Tag: digital citizenship

Superbloom: Examining the Perils of Social Media

valibrarian

Since 2010, when The Shallows by Nicholas Carr was published, I have recommended it so many times. That book explained how our lives changed when we put smart phones in our pockets –capable of bringing more information than we could ever imagine to our fingertips. So, I immediately purchased Superbloom (his 2025 publication) and I was surprised to be a bit less surprised! Most likely I was not as blown away (although the book is good and I will post more about it) because I have been researching changing literacy since the turn of the century and am in total agreement with the perils of social media Carr lays out … like a blooming field of flowers with photos and hashtags more important than the actual blossoms themselves. (See a photo of poppies similar to the viral post from a social media influencer that caused trampling of the field of poppies).

By Bluesnote – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77472535

DIGITAL IDENTITY: the foundation of Digital Citizenship

Carr shares a fascinating take on how social media forms our digital identity. Here is a passage from Superbloom (via Substack):

Social identity plays an important organizing role online as well, but it can also, when it usurps individual character, lead to a kind of self-stereotyping. It becomes a cage, if a comfortable one. In social media’s flux, identity serves as a defense mechanism. It gives the entropic mirrorball self an appearance of stability and cohesion by reducing it to a set of ready-made tribal markers: hashtags, emojis, slogans, gestures, acronyms, flags, in-jokes, buzzwords. This is who I am. This and this and this. The self is formed through a curation of symbols.

Social media is a disembodied self; however, having spent nearly two decades in a virtual world, I believe one can have an avatar in a persistent space that is embodied. This was not addressed in the book but I think perhaps it is important to point out that when one is embodied in an avatar with other humans, it is not the same as the endless disposable scroll. Digital identity can be more intentional when one enters a virtual place with real human beings to interact and form purposeful communities rather than “advertisements” of themselves. This important difference will be essential in teaching the next generation about digital identity, particularly when AI characters, NPCs, virtual companions, non-human agents, and other “individuals” are simulating humans even as we speak.

I feel the AI “urge”! Always at the ready

valibrarian

You can’t escape it! You look up something and AI provides the answer. You write something and AI wants to suggest a revision. Can’t we make it GO AWAY?!?

Artificial intelligence has been around for decades and has a parallel “rise” alongside the Internet. But suddenly, it is inescapable. I think a lot of us share an unsettling feeling that AI is always there–wanting to help us. I don’t want that help but when I make a sign (since I am not a graphic designer) or want a title, or quick ideas, there is this urge to simply ask AI. That urge is disturbing! I want my own ideas and my own “imperfect” communication and – more than anything else- I want the next generation to value human expression and creativity.

ChatGTP is not my friend or companion or helper. The picture below is not important. I am simply adding to the clutter of nonstop content creation flooding the sea of information chaos that humans can no longer effectively navigate. Recognizing this “urge” to weave AI into life must certainly be part of digital citizenship and my hope is that we figure out how to suppress it and value our own thoughts, ideas, vocabulary, unique voice and even our human limitations.

Digital Citizenship Outpost: a 3D simulation Metamodernity Lab

valibrarian

I have become passionate about digital citizenship since the Internet and the Information Age transformed my profession as a librarian. After nearly 20 years in virtual environments, I finally decided to create a 3D space for my research journey and I named it Digital Citizenship Outpost in Second Life. The region will open soon and I will be able to archive my presentations and present lessons to promote discussion.

The first step was to design a map drawing of the region centered on the “oscillation” of opposites in our metamodern era. Every day, we oscillate between our physical/natural world and the worlds on our digital devices with online communities across distance. Information is no longer primarily accessed in print (nor in a building called a library as often as it was in days gone by) but on digital devices. Learning is a process- not a hierarchy of mastery- particularly now that the intelligence age presents revolutionary change. And- our process of lifelong learning is a journey that spirals over and over again through the seasons. Each year, we encounter those same seasons, yet they are always new and we are always learning.

So, my first thought for a region was to express this learning journey using the four seasons. At the center, the heart of metamodernism is oscillation. And, the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) surround the landing point called Oscillation Atrium.

The four seasons take us through a journey, starting with spring (new life) which represents our new era of metamodernism with respect for our past history and excitement about future innovation. We move to summer where we learn about metaliteracy (how digital culture has changed the way we communicate, learn, and become critical thinkers). Next, we move to Autumn at the Digital Citizenship Grove and Pavilion to address the many personal responsibilities we now have as we oscillate between the physical world and life enhanced with technology online. Then, finally we come to winter…a cold dark time which presents the metaphor of AIM (artificial intelligence mountain) to explore how AI will impact our lives and learning. ChatGTP create the images below in both day and night colors which help me design the region with the help of my amazing builder friend and colleague librarian, Dawn. The collaboration of skills in the metaverse is a fabulous example of constructivism.

