BLOG POST 4
The use of social media offers an opportunity to change organisational knowledge sharing around the workplace/classroom via an occasional, structured organizational learning mechanism to a continuous online conversation with strangers and friends, unexpected interactions and a growing, dynamic sense of self-development. Explained by Jones and Hafner, Authors of the book ‘Understanding digital literacies: a practical introduction’, users of
“different technologies have affordances and constraints in terms of what kind of people that we can be – that is the kinds of social identities that we can adopt – when we are using them” (Jones and Hafner, 2012)
Helping us grasp the understanding that some self-expressed identities can be curated and selective and some are more authentic.
The social media platform that I use most to present a sense of my-self is Instagram. Instagram is a social media platform that provides a wide variety of multimodal capabilities that users can use when posting, such as image, video and text. With all the available functions throughout Instagram ranging from, stories and posts of myself, my friends and my family, to commenting, liking and saving pictures that just look pretty, I find that Instagram can successfully capture and portray ✨me✨. I would say my Instagram is authentic and true to who I am as a person, while also apprehending my actions and interest as I journey through the life-long process of personal growth and development.
Regarding Instagram’s multimodality, users – such as myself – can use both imagery and commentary/text while interacting with the platform. Expressed by Jones and Hafner,
“If the textual and visual information is in concurrence that means that the essential messages are the same and reinforce each other.”(Jones and Hafner, 2012),
Demonstrating how by using both textual and visual principles, a story is created which enhances the originality and uniqueness of your OWN, personal blog.
Instagram can express one’s self without intimidation or ridicule, not so much like Facebook. Facebook still has the power to show part of your profile to anyone who may be searching, even if you’re not directly friends. Reinforcing the fact that privacy isn’t a big team player when it comes to Facebook.
Contrastingly, Instagram can be completely intimate and private if it’s instructed to be, with just as little as a profile picture showing, your account is completely personal for you and whoever you would like.
I personally don’t have a private account, as I enjoy displaying my rollercoaster ride through life to people who happens to stumble across my page – and if it’s a really big problem, I know where the block button is (lol). In saying that, I don’t think I have an intended audience apart from my friends and family, although the ratio of my friends/family followers is greatly overtaken by just everyday people.
Having a public account comes with the advantage of insights and follower information concerning my account. The people that would find my social media platform readily accessible are majority Australian users, although internationally, Americans have interacted with my social media presence aswell.
Instagram indeed enhances
“the production and distribution of images as a central to shaping both internal identity and external image” (McNely, 2012)
Creating your own story that is specifically tailored to you, which is very important when expressing your authentic sense of self.
Jones, R. and Hafner, C., 2012. Understanding Digital Literacies. [online] Google Books. Available at: <https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=SfsCEzxDF8wC&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=Jones,+R.+H.+and+Hafner,+C.+A.+(2012)+Understanding+digital+literacies:+a+practical+introduction.+London:+Routledge.&ots=OSd35j9j1H&sig=gMLjBAbTboKPXg37Se0JSlQWe3w#v=onepage&q=affordance&f=false> [Accessed 2 September 2020].
McNely, B., 2012. [online] Williamwolff.org. Available at: <http://williamwolff.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/McNely-IEEE-PCS-2012-1.pdf> [Accessed 2 September 2020].
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