Mapping Your Digital Space
We are all users of the internet and technology. After all, you’re reading this blog post on the internet, right? Regardless of how much or how often you use the internet and different applications, we are all involved in its progression and integration into our daily lives.
But, at what cost? Where do we draw the line between professional use and personal use? We may not know until we sit down and think about it. Once we look at each app on our cell phone and take inventory of what is there, we can then realize what is necessary to our routines, and what is there for more casual or informal use.
This can be considered the resident or visitor classification. If we use something often, we may regularly incorporate that form of technology into our routines to make our lives easier. For example, my notes app on my phone is something that I use often for both professional/work purposes and personal. I use the notes app often to keep track of, set reminders, etc. of some of the most complex to the simplest of tasks. For example, I have directions on how to input Standards Based Grading (for work) into the gradebook. That is a detailed note that is for my professional life. On the flipside, I have a note that includes the ratings of different hot dog stands across Chicago that my friends and I use to track our quest. It is a silly note that is shared among us, but a note that brings us together in a sense. My clear favorite is not too far from Dominican and has THE BEST fries out there- just don't ask for ketchup.
It is important to remember that just because we use the technology or platform, does not mean we are a resident or consistent user of it. Meaning, we do not always have to be integrating that platform as a regular part of our lifestyle. Oftentimes, we visit certain platforms for a very distinct purpose.
For example, I am a visitor of Canva in my professional life. I use Canva to create posters for after school clubs. I only use Canva for this very specific task, and do not use it in my personal life at all. I have not integrated Canva into my regular, professional routines either, which is why I am classified as a visitor.
When reflecting on my personal life and where I am a visitor, my brain immediately jumps to Yelp. I love to read the reviews on Yelp before going to a new restaurant. I do this only when I am trying a new place. I never write my own reviews or look up reviews of places that are already in my list of regular restaurants. I visit this site for one purpose- to read up on a new place!
The apps that are sized larger in my map above are sized that way to indicate usage frequency. As you can see, I frequent Amazon a lot! This is an app that I am always shopping on because of its ease of use, access, products, etc. Behind Amazon, I use Fitbit the most, even though I only visit this app. I only use the app to sync my watch with the app to see my steps for the day. I do this regularly, but do not dive into the other features the Fitbit app has to offer.
I encourage you to take a closer look at the apps and platforms you use on a regular basis. Think about how much you are incorporating those features into your lifestyle? Are you using them to better your life or merely to complete a specific task? The more we reflect on our usage, the more intentional our usage can be!
Hi Daniella! I loved reading your post and was interested in the different types of apps that you use and how you use them. It's always interesting to see the fine line of having an app on both professional and personal. I also had YouTube on the line of professional and personal, it's
ReplyDeleteinteresting to find the ways you can incorporate the apps into teaching. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Daniella! We have a lot of the same apps in our maps. I noticed you have the Instagram app in the professional visitor quadrant. How do you apply instagram to your profession? Are you a teacher? I am and would love to somehow incorporate it into the classroom because I know the students would be super engaged. I have my Instagram app in the personal resident quadrant because I use it almost everyday for recreational purposes and use it to communicate with friends and family! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHey Daniella! First of all, I LOVE the idea of creating a Note based on hot dog stands in the Chicago Area and the quest to try them! What a great idea! I also use my notes for professional use and personal use. I think I enjoy the convenience of always having it on me no matter where I go. I also use Amazon a lot and put that in the same quadrant as you. I love your digital map! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Daniella- I think the Note app is super under rated. It is one that I use from time to time but when planning a trip or looking to share things with my husband it is awesome. I found it interesting how Pandora was listed so high on your professional list and closer to the visitor section. 5 year ago me would have been shocked because I used it everywhere I went except not in the classroom. I still don't use music in my classroom (mine will get so loud that more noise isn't helpful) but found it interesting that your use was more or less for your professional life. It is kind of like my podcast usage - once I stopped doing the super long car rides it no longer became a resident usage for me.
ReplyDeleteHi Daniella, I am intrigued by your use of the note app (and would love to know more about the best hot dog places!). It seems like a great organizational tool. You have inspired me to try it out for work. I am curious - how do you use spotify in your professional life? Do you make specific playlists for different activities? Thank you for sharing your digital map!
ReplyDeleteI grew up about 4 blocks from Gene & Jude's!
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