Weekly Reading #7

Summary of Fanfiction Writing and the Construction of Space

This article is about FanFiction.net, which is a website where people post writings that involve characters from their favorite texts. In this study, ELLs’ were observed in their posts and interaction with peers and their feedback to determine if there is any benefit to learning English through this website for the participants of the study. The researchers analyzed the effects of collaboration and interaction with peers on the Fanfiction site and their results on the ELLs’ skills in literacy.

“Classrooms themselves are designed learning spaces, comprised of unique configurations of teachers, students, institutions, interactions, activities, tools, and technologies that change from day to day and year to year. Language and literacy researchers have used spatial lenses to conceptualize effective classroom design, in which the teacher is responsible for organizing the context for learning and interaction, much like website designers are” (Black, 2007).

I chose this quote because it discusses the ever-changing and fast-paced technological advancement of our society. Teachers have to adapt to the changes in our society and economy in order to prepare students for success in the world as they collaborate and research within their specific fields. This article I never thought that using Wikipedia would be a good digital literacy practice, as well as websites such as Fanfiction that requires students to research and collaborate to produce texts. This is the type of research done in real-world situations. I often find that in school, I have to have several people in my field to collaborate with to fulfill my full potential in a subject. I feel this is the best way to brainstorm and think critically.

“Moreover, knowledge is made accessible to all learners via distinct portals, such as connections between students’ linguistic and cultural knowledge and classroom literacy practices, small group lessons in which more advanced students can scaffold participation, a variety of strategically employed pedagogical and discourse practices, use of a wide range of texts, and explicit instruction by ‘experts’ such as the teacher” (Black, 2007).

I chose this quote because it shows the importance of a diversified groups for collaborating. Different cultures, values, and literacies are what creates ideas and knowledge. If everyone thought the same way, there would be no new inventions or discoveries. This is why collaboration on projects and research is essential for expanding and growing one’s concepts and ideas. Group work mimics real-world collaboration where a problem is presented and students have to use various resources to find the answer, including each other’s knowledge and background. 

Summary of Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out

This article is about findings on why youth find practices, such as texting, wasting time online, or playing video games, compelling and important. In their efforts to seek autonomy and identity, it’s these activities that provide avenues for extending social worlds, self-directed learning, and independence. Moreover, this articles discusses educational changes that must be made in order to adapt to these digital practices, such as how adults should facilitate young people’s engagement with digital media. This article is a synthesis of the findings across 22 different case studies. 

“Media literacy involves not only ways of understanding, interpreting, and critiquing media, but also the means for creative and social expression, online search and navigation, and a host of new technical skills” (Ito, et al., 2010).

I chose this quote because during our studies in this class, we have focused on the first part of this definition of media literacy; however, the second part is the meat of new media literacy skills. It’s what draws students’ participation as well as engages their innate questioning that enables learning and research. This practice needs to be incorporated in lessons instituted by educators, such as the use of blogs for collaboration and peer feedback. 

“Girls tend to be stigmatized more if they identify with geeked out practices. While we may recognize that geeked out participation has valuable learning properties, if these activities translate to downward social mobility in friendship-driven networks of status and popularity, many kids are likely to opt out even if they have the technical and social resources at their disposal” (Ito, et al., 2010).

I chose this quote because I can familiarize with this issue found on social networks and in physical social groups. I am one of the few girls in a pre-determined masculine field of mathematics. In high school, the “cool” kids happened to be the smart students; however, when I got to college and shift-work, this was not the case. I would be looked down upon because of my intelligence and my area of study whether they knew I was successful at it or not. I was lucky in high school to gain a strong identity in my intelligence that when I hit college and a part-time job, that it didn’t affect me. However, I have seen many girls “dumb-down” in their quest for social acceptance, especially being a high school math teacher, as well as a friend to some of these girls. This is why we need strong role models in these stigmatized fields of study.

Black, R. W. (2007, November 4). Fanfiction Writing and the Construction of Space. E-Learning, 4, 384-397. doi:10.2304/384

Ito, M., Baumer, S., Bittani, M., boyd, d., Cody, R., Herr-Stephenson, B., . . . Tripp, L. (2010). Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out. Retrieved July 1, 2013, from http://mitpress.mit.edu/sites/default/files/titles/free_download/9780262013369%20_Hanging_Out.pdf