#UOSM2008 : Digital Visitors and Residents
Digital residents are described as users of the internet that live a portion of their lives online. (White, 2013) They make use of the services the internet has to offer but also choose to express themselves using an online persona which is regularly maintained through social media such as facebook, twitter and blog posts such as tumblr. (White and LeCornu, 2011)
They also have the ability to create and share knowledge, effectively network and stay aware of emerging new knowledge.
The web plays an important part in the life of a digital resident, they make use of it professionally, for study and for recreation. Their competence and at times excessive use of social media can be seen as the digital divide between residents and visitors. (Harris and Rae, 2010)
Digital visitors are those not born in the digital age, they have however become fascinated by it and attempt to adopt the majority of the aspects of the new technology (White and LeCornu, 2011). They are individuals who typically use the web as a tool, and do so when the need arises. They typically have a specific reason to use the internet and display the regime of ‘log on > performs task > log off’ which is rarely derived from.
Prensky’s (2000) previous use of the terms digital natives (residents) and immigrants (visitors), referred to the age of internet users rather than their skill set which is what is meant by ‘resident’ and ‘visitors’. Natives referred to those typically of a student age or those born and raised in the era of computers, video games and mobile technology and the internet which they are familiar with. An immigrant is referred to those who were not born in the digital area, of an older age and therefore not as familiar with the digital and mobile technology or the internet. This is somewhat contradicted by The research conducted by Bennet et al (2008) suggests that a high proportion of young people are highly adept with technology and rely heavily on its use, however there still remains a significant proportion of young people who do not possess the skills predicted by the digital native idea.
White and LeCornu (2011) visualize a digital resident/ visitor continuum where no individual fits in either one or the other category, but somewhere between.
Personally I would place myself nearer the digital resident end of the scale, having used Facebook and Twitter fairly regularly on a daily basis for both recreation and study. Occasionally when using the web, I set out to complete a task, however I find that I am always online seeing as access to social platforms has become so much easier.
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References
Bennet, S., Matton, K., Kervin L. 2008, The ‘digital natives’ debate: A critical review of the evidence, British Journal of Educational Technology 39(5) at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2007.00793.x/pdf accessed on 03 Feb. 2014
Prensky, M. 2001, Digital natives, digital immigrants, On the Horizon 9(5) at http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf , accessed 03 Feb. 2014
White, D. 2013, Visitors and Residents Mapping Activity, accessed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSK1Iw1XtwQ, accessed 03Feb 2014
White and LeCornu, 2011, Visitors and Residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday (16)9 at http://journals.uic.edu/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/3171/3049 accessed 03 Feb 2014
