As I coloured and reflected on where my footprint and digital identity exist and as depicted on my topography, I confirmed I have more of a professional footprint than space to “hang out” in digital social circles. I plainly see that I am a simple user where my motivation in digital use depends on the function in my professional life versus personal. I realized that my footprint with social media is minimal, and lack a digital presence–this is something I am working towards, deciding my digital identity. I have never been a “‘total’ Resident” with social media (White and Le Cornu, 2011). Coincidentally, I see that I have a central box to my digital world where I “move around the box, sometimes functioning more as Visitors, sometimes more as Residents, according to their motivation” (White and Le Cornu, 2011).
White, D., & Le Cornu, A. (2011). Visitors and Residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16(9). doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.5210/fm.v16i9.3171
Hi Bobbi, I really like the colours of your map. Hopefully, that colouring was a relaxing exercise. I think I’m in the same boat as you, as I’m putting together my map. Social presence in social media does not factor strongly in my digital identity either. I see that Youtube narrows as it goes further in the Institutional direction for you. Do you have less of a use for it institutionally?
Hi George,
Colouring … relaxing for the mind and a useful tool in my reflection process 🙂
Youtube. Good observation with the narrowing image. I use it in my profession, quite a bit, but I feel like, in comparison to my personal life, it is not as prominent. Although I use it myself for many things — fixing, building, how-to, music, movie trailers, races– I have a 4 and a 7-year-old who also love Youtube. My son is enthralled with trains. Trains from all eras, loving the image and sound of a moving steam train — only captured on Youtube! Youtube is more impacting and present in my personal life. Maybe to view my image as a spike — it is stuck and rooted in my institutional/professional life but it has exploded in my personal life? I am looking forward to seeing your map!
Hi Bobbi,
Like you I lack a digital presence when it comes to social media, I am ok with that to some extent though because I think that many things are “Facebooked” to death. I am however ging to try and improve my professional presence outside of the virtual walls of my colelge…maybe finally update my Linkedin profile?
Oh, Steve, you and I are kindred spirits with facebook. Digital presence is one thing, but to be placed in a socially, yet digitally, the awkward situation of being a “friend” is like that of the hallways in high school. I have just not embarked on that journey. However, I am learning more and becoming better with parameters online, and one of those is with my professional presence. Having a personal space, limited, and a professional space where I am learning to set digital boundaries–slowly building a presence. Slow and steady. I am still nervous of Linkedin — hahaha… but if you do it, I will do it. Let me know when you have done it! Challenge is on.
Deal…my plan is to have a decent LinkedIn page by the end of LRNT 521…
I don’t even have a page … so you are ahead … but I will catch up. The proof will be when we discover each other in June on LinkedIn. Looking forward to the reunion on that side 🙂
I am reading this exchange and smiling as I watch a group of folks on their afternoon coffee break checking their social media feeds 😉 Steve I am going to take up your challenge and get my LinkedIn profile “spiffied” up by the end of LRNT 521 as well – it has been awhile since I have used that space in any regular manner. Being part of these networks for me tends to ebb and flow depending upon context, content and perceived value at any given time. While I have my “go to’s” there are also several on the periphery as well that I get reacquainted with from time to time 😉
Great, another LinkedIn contestant…I checked mine out today as I have not visited it for a while, it needs a lot of work.
I’m glad this challenge acme up as I have been putting this off for a couple of years now.
Linked in is a powerful tool! During the downturns in Calgary when I was facing the prospect of being unemployed, I became a true resident of LinkedIn. I published a few posts, I reached out to contacts for coffee meetings, I spent countless hours on their job search areas, and made sure my profile was up to date. It’s always good to have a solid foundation there.
Bobbi, I also am more of a “Visitor” in the personal social circles. Interesting how we seem to focus on the “Resident” part in our professional lives. I would assume this is because it is a function of our role in our careers. I wonder where email fits? I understand by David White’s article that email is more of a visitor sport, but email trails are visible to those who we communicate with on a daily basis, especially in our professional emails. I wondered your thoughts on email as it pertains to the visitor-resident topography?
Hi Andrea,
Email … a rooted resident. I have difficulty sometimes in the evening responding to personal emails when home due to the volume of emails during the day. But because of that, and maybe it is not clear on my image of my topography, there is a light gray cloud in the background of everything, overlapping individual and institutional, and visitor and resident. The cloud, the first image that popped into my head, being that email is always looming, and hovering — there are always emails. I appreciate when I am a “visitor” in the email — maybe that should be the side of my topography with the image of a sun 🙂
Nice work including a quote! 😉
You’re one of those artistic people who make me look like a putz!! 😀 Your diagram is really engaging!! I’m in awe of artistic people. I just don’t understand how you can create with such precision and complimentary colours.
I definitely understand the lack of desire to put anything personal up on the Internet. It’s scary to think of how nothing actual disappears, how people can find you, that you can’t shut out professional aspects of your life even in your own home…yep, it’s kind of difficult. My parents and I to to our cabin in Mt. Baker, WA, sometimes, where there is no Internet or TV. It is a little strange to be disconnected, but it’s also so liberating. It grounds you. I’ll be interested to see how you keep the worlds separated, since we seem to kind of need to put ourselves up on the Internet. My Twitter for the program (and after) is Krista_at_MALAT, so I was able to keep my last name off. That’s done on purpose…<:)
Krista — I am too interested for us who are reluctant to share ourselves will create a digital identity. A footprint that may be stylish and minimal versus a big muddy boot 😉
I already have a challenge with Steve to get a LinkedIn account going … want in?
Great conversation emerging here folks and yes, Krista I love that you highlight that you have kept your last name off on purpose – that is for me at the core of much of this work – the ability to have the choice to make the decision of who and what of you is shared in this space instead of it being made for you by default and programming features. Taking time to thoughtfully consider how you want to represent and be represented in this digital space is part of the reason we start the program with this specific course.
I am very careful about my digital footprint, both professionally and personally. In my profession, everything can and will be used against me! I am always asking myself where the line is. Do I want this info about myself read/viewed by “EVERYONE” I know and don’t know?
So true, Patricia! I feel the same way. I keep thinking that it is my naivete in the use and parameters of the digital spaces that inhibit me from exploring further or putting myself out there. I don’t want everyone to know who I am, where I am or what I am doing. If I did, I think I would email people individually! But I wonder, if I learn more about the tools and spaces, is this really the case? Will my comfort and residence in social places and online communities feel just as safe as my local coffee shop around the corner? Will it end up that only the people I want to connect with WILL BE the people I connect with?
We shall see … off into new territory!
Hi Bobbi –
Don’t be afraid of LinkedIn. It is a great site, and very useful. If you have a good profile (which takes a lot of time, by the way) you may be surprised at some of the contacts that you make, or people that find you. I’ve been on LinkedIn for quite some time, and just last week had someone reach out to see if I was interested in a position. Recruiters spend a lot of time on LinkedIn, and for me, the compliment on my ‘great LinkedIn’ profile from the recruiter last week was validation for the time I’ve invested over the last couple of years.
Thank you for the reassurance, Donna. I appreciate it. I honestly haven’t heard great things about LinkedIn other than it takes a lot of time. I am glad that you are providing a voice that it is worth it.
I will get over my fears … I need to just jump out of the plane, so to speak.