apt to consider Web users as being either like ‘Natives’ or ‘Immigrants’, now, the Web is seen as a ‘space’ in which one moves between being a ‘Resident’ and a ‘Visitor’.

Sophie brought up an interesting idea in mentioning the fact that, while both her and her mum use Facebook, she is far more comfortable with navigating and using it. This made me consider how, when it comes to social media, it is often the younger generation who ‘reside’ most comfortably there, and this can be attributed to life stages.

Sarah’s post introduced a factor I hadn’t yet considered- that of the risks of Web use. She stated that often ‘Visitors’ are more sceptical and less trusting of online services. I argued in my comment that this may be because, being only occasional ‘Visitors’, they aren’t familiar with the precautions that can be taken to reduce risks.

Overall, what an interesting topic. It’s really made me reflect on how we use the Web.

I look forward to tackling the next one!