Visitor… or Resident….
Up to a couple days ago I was unfamiliar with David White’s concepts of “Visitors and Residents” nor had I thought of “Mapping the Internet” to see how I use it. I found this topic fascinating, interesting, and insightful. This idea provides a framework to show how a user's habits and preferences influence their interactions with technology and the web.
This concept of describing online users was originally coined by Marc Presnky in 2001 using the phrases “digital natives” and “digital immigrants”. As technology evolved and as well as its users, the terminology shifted to the phrases brought about by David White: Visitors and Residents.
These behaviors are defined as :
Visitors: They don’t see the internet as a social space and don’t have interest in social engagement. They view it as a tool to complete a task.
Residents : They see the internet as a social space to communicate and engage with others. This socializing gives them a sense of community online.
Want to learn more….
Check out this video on the difference between Visitors and Residents:
Image Source: Youtube
My Digital Map…..
As I dove into this concept, I mapped my internet interactions to get a better understanding of the concept of “Visitors vs. Residents”; and to see if I was a visitor or a resident. While mapping out my digital presence, I had to really look at each app/platform/website to see what type of digital footprint I was leaving behind.
To my surprise some platforms that I use on a regular basis and thought would be on the resident side just because of how frequently I used them fell on the visitor side; just due to the nature of how they were used. For example, youtube tv and Netflix: I use these almost everyday to watch my favorite programs; however, I do not contribute any content to them. The only mark I left behind is my preferences. So I wondered if this was enough to consider myself a resident when using Netflix? So, when placing it on my map, I put it in the visitor section since I mainly only use the app as it is intended; but near the division line since my preferences are known and could be viewed as internet resident. I also found out that most of my internet resident use happens in the evening after work hours, typically while relaxing watching tv after dinner and before bed. However, there are some parts of my Resident category that take place at all parts of the day. I check my email for both work and personal accounts at all parts of the day. My posting of lessons to Schoology takes place during the day during my plan time and in the evening if I can’t get it all done during the school day. I also check/post on social media at different parts of the day; mainly at night, but I do sometimes post in the morning after I get up and during my lunch some days.
Image Source: Blogger Author
I feel my map and internet connections contains 3 big groups:
Teaching/Professional Use: associated with institutional activities and objectives. These apps are google suites, schoology, SMART, Sphere. Some of the app's fell on the visitor side and other residents. Some I chose to be on the line because, depending on use that day, it could be either. Ex) I use youtube to show educational artist videos - that would be visitors; however, when I upload demo videos on how to create a piece of art, youtube falls on the resident side.
Social media: This mainly fell on the personal residence side. I find that I use this daily to connect with family. My family has a group chat that we participate in asking advice, sharing moments through pictures, or arranging for family dinner night. While some social platforms crossed over to the professional category, my fellow art department members and I have a chat group that we use to share projects, classroom management or just to converse/vent if having a rough day. I find this group valuable and think it helps us bond as a group as we are all in different buildings and only get to meet with each other in person roughly once a month. Recently, I have begun to follow several art teachers on Instagram. (I gather ideas and get help/suggestions for projects, classroom management, class organization/supply disruption as well as share my experiences with fellow art colleagues around the world.)
Personal management : This is predominantly on the visitor side; these were things like tv streaming platforms, banking apps to pay bills, online shopping apps to buy a variety of things (clothing, groceries, classroom supplies etc). I found that these apps I used just serve the purpose they were intended for and they have no socializing aspect with them.
So am I a Digital Visitor or Resident???
I don’t think that I am one or the other but rather a combination of the two and that depends on the moment or day. I may favor one side over the other; and I am fine with that. I feel that this is typical for the majority of people. As I explore more technology applications, such as Teachers Pay Teachers, Instagram, Blogger; I may start to become more of a digital resident. I guess only time will tell. My hope is to perhaps start sharing more on these platforms and leaving my own mark to inspire others instead of being the one always inspired by them.
Additional Sources:
Video of David White Presenting at University of Catalonia
Video of David White Mapping Activity :
Image Source: YoutubeCited Sources:
Flaticon. Retrieved on Sept. 15, 2022 from https://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/visitors_912834
Flaticon. Retrieved on Sept. 15, 2022 from https://www.flaticon.com/search?word=residents
Nicfair. (2016, Sept. 15) A Research Blog about Personal Learning Networks and Digital Literacies Retrieved on Sept. 15, 2022 from https://nicfair.co.uk/site/digital-resident-or-digital-visitor/
Prensy, Marc. (2001) Digital Natives Digital Immigrants Retrieved on Sept. 15, 2022 from
https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20
Digital%0Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
White, David. (2016, April 27) "Visitors and Residents: A Look Towards Digital Learners' Activity" Youtube Retrieved on Sept. 15, 2022
White, David (2013, June, 05) Visitors and Residents mapping activity Youtube Retrieved on Sept. 15, 2022 from:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9IMObcyKbo&t=715s
Youtube. (2017, Feb. 11) #UOSM2008 - Digital Visitors and Digital Residents Retrieved on Sept. 15, 2022 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y22Cii39NUM&t=26s
Hi Kristen! I love the layout of your post, it is well-organized and easy to follow. I appreciate how you grouped your apps into three different categories- I think this was a clever way to analyze your digital map. I agree that determining whether one is a visitor or resident depends on the day/moment and many of us are a combination of both.
ReplyDeleteAbby,
DeleteThanks, I am glad you enjoyed and found the layout easy to follow and liked the break down on my own digital map. Being an art teacher I try to focus on some of those visual elements. Thanks for sharing and visiting my blog.
I agree with Abby- your blog is very visually appealing!
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