Online Personas: Who We Become When We Learn with Others Online
Keywords:
personal learning network, connectors, mavens, salesmen, digital identityAbstract
At the beginning of the millennium, Gladwell (2000) introduced the people who “do” the work within networks. These were dubbed connectors, mavens and salesmen. A decade on, Ochman (2013) intriguingly suggested that there were 181,000 social media gurus, ninjas, masters and mavens on Twitter. But who are these unexplained characters or personas? Have connectors, mavens and salesmen translated into contemporary social media and personal learning networks? This paper is therefore about the “who” rather than the “what” and “how” that are typically the focus of investigations into personal learning networks and social media interactions. This paper will contend that connectors, mavens and salesmen are still identifiable and active in network interactions, with the definition of the maven being concatenated into the role of mentor. The findings from an online survey also revealed another set of other discrete personas with characteristics created and affirmed by interactions with others. Interestingly, individuals can adopt different personas dependent on context. Thus “who” we are depends on “where” we are and “who” is with us.
References
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). The basics of qualitative research (3rd ed.) Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Costa, C., & Torres, R. (2011, April). To be or not to be, the importance of digital identity in the networked society. Revista Educação, Formação & Tecnologias, n.º extra, 47‐53. Retrieved from http://eft.educom.pt/index.php/eft/article/view/216/126
Cover, R. (2012). Performing and undoing identity online: Social networking, identity theories and the incompatibility of online profiles and friendship regimes. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 18(2) 177-193. doi: 10.1177/1354856511433684
Dabbagh, N., & Kitsantas, A. (2012). Personal Learning Environments, social media, and self-regulated learning: A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning. Internet and Higher Education, 15, 3–8.
Dillman, D. A. (2007). Mail and internet surveys: The tailored design method. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Edelmann, N. (2013). Reviewing the definitions of “lurkers” and some implications for online research. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 16(9), 645-649.
Gee, J. P. (2000). Identity as an analytic lens for research in education. Review of Research in Education, 25, 99–125.
Giraldi, N. A. (2016). The strength of weak social ties: Social activism and Facebook. Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations (Paper 3). Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=sociology_criminaljustice_etds
Gladwell, M. (2000). The tipping point: How little things can make a big difference (1st ed.). Boston, MA: Little, Brown.
Gmidene, A., & Gharbi, J-E. (2015). The process of identity building in Second Life. Journal of Internet Social Networking & Virtual Communities, 2015, Article ID 828614. doi: 10.5171/2015.828614
Henderson, M. (2015). Using social media: Assumptions, challenges and risks. In M. Henderson & G. Romeo (Eds.), Teaching and digital technologies: Big issues and critical questions (pp. 115-126). Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.
Illich, I. D. (1971). Deschooling society. London: Calder and Boyars.
Johnston, J. (2012). Using identity as a tool for investigation: A methodological option in the researcher’s toolbox. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 5(5), 1-9.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
McCabe, K. A. (2003). A cognitive theory of reciprocal exchange. In E. Ostrom & J. Walker (Eds.), Trust and reciprocity: Interdisciplinary lessons for experimental research (pp. 147-169). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Murphy, J., Hill, C. A., & Dean, E. (2014). Social media, sociality and survey research. In C. A. Hill, E. Dean, & J. Murphy (Eds.), Social media, sociality and survey research (pp. 1-33). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Ochman, B. L. (2013, January 7). There are 181,000 social media gurus, ninjas, masters and mavens on Twitter. Advertising Age. Retrieved from http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/181-000-social-media-gurus-ninjas-masters-mavens-twitter/239026
Pelaprat, E., & Brown, B. (2012). Reciprocity: Understanding online social relations. Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3324/3330
Secret teacher: I refuse to be a Kardashian with a PGCE. (2016, January 30). The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/jan/30/secret-teacher-refuse-kardashian-with-a-pgce-social-media-toxic
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Skyring, C. (2014). Learning in 140 characters: Microblogging for professional learning. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Retrieved from http://eprints.qut.edu.au/65854
Terry, D., & Hogg, M.A. (2012). Social identity processes in organizational contexts. New York: Taylor & Francis.
