#UOSM2008 Topic 1: Digital Visitors & Residents
Explain the concept of digital “visitors” and “residents” drawing upon your reading and your own online experiences to date in support of the points that you make.
Traditionally, an individual’s use of the internet could be defined by using the distinction between that of a digital ‘native’ or digital ‘immigrant’ (Prensky, 2001). According to this definition, digital natives are users who are often young, ‘native speakers’ of the digital language, technology and communications via the internet. Digital immigrants, however, are those who were perhaps born after the spread of digital technology, or who are slower at adapting to new online interactions than digital natives.
Despite these theories, Prensky’s distinctions relate to a time where social media applications were not in popular use, a major advancement in technology which has occurred since his definitions in 2001. Sites such as MySpace, Bebo, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are now commonly used by a much wider range of people across all ages, revolutionising methods of communication and information sharing across network platforms. The creation of an online identity through a social networking site provides the tools for transforming both personal and professional relationships through technological engagement. This can be most keenly seen through LinkedIn, a social networking site used by many (including myself) for professional occupations, job searches and communication with potential/current employers, whilst enhancing employability.
The creation of these sites has enabled an entirely new distinction to be made regarding an individual’s online behaviour, producing digital ‘visitors’ or digital ‘residents’. A digital visitor is an individual who uses the internet only when necessary and in a focused manner (White, 2008), whereas a digital resident can be defined as an individual who uses the web to facilitate an online, personal identity for maintained communication and interaction with others. Whereas visitors do not commonly engage with others in a social manner, the use of the web to facilitate both personal and professional online relationships is often evident in a digital resident, primarily through social networking sites, allowing for a percentage of their life to be lived out online.
Considering my own online experiences, having developed several social networking profiles for both personal and professional uses over the past few years, I could consider myself, like many others my age, a digital resident, utilising online networks to interact with others, communicating my interests and skills with potential employers and building my personal online identity.
References:
Prenksy, M. (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On The Horizon, Volume 9, Number 5 http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
White, D. and Cornu, A. (2008) Visitors and Residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday, Volume 16, Number 9 – 5 September 2011 http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/3171/3049
