Mapping Digital Spaces

What Is A Digital Space Map?

A digital space map is a way to organize different digital applications and websites.  Digital Maps are broken up into four different overlapping sections that provide a "map" of how you spend your time in digital spaces.

1. Resident: You are a resident in a digital space if you provide input into that application.  For example, if you are a resident of Facebook that means you have your own profile and spend time commenting on other peoples profiles.
2. Visitor: You are a visitor in a digital space if you often visit the application or website, but you don't provide input into that space. For example, if you are a visitor of Realtor.com you visit the site, but do not comment or post on the website.
3. Personal:  A personal digital space is an application or website that you use for personal reasons. 
4. Professional: A professional digital space is an application or website that you use for professional reasons.

What Does My Digital Space Map Say About Me?

Photo Source: All images are taken from google search

1. Resident: Facebook Messanger, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Blogger, Twitter and Spotify.  These are all of the applications that I frequent and have input, comments, or creative expression in.
2. Visitor: Facebook, Realtor.com, Indeed, Mail, and Youtube.  I am a visitor here because I use the applications more to search, browse, or stay "connected" with others.  For Mail I sometimes visit and sometimes reside depending on the email associated.
3. Personal: Realtor.com, Facebook, Virtual Wallet, Spotify, Facebook Messanger, Snapchat and Instagram.  These are my personal applications.
4. Professional: Indeed.com, Mail, Youtube, Twitter, Blogger, and Pinterest.  These are the applications that I use for professional use.
5. OVERLAP:  I use many applications for different things depending on the reason behind opening the application.

When learning about digital space maps, I did not think that it would provide a glimpse into my life, but it really did.  I placed Google in the center my map.  I use google for everything!  I use it to search for things in my personal life, create  Google Slide presentations for classes, and I also use it to edit behavior plans in Google Docs.  I think that Google would be at the middle of a lot of peoples digital space maps, and I think that it was created to be that center stone of digital use.  Majority of the applications and websites that are on my phone I am a personal resident of, however I do not use those applications on my laptop.  This is because I use my phone for personal applications and my laptop for professional applications.  My map also shows me that I am still growing my professional application "toolkit."  It has grown by two since starting my Educational Technology class and I am sure it will be bigger by the end of the class in June.  I put Pinterest on the professional and personal resident line because I used Pinterest ALL of the time in planning recreation groups and have noticed that my Pinterest continues to grow with lesson plan ideas.  I am sure that when I finish school and have my own classroom my professional resident section of the map will grow.   

Help!  I Need To Add to My Professional Digital Toolkit!

• What applications should I become a professional resident of?
• What applications should I become a professional visitor of?
• Are there any professional applications that have worked for your classroom? Your school?
• Are there any professional applications that have NOT worked for your classroom?  Your school?