Individuals categorized as digital natives are ones that have grown up with digital technology, and have a proficient understanding of how to navigate their way digitally. On the contrary, digital immigrants are those who see technology like a second language; due to their unfamiliarity or late introduction to technology. Within this concept, David White suggests that we consider visitors and residents instead of digital native and immigrants, since users habits and online presence differs enough beyond categories. Visitors use their personal learning networks to simply search for specific information they’re looking for ; whereas residents use their PLN for their personal benefit or professionally – in a way that leaves a digital imprint.
Please consider my visitor and resident map below:
What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?
As students, I know that popular platforms we often use to develop our professional networks are LinkedIn, our schools website, and email to communicate. Evident in my own map, I put two of these three platforms in the institutional and resident category. This is because I leave a trace of the things I publish, for example; if I post about my professional experience on LinkedIn, or the availability of my student information on Brightspace. I put email in between institutional and personal categories as a visitor, as I only really check my email when I need to, and don’t usually leave any important traceable information about myself or my profession behind.
In your network, how can you create a digital identity/ reputation?
In my networks, I can create a digital identity or reputation through the way I present myself online, and communicate with others. I believe that it is very highly dependent on the way you engage within these networks, and how you essentially set them up initially. To expand, the way you set up your LinkedIn can influence who you become connected with, thus increasing your chances for opportunities. Another example, is the use of Twitter in academia. I know many professors who use Twitter to communicate their formal research in a non-formal way – not only does this permeate their digital identity, but it also impacts their reputation more broadly.
Consider how an employer would respond if you applied for a job with them and they assessed your social media presence via your digital identity.
This is something I constantly think about. Growing up a ‘digital native’ or someone who often posts on networks in a personal-resident kind of way, I wasn’t aware of this initially. If I search for my name on the Google search bar, I can still find some of the things I posted over 8 years ago. If an employer were to respond to a job I applied for, my social media presence would not be an obstacle in me getting that job. Thankfully, I didn’t post any embarrassing or potentially problematic things online when I was younger. To make sure I don’t do so now or in the future, I often practice privacy online. All of my social media profiles are private, and I make sure to permanently delete something if I know I no longer want it to be on the web. I’m trying to adopt a more visitor (or untraceable) fashion for my digital identity, so there is no possibility of an employer denying me a job in the future.
