Dean’s discussion on digital “Visitors and Residents” during the first week of class sparked a lot of thought. In the real world, a visitor is someone who temporarily stays in a place for a specific purpose, like socializing, conducting business, or exploring. So, in the digital realm, “visitors” are individuals who have specific objectives and use the internet to find tools that help them accomplish those goals. They are temporary participants in the online world. For instance, I see myself as a visitor whenever I use my smartphone to search for an address or a location on Google Maps, and then disconnect to physically visit the location. My online activity tends to leave minimal traces and has limited social impact, especially when operating in this visitor’s mode.
Digital residents, unlike visitors, are deeply embedded in online communities. They have established connections, friendships, and virtual spaces. Unlike visitors who have specific tasks, residents are online to connect with others. They participate actively in online communities through social media platforms, sharing content, and engaging in conversations. This online activity reflects their identity and fosters relationships, making the internet an essential part of their lives.
My understanding of “visitors” and “residents” in social media mirrors the tools I use daily. I’m surprised by the extent of my social media toolkit, which I hadn’t fully realized before.
I really enjoyed this conversation as well! I had never considered which I was, and the amount I spent on each app. Once we got going, I added many more apps to my page than I began with. It’s a great way to look at how we are using devices.
What I found so interesting about this conversation was how it prompted follow up conversations with my colleagues — and how different all of our continuums were! You would think that as educators, our use of technologies might be more standard.
I would be interested to complete this activity with students to see what they are using, and where they believe them to fall on the continuum. I am also curious how different their utilization would be between different groups of students by interest and access.
I found this conversation very interesting and it opened my mind to where and when I use different apps. There are some that overlap in my personal and professional life but many I use just in one of the two areas. Many of the apps that I use I feel like a visitor and there are very few that I feel like a resident. I think that this is something that would be great for a topic of discussion at a staff meeting. It would allow a chance for people to share their areas of expertise.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Ayodele! I appreciate how you explored the “visitor” versus “resident” framework in digital spaces. It’s fascinating to consider how our interaction with technology can shift depending on our purpose and the tools we use. Your reflection made me think about my own digital behavior—especially in terms of what apps I use for teaching versus personal life. I agree that understanding these differences can impact how we approach technology in education. Would you incorporate this concept into your classroom discussions?