This is me!
Digital Immigrant@Andrea99061643. My first personal/reflective post where I feel able to talk about me, who I am, what motivates me, and my personal brand,
I describe myself as a digital immigrant, this is in contrast to digital natives. Digital natives grew up surrounded by technology. Naturally fluent in digital speak, they understand the language of the internet, smartphones, computers. They are comfortable and at home in this world, it comes instinctively, without conscious thought or effort (Presky, 2001).
Where as I, as a Digital immigrant, am in an unfamiliar country, unsure of the language, culture and practices. I am aware of being ‘awkward and ill at ease’, that I do things more slowly than my fellow students. I am most certainly the oldest member of the #USW_PR cohort. Being at least 20 years older than my fellow students. I remember dial-up, and the first mobile phones, what to them is ancient history, feels like yesterday to me.
For us to learn, it is acknowledged that we need to be moved from our comfort zone to our discomfort zone. For me writing a blog, pushed me straight into the panic zone. Moving me from a safe, secure learning environment, to ‘being out there’ @Andrea99061643 on the world wide web, my personal brand there for all to see, and judge.
Reading fellow students blogs, past winners of #bestPRblog, highlighted several issues. That for me to be credible and authentic as a brand, I needed to discuss issues that are important and relevant to me, my own ‘political socialisation’. Growing up in the South Wales Valleys, during The Miners Strike, some of my strongest formative memories are of that time. For those of you who have watched the film ‘Pride’ you may understand a little of what motivates me.
More recently having ‘survived’ the Financial crisis of 2008, the implementation of conservative ‘austerity’ measures, ‘Brexit’, and last but not least ‘Trump’, I felt that my ‘blog’ could be used as a vehicle for me to highlight and discuss these issues. Essentially ‘not all politicians are the same’. There is a huge difference between, Obama/Trump and Nigel Farge/Jeremy Corbyn/ Theresa May.
On reflection, at this stage I view writing my blog as a positive experience, that has enabled me to develop my digital literacy, easing me into the digital world. However, it has been a ‘sharp learning curve’. Where I have felt lost and out of my depth. Only now do I feel able to write a reflective/personal post revealing a little of me, the person behind the blog. As to whether ‘blogging’ is for me, I will leave that for you to decide.
As always, I look forward to hearing your views and opinions, please click, like, share and tweet, Digital immigrant: @Andrea99061646.