Using New Literacy Studies to Understand Participation in Online

Social Networking Systems

Royce Kimmons

Part 1Literacy and Technology

What is Literacy?

Literacy as: Social participation

(Cazden et al., 1996) “Way of Being” vs. “Way

of Doing” (Gee, 2009) Developing community

membership by copying, adapting, and synthesizing (Ivanic, 1998)

Literacy and Identity

There is no "essential 'real' self", but only selves moderated and framed by unique historical situations and boundaries; “identity without identification” (Gee, 2009).

"People's diverse identities constitute the richness and the dilemmas of their sense of self" (Ivanic, 1998).

Power & Control

Learning = "creating the learning conditions for full social participation" (Cazden et al., 1996) vs. assimilation / enculturation

Language, Technology, & Culture

Co-evolutionary artifacts in social anthropology (Pfaffenberger, 1992)

How do technology and language shape culture? Vice-versa? Identity?

Neutral Media?

“The medium is the message” (McLuhan, 1964)

Literacy Questions for any Medium

1. What does participation in the medium look like?

2. What embedded values does the medium have, and how do these influence social structures?

3. Are there different levels or types of meaningful participation in the medium?

4. How does one become a full or meaningful participant in the medium?

5. How does participation in the medium influence culture and identity?

6. What prevents or complicates participation in the medium?

Part 2Facebook from a Literacy Perspective

What does participation in Facebook look like?

Connect with or “friend” others Sharing thoughts, updates, pictures, etc. with

others Communicate with different communities,

ranging from individuals (message), groups of strangers (groups), friends or sub-groups of friends, networks, public, etc., depending upon the intention

Connections vary from professional to personal May sustain relationships or seek new ones

What embedded values does Facebook have, and how do these influence social structures?

“Friend,” really? Everyone? Sharing of personal information; sharing too

much? Too often? Ad revenues → privacy concerns; sharing

information with unintended sources Digital footprint that is persistent Personal … but not personal enough; is this

really friendship?

Are there different levels or types of meaningful participation in Facebook?

Depends upon who you connect with and why; friends, family, colleagues, etc.

Merely maintaining contact vs. active socialization vs. meeting new people vs. stalking

How does one become a full or meaningful participant in Facebook?

Reach out, find, connect, communicate Sustain relationships Share a lot, share many types of media, share

with many, share often Be interesting, concise, witty, unpredictable,

and/or controversial Check often and reply quickly

How does participation in Facebook influence culture and identity?

Social grooming (Tufekci, 2008) Makes a variety of activities social (e.g.

commerce, play, advocacy); “likes” Collapses identity (multiple spheres or

networks into one) Ties me to my activities, declarations (e.g.,

politics, religion, partying, school/work history), etc.

Homophily (Thelwall, 2009)

What prevents or complicates participation in Facebook?

Tech competency and access? Not really. Boundaries Multiple groups of “friends” connected through

the individual; multiple audiences Unclear privacy (boyd, 2008); “not as safe as

you think” Single or multiple identities? Controversial topics and hostility Time and addiction

Food for Thought

What implications arise from the mandated use or prohibition of Facebook? Identity?

Does Facebook transform our identities from multiple to single?

Does social presence (or lack thereof) impact real life and relationships?

Can our identities evolve as necessary with the world watching (and taking notes)?

Part 3Twitter from a Literacy Perspective

Explore Twitter Break into groups and peruse the

following Twitter pages:

1. http://twitter.com/davecormier and http://twitter.com/andylevy

2. http://twitter.com/opencontent and http://twitter.com/ConanOBrien

3. http://twitter.com/henryjenkins and http://twitter.com/rainnwilson

4. http://twitter.com/veletsianos and http://twitter.com/justinbieber

5. http://twitter.com/gsiemens and http://twitter.com/chrisbrown

6. http://twitter.com/ewellburn and http://twitter.com/Oprah

Twitter Literacy

Answer one of the questions here: http://bit.ly/qMytCg Add food for thought or persistent questions

Part 4Some Final Reflections for Educators

Regarding Literacy

If technology choices introduce issues of power and identity into the classroom, then what challenges does this pose for educators in choosing how and when to use technology?

What is the difference between technical competency and technology literacy? Which is more important? Which is more difficult to teach/learn?

Regarding Facebook

How should we approach the issue of “friending” students, colleagues, and others? Are we transforming their experience/identity? Are we prepared for the consequences in our own

experience/identity? What do we (and our students) want out of

Facebook and what are the implications of relationships, communications, and what we share (or don't share) on our outcomes?

What are the dangers of the persistent and (potentially) public nature of all electronic communication?

Thanks!