Welser, H. T., Gleave, E., Fisher, D., & Smith, M. (2007). Visualizing the signatures of social roles in online discussion groups. Journal of Social Structure, 8(2), 1-32.
White, N. (2001). Community member roles and types. Retrieved from http://www.fullcirc.com/community/memberroles.htm
Costa, C., & Torres, R. (2011, April). To be or not to be, the importance of digital identity in the networked society. Revista Educação, Formação & Tecnologias, n.º extra, 47‐53. Retrieved from http://eft.educom.pt/index.php/eft/article/view/216/126
Cover, R. (2012). Performing and undoing identity online: Social networking, identity theories and the incompatibility of online profiles and friendship regimes. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 18(2) 177-193. doi: 10.1177/1354856511433684
Dabbagh, N., & Kitsantas, A. (2012). Personal Learning Environments, social media, and self-regulated learning: A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning. Internet and Higher Education, 15, 3–8.
Dillman, D. A. (2007). Mail and internet surveys: The tailored design method. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Edelmann, N. (2013). Reviewing the definitions of “lurkers” and some implications for online research. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 16(9), 645-649.
Gee, J. P. (2000). Identity as an analytic lens for research in education. Review of Research in Education, 25, 99–125.
Giraldi, N. A. (2016). The strength of weak social ties: Social activism and Facebook. Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations (Paper 3). Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=sociology_criminaljustice_etds
Gladwell, M. (2000). The tipping point: How little things can make a big difference (1st ed.). Boston, MA: Little, Brown.
Gmidene, A., & Gharbi, J-E. (2015). The process of identity building in Second Life. Journal of Internet Social Networking & Virtual Communities, 2015, Article ID 828614. doi: 10.5171/2015.828614
Henderson, M. (2015). Using social media: Assumptions, challenges and risks. In M. Henderson & G. Romeo (Eds.), Teaching and digital technologies: Big issues and critical questions (pp. 115-126). Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.
Illich, I. D. (1971). Deschooling society. London: Calder and Boyars.
Johnston, J. (2012). Using identity as a tool for investigation: A methodological option in the researcher’s toolbox. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 5(5), 1-9.
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
McCabe, K. A. (2003). A cognitive theory of reciprocal exchange. In E. Ostrom & J. Walker (Eds.), Trust and reciprocity: Interdisciplinary lessons for experimental research (pp. 147-169). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Murphy, J., Hill, C. A., & Dean, E. (2014). Social media, sociality and survey research. In C. A. Hill, E. Dean, & J. Murphy (Eds.), Social media, sociality and survey research (pp. 1-33). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Ochman, B. L. (2013, January 7). There are 181,000 social media gurus, ninjas, masters and mavens on Twitter. Advertising Age. Retrieved from http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/181-000-social-media-gurus-ninjas-masters-mavens-twitter/239026
Pelaprat, E., & Brown, B. (2012). Reciprocity: Understanding online social relations. Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3324/3330
Secret teacher: I refuse to be a Kardashian with a PGCE. (2016, January 30). The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/jan/30/secret-teacher-refuse-kardashian-with-a-pgce-social-media-toxic
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
Skyring, C. (2014). Learning in 140 characters: Microblogging for professional learning. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Retrieved from http://eprints.qut.edu.au/65854
Terry, D., & Hogg, M.A. (2012). Social identity processes in organizational contexts. New York: Taylor & Francis.
Welser, H. T., Gleave, E., Fisher, D., & Smith, M. (2007). Visualizing the signatures of social roles in online discussion groups. Journal of Social Structure, 8(2), 1-32.
White, N. (2001). Community member roles and types. Retrieved from http://www.fullcirc.com/community/memberroles.htm
Downloads
Published
2017-12-19
Issue
Section
Articles
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