This post is an introduction to my new metaverse region which I hope will be a dynamic space to explore changing literacy and digital citizenship. My first thought was to name the space “The Metamodernity Lab” but the content placed in the region is designed to think deeply about the next generation and how their lives require a personal responsibility for understanding digital citizenship. This is critical because the concepts raised at the Digital Citizenship Outpost impact not only their learning, but their overall well being as humans in the intelligence age.

Yikes! Metaliteracy Needed Now: Young, Old and In-Between!

valibrarian

My recent article in College and Research Libraries News shares the importance of embedding metaliteracy in higher education but, if you really think about it, metaliteracy is for all of us from tiny tots to the elderly. Have you seen little ones accessing fun games and videos (hopefully somewhat educational) on their parents mobile devices? My four year old grandson recently picked up a wrapper from a kids’ treat and said, “Look there’s a QR code. Let’s see what it does on your phone!” His parents are aware of the importance of limiting screen time and provide him with lots of outdoor activities, but there is no escaping digital culture. Yes, literacy has changed and even the youngest among us juggles multiple formats of information as he becomes a prosumer– both consuming and producing digital content.

Augmented Reality apps are available now for toddlers!

ApplyDu for kids

Elderly Folks have Metaliteracy Needs

Working with elderly people in the library, I am reminded that we all have personal literacy needs. An 85 year old grandmother may want to learn ZOOM or Facetime to connect with family. Choosing which application and which device for communication is part of metaliteracy and the apps keep changing. One elderly woman asked for help setting up her new smart phone and it was her first time using a touch screen device. “Is it me or is this phone really confusing and difficult?” she asked. Learning to swipe up, down and side to side or to gently tap instead of push the screen frustrated her but her phone company told her that the flip phone she had was obsolete and sent her a new model. We have met several times in the library to help her get more comfortable. Metaliteracy includes constant changes in the way we communicate and adapting to changes in digital tools can be uniquely personal for each of us.

Metamodern Students “walk through” Instructional Design

Metaliteracy can be taught in any setting including a virtual world! To help a class of students in Dublin understand their own need for metaliteracy, I “sat on top” of my slides as the students walked through them (which is way less boring than listening to a lecture). Utilizing new digital tools may be fascinating but it requires understanding that metaliteracy is a personal responsibility. Parents, educators, and people of all ages need to think about their changing literacy skills and having conversations about it makes for a good start on becoming metaliterate.

Sharing Digital Citizenship #iLRN 2020

valibrarian

This year’s #iLRN 2020 Conference is about to begin! On Sunday June 21, I will lead tours at the Community Virtual Library Digital Citizenship Museum in Kitely. The museum houses room after room of content on elements of digital citizenship in global participatory culture. Included are topics such as artificial intelligence, digital archival, cybersecurity, and even a room about metamodernism and metaliteracy (featuring my new book)!

A project showcase will include an immersive learning project showcase featuring virtual reality spaces. I created a FrameVR room for the Community Virtual Library which can be accessed on the web-page or on a VR headset. These virtual learning spaces are rapidly expanding and the #iLRN Conference 2020 will be a great opportunity to network with educators who are exploring and using them with high quality content.

Personal Branding: a Part of Digital Citizenship

valibrarian

There is no escaping the concept of personal branding! Anyone who participates in networked culture (and only the rare hermit doesn’t) develops digital footprints. The tricky part is understanding how to separate your “public self” from your “private self”. A product, service, knowledge or expertise in a subject holds value when people need or want it. Yet, without a clear focus on the value of what one contributes to others, a personal brand is nothing but self-promotion, if not full-blown narcissism.

Way back in 2009 (before influencers completely overtook marketing), Twenge and Campbell warned us about The Narcissism Epidemic as everyone started using social media to share their “beautiful life experiences” and parents raised children with praise about how “unique and special” they are as individuals.

The authors suggested, “With cultural-level narcissism accelerating, many people with merely average levels of narcissism are getting sucked into the maelstrom of vanity, materialism, and entitlement'” (2009, p. 282).

Twenge, J. and Campbell, W. (2009). The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement. First Free Press: New York.

Forbes writer Caroline Castrillon says, ” The term ‘branding’ used to be reserved for businesses, but with the advent of social sites and the gig economy, personal branding has become fundamental”.  Without understanding of digital citizenship in relationship to online identity, an individual may leave a very messy trail behind them.

The importance of a personal responsibility for an authentic online identity which balances ethical behavior with participation in networked culture is critical to our future. How to instill this responsibility in digital citizens at an early age is a concern for us all. A digital identity develops in numerous online platforms including social media profiles, icons, apps, content curation and avatars within virtual communities.

