Digital Communities

          Digital communities “might not be local, but they feel local.” It is our understanding that with local communities, people live in the same geographical area, communicate about local issues and communicate with very little effort.  In a digital community, all of these traits in a community can occur however, communication happens with anyone that is local and around the world through an electronic device. People can have their own identity or a virtual one in this community.

Groups are not the typical group that would be created by having a personal conversation together. Having the “same interests in a YouTube channel or an engagement in a blog-based educational course form these groups.”

            The members from the digital gatherings “ feel they belong to a real community, and in ways have meaning and emotional significance.”

Digital gatherings happen with text messages, voice, chat rooms. We communicate by “going online to hang out and visit.” People post about their day, events that have happened in their life or important news items.

            It is easy to live through someone else’s life, when involved with their community online. I have seen students who browse the Internet to learn about the news, political events or check to see what their friend did the night before.

Facebook is a digital community. It is a place where people can read about their community online through reports, status and news feed. It is a place that we upload and create from our personal events. It is also a place where we can have a virtual identity, a double life and leave a digital footprint.

This last week, while browsing on Facebook, I read a news alert about my hometown. I went onto Facebook and read about everyone else’s thoughts on the situation. I was able to comment on the newsfeed and in seconds talk to someone that was in the town.  I then went to the news article online and read other comments on the situation.

This community feels local when blogging with others on the same topic and view. It can also feel local when talking with friends and family members who live in a different state or country. There is no personal connection, we can keep in contact with friends and family through writing online or sending a text message. We can learn and talk about events that happened in their life on a daily basis.

Digital Communities are an easy way to communicate, have a virtual identity, explore globally and stay in contact with friends and family. However, there is a concern about safety. As Educators our goal is to teach students how to “balance safety, common sense and opportunity within a digital community.” 

Further study on this issue will help create a safety user guide for parents and students when joining a digital community.