Digital Native, Immigrant, or Both?

I recommend that to those who have seven minutes of free time in their day and have an interest in interactions in the digital world, to watch David White’s (University of Oxford) video called “Visitors and Residents”. Until I viewed the video, I did not realize that there are actually terms to describe the level of presence or skill a person has in the digital world. To provide a quick summary, the Digital Immigrant versus Native Theory defines a person’s skill on the internet and with technology devices. The Digital Visitor versus Resident Continuum presents a spectrum of how a person acts or leaves a digital footprint (if any) on the world wide web. After watching, I had to reflect on where I place in these theories.

Based on the definition provided in the video, I would define myself as a digital native. I was born in 1999 so I grew up experiencing and using technology within the 21st-century digital progression. I went from the VCR, Cassette Tapes, and old Dell Desktops, to our current diverse and advanced selection of technology now. I would perceive digital native versus digital immigrant as a scale, rather than as a black and white concept. This viewpoint comes from the mentioned idea that “we didn’t need to teach the younger generations how to use technology; they were going to teach us”. I can confidently teach my parents how to post on Facebook or learn a new platform after some practice and time on it. However, I have had my nephews (ages 10 & 12) and older students (4th & 5th Grade) I work with to help me with technology issues or show me basic coding. Since I didn’t grow up in the more recent development of technology, I don’t feel like a true Digital Native.

So, if digital “nativeness” is measured by skill and extent of experience, I would put myself in the middle of the continuum. If it is measured by age, I am defined but don’t feel like a digital native.

Drawing from David White’s Digitial Visitor and Resident theory, there is no question of where my placement is on that continuum. As he phrases it, as a resident, “we are living a portion of our lives online” and seeking to interact and react to other people online. I may not be an avid social media presence in terms of posting on social media, but the way I occasionally post, frequently view, and react to others online places me on the resident side of the spectrum. Overall, I found David White’s presented theories and the video to be a simple and interesting video to introduce these concepts to the average viewer (aka me).