“A virtual community is defined as an aggregation of individuals or business partners who interact around a shared interest, where the interaction is at least partially supported and/or mediated by technology and guided by some protocols or norms” (Porter, 2004).
Where do I see myself going with my online blog? Do I see it evolving? When planning about how to create my digital presence and digital identity, I feel that the above definition helped guide me in the right direction. I feel that with my blog I would like to create a virtual community where I share my interest of education in dental hygiene and/or education and technology with fellow learners, colleagues, future students, researchers, etc. My thoughts are supported by Barab and Duffy (2000) who stated, “communities (1) have shared histories and cultures, (2) have shared goals and practices, (3) are part of something larger than the individuals participating in them, and (4) reproduce, with member roles in the community shifting, evolving, maturing, and changing”. The community would have mutual respect for each other and would feel safe enough to collaborate freely and authentically.
Barab, S.A. and Duffy, T.M. (2000). From practice fields to communities of practice. In Theoretical foundations of learning environments, edited by David H. Jonassen and Susan M. Land: pp. 25-55. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Porter, C.E. (2004). A Typology of Virtual Communities: a Multi-Disciplinary Foundation for Future Research, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(1), JCMC1011, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2004.tb00228.x