Digital Identity and Digital Presence Plan

Digital Identity and Digital Presence Plan

As part of Assignment 1 in LNRT521, we were tasked with creating a plan to support the cultivation of our digital presence and digital identity throughout the MALAT program. I find this a very interesting assignment, since I enjoyed designing the map of my current use of technology and would like to explore this topic more deeply.

Overall goal and purpose

My overall goal for cultivating my digital presence and identity is to better understand how I position myself in the online world. I see significant similarities between developing your digital identity and going to therapy. In the same way that therapy can help us understand who we are, I believe it is important to reflect on how my digital identity has developed, how I present myself online, and how I would like this presence to evolve in the future. Rowland and Estevens (2024) explain that digital identity is a dynamic concept, and that it is determined by how people understand themselves in datafied societies. This connects with my own goal of becoming more aware of how my online presence represents me.

As the Manager of Professional Development at a real estate board, I also think it is important for me to understand my own digital presence so I can better support others in reflecting on theirs. Beetham (2015) connects digital capability with leadership, pedagogy, and professional practice, which reinforces the idea that developing digital presence is both personal and professional. For me, this means thinking about how I show up online as a student, educator, course developer, and leader.

Approach

My approach will be to use this blog as a reflective space throughout the program. I first thought of keeping a separate log, but I believe using this blog to reflect on changes in my thinking, my digital practices, and my understanding of digital identity is a more adequate and relevant idea. This reflection already started with mapping my use of online technology, and it will evolve more throughout this course and program. White and Le Cornu’s (2011) point out that online engagement depends on the context, so I am curious to see how my online presence will change with time. In diverse contexts, I may participate more as a visitor, using tools for specific purposes, or as a resident, where I maintain a more visible and ongoing presence.

I also want to become more intentional about how I participate online. Boyd (2011) explains that social network sites function as “networked publics,” where identity, audience, and visibility are defined by the affordances of digital spaces. This reminds me that online presence is deeply connected to who might see what I post on social media, how it might be interpreted, and how it contributes to my professional identity.

Skills and knowledge gaps

In terms of skills, I believe my curiosity and inquisitive mind are strengths that will help me critically analyze my digital presence. I am comfortable asking questions, reflecting on my learning, and reconsidering my assumptions. However, one knowledge gap I foresee is that I do not yet fully know what I do not know. I expect that some gaps will become clearer as I move through the MALAT program and engage with the readings, blog posts, and instructor and peer feedback.

Another area I want to develop is my confidence in creating and sharing content online. As Hargittai and Walejko (2008) note, digital content creation is a complex topic, and access to digital tools alone does not guarantee equal participation. I want to understand how my upbringing, my socioeconomic status, and my cultural background influence my use of digital platforms, and what meaningful and confident participation means to me.

Addressing gaps

To address these gaps, I will rely on the course literature, my cohort peers, and ongoing reflection. I also want to pay attention to the digital literacies such as attention, collaboration, critical evaluation, and ethical participation (Rheingold, 2010), and what role they play in my online life.

Generative AI is another area I want to reflect on as part of my digital identity. Since tools like ChatGPT are becoming part of academic and professional life, I want to use them ethically and transparently. Bozkurt (2024) raises important questions about authorship, ownership, academic ethics, and integrity in a time of generative AI. This will help me think carefully about how AI use fits into my identity as a graduate student and professional.

Measuring success

A measure of success for me will be comparison and growth. I will compare this initial post with future blog posts to see how my thinking changes. I hope to identify misconceptions I may have now, notice areas where I have become more confident, and see evidence that I am becoming more intentional about my online presence. Success will also mean being able to explain my digital identity more clearly, engage more confidently with peers, and connect my online presence to my professional values.

Overall, I see this plan as a starting point. My digital identity will continue to evolve throughout the MALAT program, and I expect that my understanding of it will become more complex as I engage with the literature, my peers, and my own reflective practice.

References

Beetham, H. (2015, November 10). Building capability for new digital leadership, pedagogy and efficiency [Blog post].

Bozkurt, A. (2024). GenAI et al.: Cocreation, authorship, ownership, academic ethics and integrity in a time of generative AI. Open Praxis, 16(1), 1–10.

Boyd, D. (2011). Social network sites as networked publics: Affordances, dynamics, and implications. In Z. Papacharissi (Ed.), A networked self (pp. 39–58). Routledge.

Hargittai, E., & Walejko, G. (2008). The participation divide: Content creation and sharing in the digital age. Information, Communication & Society, 11(2), 239–256.

Rheingold, H. (2010). Attention, and other 21st-century social media literacies. EDUCAUSE Review, 45(5), 14.

Rowland, J., & Estevens, J. (2024). What is your digital identity? Unpacking users’ understandings of an evolving concept in datafied societies. New Media & Society.

White, D. S., & Le Cornu, A. (2011). Visitors and residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16(9).