Stuart Smith

This week’s topic focused on the advantages and disadvantages of open access for the content producer which generated some interesting thoughts amongst fellow UOSM2008 students. Haley’s post allowed me to initially recognise that one of the perceived advantages of open access for content producers is that their articles become more influential in promoting development in low income countries. Continue reading →

In recent years, accessing educational related content online without encountering a virtual gateway in the form of a password, subscription or payment has been harder to come by. Whilst the benefits for users are widely known, the extent to which content producers benefit from openly accessible content online can still be questioned. Continue reading →

My topic 3 post mentioned that employers are increasingly relying on reviewing job candidate’s social media presence as part of the application process. Career builder found that 40% of companies will browse an individual’s social media account before making a decision of hiring the job applicant. Continue reading →

Whilst I always recognised the importance of my presence online and the role it can play in determining my employment possibilities, attaching a statistic to the seriousness of the issue has completely changed my outlook on the matter. Being aware that 93% of recruiter’s review a candidate’s social media profile before making a hiring decision has made me completely rethink my online professional appearance. Continue reading →

Why is building an authentic online professional profile important? With 73% of recruiters admitting to have hired a candidate through social media and 93% of recruiters admitting that they review a candidate’s social media profile before making a hiring decision, it is evident that there is huge importance placed on your online professional profile (Job Vite 2014). With this in mind, it is crucial that I use my online profiles as an asset that can be used to improve my employability. Continue reading →

Topic 2 has told me that one of the most significant reasons that supports the use of multiple online identities is that it presents you with the ability to be selective in how you appear in different online contexts. Both Holly and Richard’s posts stated that an advantage of this is that it allows you to achieve more control over your professional appearance. Continue reading →

With contrasting opinions on whether individuals should adopt multiple online identities, Facebook and 4Chan have created social media platforms that differ in the extent to which an individual can achieve anonymity. Whilst 4Chan users don’t even need to register an account to use the site, Facebook has constantly searched for ways to improve the authenticity of its users and the recent acquisition of Instagram highlights this (Krotoski 2012). Continue reading →

One of the key points that I have learnt from topic 1 is that the distinction between the two categories boils down to individuals engaging with the internet differently. Holly’s post likened digital visitor’s use of the internet as a vacation and residents use to a world traveller which is a good metaphor for the distinction between the groups. Continue reading →

Prensky’s (2001) ‘immigrant’ and ‘natives’ theory likened the use of technology to a language, where if you grew up with it you were ‘native’ and if you didn’t, you were labelled an ‘immigrant’ as the way you would interact with technology would mirror a second language. In contrast, White and Le Cornu’s (2011) ‘Visitors’ and ‘Residents’ concept does not make assumptions based on age or technical skill, but only an individual’s motivation to engage online. Continue reading →