Two college educators (Library/Information Science and MultiMedia/Graphic Art fields) explored the creation of avatars as personal brands in a research study using hermeneutical phenomenology to tell their own professional development stories. Through the use of an avatar, the educators facilitate learning across distance in sustainable immersive learning environments such as virtual libraries, museums or historical simulations. A recognizable persona helped to create trust across virtual communities.

Four essential elements for the creation of professional avatars emerged from the stories examined: 1) authenticity, 2) purpose, 3) persistent embodied presence, and 4) personal responsibility for digital citizenship (Hill and Brock-Richmond, 2015, p. 21).


Hill, V. and Brock-Richmond, R., (2015). Exemplifying Professional Avatar Creation through Hermeneutic Phenomenology. Journal of Virtual Studies, (6) 3, 7-23.
Valibrarian and Zinnia (educators as avatars)

Avoiding the pitfalls of personal branding

Each of us has a personal journey through life that creates a dynamic story and digital storytelling provides new ways to share stories that provide insight, encourage empathy, uplift us or give us a new perspective. Yet, problems arise when narcissism overtakes the contribution an individual can make to the community.

Today’s culture admires power, wealth, fame, and above all “lots of followers”! We are often impressed by videos that “go viral”. Social media tends to encourage viewing the moments of our lives as opportunities to create an edited performance in which each of us plays the starring role. Perhaps we need to revisit some old-fashioned concepts like humility and duty. Maybe we should think about a few points that would combat the pitfalls of personal branding:

  • I am not the most important person in the world
  • I am not not all that special
  • I have a duty to help others
  • I have a responsibility to contribute
  • I need to have empathy for others
  • The thousands of platforms where “I have a voice” do not guarantee that I have something to say

Marking a Digital Decade

valibrarian

Ten years ago in April, I posted on my blog for the very first time. What a significant decade… a transformation not only for me but for all of us, as we moved from primarily being physical world citizens in local communities to become digital citizens on a global scale.

Highlights of my Digital Decade Exploring virtual worlds

DrHillatGraduation

Shortly after starting my blog, I entered virtual worlds for use as a library and information science professional. Life in networked culture became the main focus of my blog and virtual worlds (for education) became my research focus. I earned my PhD in Library Science in 2012.

At first, I found virtual worlds a unique and almost unbelievable experience. After meeting the librarians in Second Life, I used the experience to enhance my academic journey and my dissertation was “Factors Contributing to the Adoption of Virtual Worlds by Librarians”.

Observing students in my school library, as well as individuals everywhere on digital devices in coffee shops and on streets, I began to realize we all live in virtual worlds– whether or not we enter them with an avatar.

Building a PLN

Even the brilliant experts of computer science and metadata are struggling with concepts of cybersecurity, privacy and digital citizenship.  Currently, the FBI is working on how to get through encryption to fight crime, parents are concerned about the future for children in a world that is dependent upon digital information, and the tools we use are constantly changing.

The benefits of networked society are huge but so too are the problems it presents.  A PLN (Profession or Personal Learning Network) has become imperative to understanding life in digital culture.  I wonder, though, if we put too much emphasis on following our PLN blindly.  When I click “agree” to the lengthy TOS (terms of service) on apps, I justify my lack of knowledge about the legalese and shrug it off thinking, “I know Mr. X, Ms. Q, and Mrs. K Teacher all use this app so it must be okay.”

I have found most people are generous, helpful, and willing to share knowledge and information.  Twenty years ago, my learning community was a small local group but today it is gigantic and spreads across the globe. Do we really understand the enormity of this?  I don’t think it is possible to realize the consequences of toppling of the information hierarchy which happened so abruptly at the close of the Gutenberg Parenthesis.

The Power of Twitter

Currently, Twitter exemplifies the power of connectivity in digital culture. Everyone has a voice.  Through key words (hashtags) those voices can be heard instantly across the planet.  Very few people have had any training at all in using the power of Twitter and (IMHO) most of the content is trivial, disposable media, such as humorous memes, gifs, and witticisms.  The potential to utilize the power of networked culture for high quality deep learning and edification is buried under millions of tweets. Digital citizens are challenged to dig for buried treasure.

What will the next decade bring?

Sometimes, when I discuss digital citizenship, I see fear in the faces of parents or learners who see themselves becoming “addicted to screens”.  It is certainly too late to put the Internet cat back in the bag!  Networked connectivity happened without providing a training. My tips for coping with “the online sea of chaos” over the next decade:

  1. Take digital citizenship seriously
  2. Strive to share only positive meaningful information
  3. Continue building a PLN both for learning and teaching
  4. Recognize the need for time to unplug, reflect and appreciate the physical world
  5. Seek solutions that always provide hope and reduce fear

Here’s to the next decade: Less fear- More hope! 

fear
https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2013/10/21/08/10/fear-198933_960_720.jpg





hope
http://www.picserver.org/images/highway/phrases/hope.jpg