Visitors & Residents

I watched Dr. David White's video today about the Visitors & Residents principle regarding online engagement and found it really interesting. In his presentation Dr. White proposes that people can be categorized as being an online visitor, a resident, or somewhere on the continuum in between (but almost always leaning more toward one than the other).

One comparison that he used that helped me visualize these concepts is this: 

A visitor is considered someone who uses the internet like a collection of tools in a toolbox--looking for what they need, using it, and putting it back without leaving a trace that they were there. 

A resident, however, sees the internet more like a space to move around in--to socialize, network, and enjoy (like a gathering in the park). 

As I listened to his definitions and examples I definitely began to identify myself as both a visitor and a resident for different reasons. I relate to the visitor mindset in that I like using the internet a tool--to find what I want, have it serve my purpose, and then leave it be. On the other hand I consider myself a resident at times because I enjoy some of the social, communal parts of the internet like Facebook or reading other people's blogs. 

If I had to put myself somewhere on the continuum, 1 being a pure visitor and 10 being a pure resident, I would give myself a 6.5 or 7. As I'm becoming more aware of the professional learning/networking possibilities in things like Twitter, Edmodo, and blogging, I find myself wanting to spend more time interacting  with others to see what else is out there. The recent involvement in blogging for class has made me want to develop a personal one to allow more communication with friends and family.

In the future I can see myself moving even more towards the resident side of the continuum both professionally and personally as I continue to interact and discover what's out there, but I don't know if some of my visitor tendencies will ever fully disappear. I'd like to revisit this topic at the end of the semester or the end of the year (if I remember)--it would be interesting to see if my initial reactions and predictions hold true or if I end up doing something completely different.