Townie vs. Tourist

 As someone who is addicted to their phones, I use a variety of technology on a regular basis. However, how I use it varies. 

Townie or Tourist

Image Source: Medium

Townie

When discussing technology there are a few different ways we can categorize ourselves. Today, we are going to be talking about being a resident versus being a visitor. In my mind, being a resident means you actively participate on the app or website on a daily (or near daily) basis. Additionally, you are actively engaging with the technology, sharing your ideas, and connecting with others. 

Image Source: Tenor

Breaking Down My Residency

Personal

As I was making my map I realized something, photos! Pictures are a huge part of my digital citizenship. I love using apps that allow me to share pictures and memories with my friends and family. Snapchat, Instagram, and Google Photos all allow me to share pictures and videos of things that make me happy. I enjoy creating and curating my posts, as well as seeing/watching what my friends and family have been doing. Another app that falls into the personal resident category is the Apple Calendar. I would be lost without that app! I actively engage in it by adding events, inviting my friends/family to different calendar appointments, and setting reminders. Peloton and the New York Times Game App, both allow me to connect with others through competition. I like to connect with my friends and I like to win, and these apps allow me to do both of those things (hopefully) simultaneously!

Overlap

The Google Suite is an example of some apps where I am a resident, however it transcends the personal and professional realms. I use Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail in both my personal and professional life. I am constantly creating and sharing different documents, as well as sending emails in all aspects of my life. 

Professional

While I use the Apple Calendar on a regular basis in my personal life, I never use it in my professional life. Instead, I solely (and consistently) use the Google Calendar. It is so important for me to have the Google calendar in order to keep myself, my students, and my colleagues organized. I can share homework assignments, meeting appointments, and more with anyone who needs to be informed. EdPuzzle and Desmos are two platforms that allow me to share information with my students in creative and new ways. On EdPuzzle I share videos with my students, then they can rewatch, and ask me questions. Desmos, on the other hand, is an online graphing calculator, and more. When students log-in to Desmos they can save and share calculators with all of the information they need to be successful. Along the same lines, I can share my saved calculators with my students or post them on Schoology for them to access. 

Tourist

On the other hand, there is technology that I use only when I absolutely have to. This kind of technology I only look at on occasion, if I get a notification that someone else messaged me, or just to see what other people are doing, but without actually interacting with others. While I use Libby, Audible, Amazon, and TikTok almost everyday I never interact with people on the apps and have my notifications off. I use all four of those apps at a very basic level, and I am not really using them to their full potential. YouTube and Schoology are two apps that I use constantly, and occasionally interact with other people. However, I never create content on these apps, and I only use Schoology because it is required at my job. Similarly, Agile Minds and Talking Points are two apps/websites that are bookmarked on my browser. Yet, they are not ones that I use regularly and I only visit the sites occasionally. I think my goal for this school year is to become a resident in the Talking Points app. This site allows you to communicate with both parents and students via text from an anonymous phone number. It is intriguing to me, and I need to investigate it more 

Image Source: Drible