Blog Post #4: Digital Mapping

 

Digital Mapping


Visitor or Resident? The digital dilemma of the 21st century – Andrei Angelescu
image source: sportmktg.net

Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants

This week, I explored Marc Prensky's terms "digital natives" and "digital immigrants." These terms were familiar with me, because being a younger millennial, I have often been labeled a "digital native." Throughout my life, I've had to show my parents (born in the 1950s) how to use computers and the internet. To this day, I still have to help my mother navigate new technology. However, I understand how these terms are becoming obsolete as more people than not have grown up with computers and the internet. Compared to my students, I sometimes don't feel like a "digital native." This is because technology and trends in technology are always changing at a rapid pace.

Visitors vs. Residents

David White's terms, "visitors" and "residents", are more relevant for today's world than the previously mentioned terms. According to White, visitors can be described as, "...discovering a particular piece of information online, completing the task, and then going offline or moving on to another task" (davidowhite.com). In contrast, residents go "...online to connect with, or to be with, other people. This mode is about social presence" (davidowhite.com). There are certain programs, such as Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, and Gmail that I consistently use to connect with others. Other programs are more about accomplishing a task and moving on, such as Poshmark, PayPal, Uber, and OpenTable.

Reviewing My Digital Space

After pulling out my phone and going through my computer, I had some time to reflect on which apps and programs I use and how often I use them. Looking at the apps and programs I regularly use, I realized that many that fall into the visitor and resident personal areas are for either entertainment or convenience. For example, I use both Instacart and Hello Fresh to have my groceries delivered. I pay my bills through the Chase and PayPal apps and use OpenTable to easily make reservations. I noticed that many of the apps I use in my personal life help to accomplish daily tasks such as paying bills, ordering groceries, or getting rid of used items around the house (Poshmark). I'm not surprised by this, as I constantly look for new apps that will help me manage my work/life balance since I am always on a busy schedule. Netflix and Hulu are both placed in the "resident" category because I often use the Google Chrome party extension which allows you to watch shows with friends and chat while watching.

Looking at my professional apps and programs, I noticed that some of them are programs purchased by my district for students. I often spend times on these programs (Prodigy and Discovery Education) planning lessons and analyzing student data. Google Slides, Docs, and Sheets are also a staple in my professional life. I did move Google Docs and Slides closer to the "personal" area because I have used these to plan trips with friends (Sheets) and for reading music during guitar lessons (Docs). I've placed LinkedIn, Salesforce, and Youtube on the visitor side of my professional area. I use YouTube to show videos to students. Since I started a new job last year, I rarely interact with LinkedIn. Salesforce is used to gather volunteer applications for my non-profit volunteer job. Since it is "off-season" I have not logged into it lately. I have used Amazon for personal reasons, but also to order items for my classroom. I've placed it on the "visitor" side because I do not often leave reviews or connect with others on the app.


my digital map

all images from Google images

Changes in Digital Status

There are times that these apps and programs can change from "visitor" to "resident" or from more "professional" to "personal". As stated before, some of these apps and programs are used more often during certain time periods. For example, I most often use Salesforce from late spring to late summer. This is the peak time for volunteers to apply and be placed within a role. During that time, I need to process applications and collect information about volunteers. On the weekends, I don't use most of the apps that are in my "professional" area. There may be a time when I am using Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides if I am completing an assignment or doing work on the weekends. Spotify and Gmail pretty much always stay in the middle of personal and professional, regardless of when they are used. Gmail is used often for both personal and professional reasons, as is Spotify. Spotify is a useful tool in my classroom during independent work time and I always use the app when driving or cleaning around the house. I also share playlists with friends and seek out playlists from others. These are the two apps I use most consistently. 

Reflections

After reflecting on how I'm using different apps and programs, I've come to the conclusion that I do connect with people through more media based apps (Spotify, Hulu, Netflix, Instagram), but use many other apps to simply help me accomplish tasks. Even though FitBit, YouTube, and Poshmark all have opportunities for users to connect with other people, I ignore those aspects of the apps in order to complete things on my to-do list. It is interesting just how much I rely on some of these apps to help with my day-to-day activities. I want to continue looking into apps to help me better manage my time and the tasks I need to complete.

Sources

Visitors & Residents. David White. (2020, February 28). Retrieved September 14, 2021, from http://daveowhite.com/vandr/. 

YouTube. (2015, February 7). Digital residents vs Visitors. YouTube. Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM2JPca9Rwk&feature=youtu.be. 


Comments

  1. Ms. TsitsopoulosSeptember 14, 2021 at 5:52 PM

    Hey Kate - My mom was also born in the 1950s and today during my prep period, she and I Facetimed so that I could help her download and save a PDF version of her paystub. Technically both my mother and I would be considered 'digital immigrants' but as tech is constantly changing, I think being younger and more engaged with tech I have a leg up. Honestly, I think it just depends on what interests you and what you're passionate about. People of all ages and generations will engage in things that catch their interest. As far as adding more tech to our lives, for me it's always a give and take --- if I'm adding something new that will take up my time, what can I afford to let go of?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nataliya ZelenetskaSeptember 15, 2021 at 8:33 AM

    Kate,
    I agree with you that resident and visitor status can change on times. The environment we are in sometimes dictates us how much of a technology you are using. For instance, last summer I was visiting my family overseas, where I had been staying for three weeks. It was a great break from using technology. I even barely used my phone, as there was no need in it. The same with professional field: some of the website will have more of your presence, some less depending on your needs. I also have similar reflections regarding my own usage, like you, many of the apps I use to accomplish daily tasks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. NMZumpanoSeptember 19, 2021 at 2:55 PM

    I appreciated how you stated early in your post that even though you are considered a "native" there are instances with your students that you sometimes feel more as an "immigrant." To your point, however, much of what you use technology for is 'balance' which will continue to shift as your goals and priorities change. Thanks for a great reflection.

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