EDUC 6809 Weekly Reading 3 Chap. 1

Chapter 1: Media Ecologies in Hanging Out, Messing Around and Geeking Out

1. What findings in the Media Ecologies: Quantitative Perspectives surprised you the most? How does the finding change the way you think about young people, technology and learning?  The most surprising quantitative perspective that I read:  According to Ito (2010) “ Yet while new media have increased in popularity, they have not, according to the Kaiser report, displaced other types of media, nor have they led to an increase in the overall amount of time teens spend with media.”(p. 32-33)  This really shocks me because if you listen to testimony from teachers and parents you often hear: “My kid no longer picks up a book or magazine”, “My students never want to participate in recess”, “My kids spend all their time on the internet”.  I suppose that I will keep this data handy!  Also this statement surprises me as well:  “Rather those who engaged in high amounts of media reported spending more time on average with family, hobbies, and physical activity (Rideout, Roberts, and Foehr 2005).   So, is this suggesting that participating in new media activities doesn’t lead to isolation and poor socialization skills?

2. What are the benefits to a genre-based approach to understanding youth engagement with digital media over a categorical-based approach? The genre based approach views social and cultural categories as overlapping with media engagement and emphasizes modes of participation, not categories of individuals.  I believe that if we truly want to understand “youth engagement with digital media” then we have to look at how digital media is used in specific contexts and situations, and allowing for the possibilities of change in relation to using “new” forms of media.  I view the categorical approach as, distinctly choosing a boundary, and trying to match users of digital media to specific categories.  The categorical-based approach doesn’t seem to lend itself to gathering information and viewing the total picture.

3. What aspects of Michelle's (Box 1.2) computer use at home have implications for computer use at school?  Michelle’s computer use at home is heavily monitored, and is limited to specific uses. But, it seems as if Michelle has learned how to use digital media and help her mother too.  So, possibly in school, it can be very frustrating for Michelle if she is expected to follow a strict teacher driven assignment.  I believe that Michelle needs choice and to use her modes of learning in completing projects. 

4. As you read about Clarissa (Box 1.3) consider the affordances of digital technologies that help Clarissa shape her identity and the role they play in literacy engagement. Do you think there are positive implications for these affordances in school-based literacy instruction? If so, what are they. If not, what are your concerns? Yes, I feel that such affordances of digital technologies can play a valuable role in school-based literacy instruction. How often do we allow students to make new friends outside of their school network, to be creative, play and be respected for their individual talents.  I’ve often said, “ I wish that we would stop looking at standardized test scores, and grades to categorize our students.  For example, maybe a student doesn’t score the highest in the class on a test, but could be one of the best decorators/designers.  We don’t give students enough opportunities to express these talents. 

5. In the section titled Messing Around we read about the sophisticated and creative technology practices young people are developing on their own outside of school. Do you think it is important for teachers to know about and understand these practices? Why? I find the connection between making predictions in text, and looking around online fascinating.  This is a new concept for me to think about.  Messing around can actually lead students to garnering a great deal of information without setting a specific goal.  Skimming, scanning, and synthesizing  information leads to students taking ownership of learning and not necessarily having prior knowledge of a topic.  Experimenting and play allows students to become real experts with new media and teach others.  I feel that it is extremely important to understand the skills and knowledge students bring into the classroom.  If we don’t understand  how students are already using digital media, how can we effectively make assignments to enhance these skills? I think educators, like parents are quick to make judgements when it comes to students/kids “messing around” and regarding it as a time waster and not staying on task.   But, in defense of educators and parents, we need educated and provided with the data and strategies to make us feel comfortable. 

6. Should schools support students' in "geeking out"? What are the educational and ethical implications of "geeking out"? The educational implications seem to be correlated to differentiated  instruction.  Interest-driven projects motivate students, and allows the connection of experts on a particular topic.  The ethical implications causes me to pause for thought.  I would not feel comfortable in a school setting allowing students to freely voice the need to look for illegal ways of meeting digital media wants/needs during the school day.

7. The young people studied for this book lived in urban settings in California or New York City. Do you think young people in West Virginia behave in similar ways and develop the same kinds of digital literacies? Provide examples from your own experiences with young people in West Virginia.   First, I will make comparisons of my own son, now 17 yrs. old,  then show how 5^th grade students of WV are very much like the youth in urban settings.    My son fits hanging out, messing around and geeking out in some ways.  We live in a rural area without neighbors his age.  His form of hanging out is through texting and tweeting.  The landline is not used to make arrangements for golf outings, movies, dinner, or just hanging out.  Of course, before he received his license, it was just texting for a feeling of proximity.  Because of our rural setting, we must use satellite service for our internet(no high speed here, don’t get me started J)  so, he couldn’t connect for online xbox gaming, but he could look up “cheats” on the internet for games, and post scores in comparison to others.  He eventually wanted the connection of competition online, so my husband taught him to play chess.  He played numerous chess board games with my husband, read several books and watched online video instructions.  He quickly established an online identity in the chess world, and welcomed the interest driven games.  Even without a high speed connection, he could play online chess and feel part of a social community.   As for 5^th grade students, either they have digital media access from home, visit the local library, go to a friend’s house, or get as much as possible from school.  Some students will open up and talk about the games, etc… they participate in online, and others feel as if they can’t make the connection with an adult.  Therefore, I do feel as if the youth of WV are experiencing “digital media” in very similar situations as youth across America.