I found Dave White's Visitor/Resident Theory to be very illuminating with regard to how I engage with the Web. Prior to entering the teaching credential program, my position on the Visitor/Resident spectrum was almost completely on the Visitor side. I used online resources for specific purposes and then I would log off. I had no desire to have an online presence because I felt fulfilled without one. Perhaps more important, I equated online presence with behaviors or needs that are antithetical to those for which I stand. I did not want to put myself out there. I did not want to post material--even material I cared deeply about--because I equated doing so with seeking attention. White exposed the key belief behind most of my actions: privacy. I did not want to breach my own privacy for reasons that were not worth it in the long run. Which brings to mind a conversation I had with a few of my colleagues the other day about tattoos, since I can never seem to write about someone else's metaphor without tossing my own into the mix. Briefly, I have wanted to get a tattoo for many years but ultimately never have brought myself to do something so permanent, nor so visible. Something about that kind of visibility and permanency unsettles me. The logic of social media works about the same to my mind. Why would I put something out there that I have little control over once its done? The answer I found to this question comes down to the kind of things I put out. In this regard, I appreciated the map White provided at 12:50 because it has opened my mind to how I use the Web, particularly in a professional sense. That is, while I can still have reservations about posting socially, as I probably should, when utilizing internet resources I can express a lot more freedom. This realization is important to me, as I learned especially in graduate school that I need a strong community when I am involved in academic pursuits. I thrive when I have these connections, and using the web in this way only opens many more avenues to my professional development. Therefore, moving towards being a resident in this aspect of my life has been very enriching and has shown another side of what it means to have internet presence. As for having the courage to get that tattoo? That will have to wait a little while longer. White, Dave. (2013, May 31). Visitors and Residents. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sFBadv04eY
0 Comments
|
Archives
May 2016
Categories |