Since Prensky coined the terms Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants in 2001, technology and the internet have vastly changed. The idea behind these terms was to describe a younger generation who have grown up with the internet, live with it as a part of their normal lives (natives) and those of an older generation where the internet was introduced later on in life (immigrants), who struggle to get to grips with using some forms of technology (Prensky, 2001).
Even though Prensky’s terms have formed the basis of many theories surrounding digital learning, they are disputed by researchers. (JISC INFO NET, 2014) In response, Digital Visitors and Residents were proposed to pinpoint what drives individuals when browsing the web.
When a Digital Visitor uses the web, they come with a specific purpose. For example I have specifically used it in the past to find a holiday. The attribute to a Digital Visitor is that once they have retrieved the information they need, they then sign offline and do not return unless they need to undertake another task. This nature means they do not leave a social footprint.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Digital Residents, those who live and breathe online. They are constantly connected with others via social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. The world of Digital Residents is like an online community, seeking information from others rather than dedicated sources. However, the validity of gaining information this way is questioned, with the phrase ‘don’t believe everything you read on the internet’ springing to mind.
Looking at how people explore the internet allows us to see where individuals fit on a spectrum rather than grouping. This allows us to realise that people of all ages and backgrounds can be both Visitors and Residents, and some can be both. I would certainly class myself as both – I am an avid social media user (particularly Instagram) but I also use the internet for specific purposes like I highlighted earlier. Furthermore, generations like my mum’s are increasingly using social media – Facebook seems to be a very population choice between her and her friends – which could indicate that the divide between the two ends of the spectrum is closing.
I’ve stumbled across this video created by David White on Digital Visitors and Residents which I found really interesting, so if you have time I definitely think it’s worth a watch!
Bibliography
JISC INFO NET, 2014. Visitors and Residents. [Online]
Available at: http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/evaluating-services/visitors-residents/
[Accessed 07 10 2015].
Prensky, M., 2001. Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), pp. 1-6.
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Hi Bryony, very interesting blog post and perspective. Especially this bit “The world of Digital Residents is like an online community, seeking information from others rather than dedicated sources.” A lot of the time when I need information I will Google my question and come to a random website and read what advice they give. Sometimes my query will be medical related. So this makes me question, why do I search for this information here rather than call 111 or go to a pharmacy for advice? It really makes you question our generation and how trusting we are on the internet doesn’t it. I’m now wondering if I should rely on Google for help or simply go to the doctors? I found this interesting article:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/cyber-diagnosis-should-we-google-symptoms-10330077.html
Which reveals a case where a teenager cyber diagnosed herself and ended up dead because she wasn’t taken seriously by her doctor. I know this is an extreme case but it does beg the question, are people too wary of the internet?
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Hi Bryony, I found your thoughts on the different types of internet users fascinating, particularly the age of those in each category and how that might play a part. It is also interesting to look at how that age dynamic has changed as the web gets older, it is over 25 years old now. I also like how you describe the ‘visitor’ vs ‘resident’ as a wide spectrum rather than 2 opposite options. This is certainly how I would describe my own use, and it is probably rather difficult to fir into either of those categories entirely as the model suggests. I believe the original model would be better applied to individual sites and communities rather than the web as a whole, that way we can see to what extent a user considers themselves to be a visitor or resident. Overall thanks for an interesting read.
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Hi Bryony, I also find the comparison made between the two groups very interesting. Specifically, I like how you point out how older generations are use things like social media a lot more. I’d like to also mention that older generations post a lot on their social media accounts in comparison to the “resident” generation, especially with things like pictures. Adding to that, a lot of people from our generation don’t necessarily post or use social media as much as older generations in some cases so you could argue that your age doesn’t mean you belong to a certain digital group. Thanks for an interesting read!
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I really enjoyed reading your blog. I felt you really captured the whole idea of the spectrum of Residents and Visitors. This is why White and Le Cornu’s definitions are much more appropriate particularly as it is driven by motivations. Its flexibility is its saving grace as it recognises that the internet is multi-faceted. It is an instrument that is used by many for many reasons. In a single moment we can be trying to find out when a restaurant opens (visitor activity) and in a different tab we can have facebook up so we can chat to our friends about how their day went (resident activity). Even when we look at a single website such as Amazon. Visitors can use it in order to buy something online and residents can use it to discuss products. I think the winning feature of Residents and Visitors is the range it allows.
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