Download - Digital media & the participation gap
Digital Media &
The Participation Gap
Jolene ZywicaCarnegie Mellon University
Problem = the participation gap
Solutionsparticipatory culturesmedia literacyconnected learning…and games?
Differences in Internet UseJune 2000 August 2011
18-29 61 94
30-49 57 87
50-64 41 74
65+ 12 41
Less than $30,000 28 62
$30,000-$49,000 50 83
$50,000-$74,999 67 90
$75,000+ 79 97
No HS diploma 16 43
HS grad 33 71
Some College 62 88
College+ 76 94
% of adults who use the internet
PEW, 2012 http://pewinternet.org/~/media/Files/Reports/2012 PIP_Digital_differences_041312.pdf
What’s the main reason you don’t use the internet or email?
Just not interested 31%Don’t have a computer 12%Too expensive 10%Too difficult 9%It’s a waste of time 7%Don’t have access 6%Don’t have time to learn 6%
The Problem - The Participation Gap
unequal access to the opportunities, experiences,
skills, and knowledge that will prepare youth for full participation in the world of tomorrow
–Henry Jenkins
Access vs. ExperienceLess about access to tools (ipads, phone, laptop)More about how those tools are used (to stream
music, chat, explore interests, create & share products)
Solutions
Participatory culturesMedia literacyConnected LearningGaming
Solution – Participatory Culture
Low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement
Strong support for creating and sharing
Informal mentorship
Belief that contributions matter
Social connection
What are examples of participatory cultures?
What are examples of participatory cultures?
World of
Warcraft
What are examples of participatory cultures?
Fanfiction.net
What are examples of participatory cultures?
The Digital Youth Network(DYN)
Participatory Cultures…
Low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement
Strong support for creating and sharing
Informal mentorship
Belief that contributions matter
Social connection
Participatory culture shifts the focus of literacy from one of individual expression to community
involvement.-Henry Jenkins
Solution – Media Literacy
What are media literacies?
A set of cultural competencies and social skills that young people need in the new media landscape
– Henry Jenkins
Media Literacy & Skills(According to Jenkins)
Play — the capacity to experiment with one’s surroundings as a form of problem-solvingPerformance — the ability to adopt alternative identities for the purpose of improvisation
and discoverySimulation — the ability to interpret and construct dynamic models of real-world
processesAppropriation — the ability to meaningfully sample and remix media contentMultitasking — the ability to scan one’s environment and shift focus as needed to salient
details.Distributed Cognition — the ability to interact meaningfully with tools that expand mental
capacitiesCollective Intelligence — the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with others
toward a common goalJudgment — the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of different information
sourcesTransmedia Navigation — the ability to follow the flow of stories and information across
multiple modalitiesNetworking — the ability to search for, synthesize, and disseminate informationNegotiation — the ability to travel across diverse communities, discerning
Example - DYN
New Media Citizens are…
Critical consumers of digital mediaConstructive producers of digital mediaSocial advocates for better futures
New Media Citizens communicate through 5 modes…
Example - DYN
Mode Description
Verbal Use of written and spoken text in digital media. This mode provides a bridge from traditional print literacy to the multiliteracies required by digital media.
Visual Graphics and images in digital media, including basic elements and principles of visual design.
Musical The use of music and sound in digital media.
Cinematic Motion in media, including film, animation, and video.
Procedural Interactive experiences in digital media and innovation in building and design of technologies, for example those used in video games, simulations, or virtual worlds.
New Media Citizens excel at…
Example - DYN
Task Role Artifact
Writing Writer, Editor Song lyrics, movie script, game instructions
Designing Artist, Programmer Newspaper, robot, product packaging
Performing Model, Singer Speech, music video, podcast
Building Engineer, Programmer Digital song, robot, webpage
Managing Producer, Project manager, Distributor
Magazine, CD, digital game
Media literacy is not an end state but a continuous process of inquiry, investigation and self-reflection
-Kurt Squire
Media literacy is an extension of traditional literacy.
How can we acquire/develop the necessary literacies through our experiences?
Solution - Connected Learning
http://vimeo.com/dmlresearchhub/connectedlearning
Digital technologies “bring people together who want to learn together”.
We need to move away from the current model of “how can we deliver content more effectively from a single source to many listeners”
Rather, how do we motivate kids to want to learn?
Through this shift, literacy becomes a group or collaborative experience.
Examples
DYN
Family Involvement
What does “connected learning” look like for kindergarten children?
Family involvementSharing and telling storiesLearning across contexts
Are schools ready to support families and family involvement?
Solution – Games?
Games
PlayingDesigningGame-like learning
Playing Games
What can we learn from playing games?problem-solving
collaborationOvercoming challenges (persistence)
Gaming literacies?“Gaming is the production of meaning within the semiotic
resources of the game” – Jim Gee
Playing Games
Two things are important: the design of the game and the experience with the game.
ChallengesPoor design - educational games lack research on
learningBoring & meaningless experiences - games
designed for learning aren’t fun There’s a lot of garbage to sort through
Designing Games
What can we learn from designing games?
Systems thinking (logics, debugging)Mechanics (rules & features that work)Iterative design – planning & executingStorytelling & audience
Game-like Learning
Badges Awards and recognition for accomplishing quests
Quest to Learn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMiNDyxmPk
Engagement http://www.nytimes.com/video/2008/11/21/magazine/1194833565213/immersion.html
How can we leverage the motivational features of games to design other learning environments?
Working Examples
Explore what people are doing and creatingConnect with researchers, educators, designers and
other studentsShare an idea for a game or learning environmentImpact the field of digital media and learning
http://www.workingexamples.org
Discussion Questions
Do you think technology can help close the participation gap or is it making it worse? Explain.
Why are participatory cultures important for literacy development? What do you think of Jenkin’s definition of media
literacy and skills that are important for media literacy?
Why are schools falling behind in such a connected world? How do you see formal education evolving in the next 20 years?
What can we learn from playing games? Provide examples from your own experiences.
Do games have a place in formal education? Explain.