Online identity

Originally published to eBridge on Sunday 13 November 2011

Just realised it's been a while since my last blog entry. Been very busy with setting up details for my eTP, worrying that everything is going to fall apart at the last minute and such! There is apparently quite a strong technophobe component amongst the people I'm meant to be working with, so this might not all go according to plan, but then I suppose that's where the reflection comes in... On the bright side, I've finally got PebblePad to work, so I can now set up my portfolio on there.

Been reading some interesting points about online presence and behaviour lately, first of all was Steve Wheeler's set of blog posts about his 'dual identity' (Steve Wheeler / Tim Buckteeth), which highlighted how people can behave, and perceive themselves and others, in different contexts. Then I read Baggio's article (2011) about online identity, and the possible benefits of anonymity online.

There are some interesting possibilities that stem from the vicarious interactions that are possible when people can act anonymously online, including behavioural outcomes, which are of benefit in an industrial setting, and so will inevitably be adopted in such a context. This does go against the principles we aim towards within the bounds of this course, where we strive to have open discourse and active participation. Is this preference for acting anonymously online indicative of a poor culture within companies, where people are afraid to be seen to make a mistake?

Positive benefits of vicarious interaction do exist within our context - for instance our observation of one anothers tutoring practice is a vicarious interaction, which can allow for enhancement of future practice. This doesn't actually require anonymity, in fact it's more a kind of lurking, albeit a constructive one. So is a lurker always an inactive learner? Probably not, although I do always seek to engage them with the activities, or find out why they don't want to engage, after all this might reveal how I could do things better myself.

References:

• Steve Wheeler blog posts: He's only me, Double agent, Double or quits
• Baggio, B., 2011. You, you online, you when nobody knows it's you online. In Allen, M. (ed) Michael Allen's e-Learning Annual 2012, Pfeiffer, San Francisco

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Comments:

Hi James,

Those are some interesting reflections about vicarious experience and lurking etc, and the issues of anonymity in contexts of collaboration. This may be an area you might like to focus on in your Hot Seat discussion in workshop 3, but meantime I look forward to seeing your reflections evolve.