Can I Have Your ATTENTION? How digital spaces influence human culture and growth

In today's society, digital spaces have become a necessity for navigating everyday life. Growing digital spaces such as social media have created new ways for how we engage and interact with each other as a society. For this reason alone, having some basic knowledge is crucial in this expanding digital age. Undoubtedly, learning how to navigate these digital spaces can build and improve your aptitude within the digital world. Here, we will dive into the five social media literacies that affect human engagement with the help of Rheingold's Attention, and other 21st-century social media literacies.

What are the Five Social Media Literacies?

The Five Social Media Literacies directly influence how humans interact within digital spaces, they are:

• Attention
• Participation
• Collaboration
• Network Awareness
• Critical Consumption

Attention is an essential component of social media literacy, it affects the way people think, the way people make tools and teach themselves to use them, and the way people change society(Rheingold, 2010). Don't you love it when you see things that might interest you on your feed? Apps like Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram all compete for your attention, and they've certainly changed how people start their day.

Participation refers to the social groups that form within a digital space(Rheingold, 2010). Think about the digital communities you're a part of! They can range from family chats, friend groups, or even clubs that share a common interest. Participation is a vital tool in growing your presence in a digital space.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and it definitely wasn't built alone. Collaboration happens when like-minded individuals come together to complete a shared goal. When is the last time you've gone to a parade or a play? Chances are you've engaged in activities that were operated and managed by dozens of people that made it all possible. 

Network Awareness relates to digital media that engage an audience of people. When you read a blog(like mine!) or watch a video of your favorite celebrity, you are influenced by that piece of media. When you practice network awareness, you become aware of these digital social spaces and how they influence one's success, motivation, and engagement(Rheingold, 2010).

Last but not least, Critical Consumption is imperative to your "survival" in the digital world. The web and its digital spaces are littered with fishy websites, dangerous malware, and questionable information. Critical consumption helps you weed out what articles and websites are helpful by researching the author and their background, such as their sources and previous articles(Rheingold, 2010).

So...How Does This Help?

Learning and practicing the five social media literacies can drastically change the way you approach the digital world. These tools will ultimately help you safely navigate through the digital world while also allowing you to grow your presence within it. Digital spaces are an ever-changing place full of culture-shifting ideas and norms, a place of diversity and inclusion. As we reach the end of this post, what are some ways you can practice your social media literacy right now?

Works Cited:

Rheingold, H. (2010, October 7). Attention, and other 21st-century social media literacies. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2010/10/attention-and-other-21stcentury-social-media-literacies