Who do you think you are? Examining the off/online identities of adolescents using a social networking site

Abstract

The aim of this qualitative research study was to examine the construction, deconstruction and reconstruction of adolescent identities by exploring social practices within the digital landscape of a social networking site called Ning. More specifically, we ask: (a) how are adolescents’ identities shaped and performed, as they use a social networking platform to present themselves to the world, and (b) how do offline and online identities correspond and differ in the context of their out-of-school and schooled lives? We share the findings of this study that examines how twenty-three 12 and 13 year old students constructed and presented their identities to their classmates and teacher and how these identities compared to and contrasted with their offline classroom identities, focusing on an in-depth analysis of two students who participated in social practices in ways that both reflect and challenge their online and offline identities.