I find it interesting and imperative to reflect on my digital literacy, identity, and digital footprint as life has become increasingly interwoven with digital tools and services. First, I would like to underscore that my use of digital tools and the extent of my digital literacy has been largely influenced my personality traits and perception of these tools. In a study on how personality affects social media use, Seidman (2013) underscores that the personality trait of extraversion is associated with the frequent use of these digital tools. While agreeableness and neuroticism are good predictors of belongingness that accelerates behaviours and motivations to use digital platforms. Furthermore, conscientious individuals were more likely to be cautious in self-presentation online. In summary, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism are linked to the tendency to express one’s actual self through these digital platforms. Relating these findings to my digital literacy/identity and footprint online, I have always drawn a fine line between my personal and professional use of these digital tools.
Using White and Cornu’s (201) analogy of visitors and residents, I consider myself to be a resident regarding my personal use of digital technology, and a visitor regarding my professional use of these digital platforms. I am a resident from a personal perspective in the digital space because I delightfully spend a great proportion of my free time daily interacting and sharing information with a cluster of family members and friends. As White and Cornu (2011) underscore residents, feel happy and comfortable belonging to the online space where they feel free to express opinions and build relationships. This feeling resonates with my personal use of digital media resulting from my adoption of an extraversion personality trait. Furthermore, I have adopted agreeableness and neuroticism towards using these platforms that have accelerated my use of these platforms. Aside from the personality trait issues, I also believe the less regulatory nature of these personal digital platforms and my advanced digital literacies competence has resulted in my huge digital footprint in these digital platforms. In contrast, I am a visitor when using these digital platforms in teaching-related activities. My visitor status has mainly resulted from my adoption of the conscientious perspective that has resulted in me being cautious in what I share in the digital space. My consciousness has mainly been driven by uncertainties regarding the use of these digital platforms that have been a major roadblock towards my use of them in my teaching activities. Waller et al. (2020) highlight some uncertainties that constrain the use of digital technologies in teaching such as; the need for systemic changes, a lack of organisational structures and systems that promote quality education, the complexity of some of these systems. These factors have partially influenced my visitor status in the digital space. To mitigate these issues, I believe institutions (universities) generally need to provide support through training and providing user-friendly platforms that enable teachers to transition from being digital visitors to digital residents. Also, I believe there is a need for me as an individual to change my attitude and personality towards my professional use of these tools by adopting extraversion and agreeableness, and neuroticism traits that would accelerate my organisational digital presence.
References
Seidman, G. (2013). Self-presentation and belonging on Facebook: How personality influences social media use and motivations. Personality and Individual Differences, 54, 402–407.
Waller, R. E., Garretson, C. J., Lemoine, P. A., & Richardson, M. D. (2020). Examining technology uncertainties in global higher education. International Journal of Education Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(3), 24-32
White, D. & Le Cornu, A. (2011). Visitors and residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16(9).