Digital identity formation: socially being real and present on digital networks

Aras Bozkurt, Chih Hsiung Tu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

Social networks have become popular communication and interaction environments recently. As digital environments, so as ecosystems, they have potential in terms of networked learning as they fulfill some roles such as mediating an environment for digital identity formation and providing social and emotional presence. Based on this phenomenon, the importance of identity formation as a sociological and psychological process was explained throughout this study. Following that, social networks as digital social ecosystems and learning environments in which self-actualization, self-presentation, and self-disclosure of the individuals were discussed and their necessity as well as their potential for social and emotional presence was explained to better understand social networks. Besides, social networks and “Facebook” as a case were examined. Within this perspective, the purpose of this study was to explore online social networks with an emphasis on learning; to put forward its educational premises; and to analyze digital identity formation, social presence, and emotional presence in social networks.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)153-167
Number of pages15
JournalEducational Media International
Volume53
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2 2016

Keywords

  • Social networks
  • community of inquiry
  • emotional presence
  • identity formation
  • lifelong learning
  • social presence

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education
  • Communication

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