BLOG POST TOPIC 1
As Belshaw draws out, digital literacies are highly
contextual and always socially negotiated. I understand that to mean that how
my digital literacies plays out differ in different context. Belshaw states
that there are 8 essential elements within digital literacy, these are
cognitive, constructive, communicative, civic, critical, creative, confident
and cultural (Belshaw, 2014).
Digital literacies
really is a complex term, even in plural form, and it plays out differently in
different contexts, in all different elements of it.
Trying to define my own identity is difficult in any case, and it is no easier to define my own digital identity. I have different identities on different digital platforms and different digital interactions as I do in “real life” (if that is to be considered as something different from the digital life). During the lecture with David White we were challenged to draw an overview with continuums visitor- residence (White & Le Cornu, 2011) on one axes, and personal- institutional on the other axes, and place our own activities on different digital platforms within these axes. My drawing looked like this:
I did not have time to fill in more,
but after words, when I had time, it was more difficult to fill in. More
reflections on the topic happened after the picture was drawn, then I realized
all of the online activities that I don’t even consider as something that I do,
they are so much everyday activities. It also occurred to me that the thick
line between professional life and personal life might not be as evident as I
think when I don’t think about it. How about the clear difference between
visitor and residence, how clear is that, really? It is difficult to know
really, how much social trace I leave. I would think that we have different
standards here too, as to what is a lot and what is a little. I do not often
express thoughts and opinions online, but I do sometimes leave traces such as
likes- does that count as visiting +? Drawing out this map made it clear to me
that my personal and professional life are linked more closely than I thought.
I do not post personal work achievements on social media, but I quite often
like others posts about their work achievements. I could post articles on
social media that is work related, and I do get access to work related
information through social media. Sometimes it is not clear to me whether to
use my work e-mail or personal e-mail.
More than I think it is important to distinguish
between the two, I find it really interesting to reflect upon my own digital
identities and the choices I make concerning the two.
Belshaw, Douglas, AJ (2012) What is ‘digital
literacy’? A Pragmatic investigation., Durham theses,
Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3446/
White, D. & Le Cornu, A. (2011) Visitors and residents: A new
typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16(9).
