Mapping My Digital Space

 

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"Every few days, it seems, I add a new app, bookmark a new website, or follow a new twitter user."

Discovering a New World on My Digital Space: Mapping a Path for Success

Why is it Important?

We're living and working in a new paradigm. One where old ways of doing thing--and teaching things--is supplanted by technology that is constantly evolving. Technology, especially the World Wide Web, have become the biggest resource teachers have. As David White says, "Now that the Internet has been in widespread use in educational establishments for around 15 years, it has clearly become the source of information chosen first by seekers, regardless of age" (White, n.d.). With all these changes, it is especially important to take the time to review the technology we are using.

In addition, teachers must teach and model the value of technology in school. The myth of the "digital native vs digital immigrant" leads us to assume that teachers can learn more from students (about technology) than the reverse. But this in untrue. Especially considering the lack of equity in technological use, we must help all students keep up-to-date. We must become Digital Residents capable of teaching not only our students, but also ourselves, in this ever-changing environment

"Educators therefore cannot presume that all young students are 'digital natives' who understand how to use technology to support and enhance their learning. It is increasingly clear that, just as is the case for almost every subject discipline and expertise, some learners will acquire the requisite skills quickly, while others will struggle, regardless of age” (White, n.d.).

And not all learning environments are the same. There are actually a lot of useful smartphone apps for students. However, in my alternative program, students are prohibited from bringing cell phones into the classroom (and asking them to use it after school is futile). So, they need to learn how to utilize the technology we have in the classroom. This is particularly true of software programming that is used exclusively on desktop computers or subscription databases only available in the library. 

My Digital Space Map

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What Changes?

Thinking about the way my digital map changes, the most obvious answer is that it gets more crowded. Every few days, it seems, I add a new app, bookmark a new website, or follow a new twitter user. I also collect a variety of educational tools I'm not currently using, but I may use in the future. Some of these include Nearpod, Thinglink, and Writable. My network is growing, particularly within my professional spaces, which includes my graduate studied.

Although there are many great tools to connect us to other professionals, there is the danger that we become so consumed with using the technology that we pay less attention to the reason we sought out the tech: to improve our performance in the classroom. This phenomenon isn't limited to teaching. As one observer put it, “Many tech companies want you to always be looking at your phone. They thrive on your addiction to their things. Even Apple isn’t going to come up with a way to make you less addicted. Imagine if you were like, ‘Oh, I don’t need to get a new iPhone because I barely pick up the one I have’” (Baker, 2019). Therefore, it's important to ask ourselves if the tech we are using really benefits our goals. Mapping out our digital space helps us focus on this. This is something I intend to do frequently.

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What stays consistent?

The most consistent part of my map was personal/resident space. Items from this area take up a lot of my time, but it hasn't evolved too much. I found the tools that help me optimize my personal life. I have dedicated a serious amount of time to learn all about these tools, too. I am wary about trying anything new, even if the recommendation comes from a trusted source. I am comfortable with this, however, and don't see this space changing much. Will I get left behind on the digital highway? I don't know.

What surprised me?

What surprised me the most was the extent of my digital footprint across all sections of the map. Of course I was aware of most of my personal/visitor sources because those I use regularly to check news and information and get entertainment. And I was aware of how much I rely on the things in my personal/resident section, especially my email account. But I was surprised at the number of other apps/accounts in the professional spaces. I always told myself that I wanted to limit my exposure online by keeping my digital footprint small. Yet, step by step, my map is filling up with more and more stuff.

Additional Resources

• Track Your Digital Foot Print ( https://bit.ly/3CeBeCR )

 

• 11 Digital Education tools for Teachers and Students ( https://bit.ly/3AfMazB )

References

Baker, E.J., (2019, March 15) What’s on Your Home Screen, Erica Joy Baker?

Order and purpose from a principal group engineering manager at Microsoft. Medium.com. https://onezero.medium.com/whats-on-your-home-screen-erica-joy-baker-e4510b6d7975

White. D. (n.d.) Visitors & Resident. Davewhite.com. http://daveowhite.com/vandr/