Visitors and Residents

When watching the video about the Visitor-Resident Principle, there were numerous aspects that resonated with me regarding my own personal use of technology.  I have always thought of my technology skills as that of a seasoned veteran, such as being able to problem-solve what to do when your computer freezes, my typing speed, etc.  However, I have not taking a close look about how I approach technology and how I interact with other people within the realms of various social networks.  

The Visitor-Resident Principle states that most people are not simply just a visitor or a resident, but are placed on an area within the continuum.  Just because someone may lean more toward the visitor side of the continuum does not mean that they are less skilled with regard to technology.  This simply means that they are more likely to use technology for more autonomous and private reasons and do not see the point in using social media for educational purposes.  Visitors also tend to critically assess whether the platform they're going to use will help them solve a problem.  None of these have to do with a person's skill level, but instead how they value technology and its purpose for communicating with others.  

Personally, I feel that I am closer to the resident side of the continuum regarding this principle, especially in an institutional setting.  For instance, I feel that social media sites such as Twitter have significant purposes with regard to how they can bring individuals together to communicate, especially as a new teacher who is always looking for new ideas.  I enjoy having an online persona that allows others to communicate and collaborate about particular topics, and try to keep this persona alive as much as possible.  However, although I do feel that I have more compatibility with the residents, I do feel that there are some parts of me that can be attributed to the visitor side of the spectrum, especially in a non-institutional setting.  For instance, when I am encountered by a new form of social media that I feel does not have to do with educational development, I typically will assess whether this will help me move forward and will usually want more privacy instead of extending my online persona.

Overall, I want to make sure that because I am more compatible with the residents, I am making sure that as a teacher I am being a resident facilitator who works along with them instead of an authority figure who simply tells them what to do. I also plan on moving forward with my online persona in order to effectively collaborate with other educators and use social media in the most efficient way possible to enhance my technological approach.