Hi to everyone in the New Media Literacy RING. I’m looking forward very much to working with you all.
I have posted some basic resources below which might help you to explore some of the current issues in New Media Literacy, and help you work out how you can all factor your interest in, and clear competence with, new media, to precipitate positive social change.
I’ll keep posting more general material over the next few weeks, but as you narrow your avenues of research down, just let me know, and I can start to help you find more specific research materials.
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Basic Background Research Sources
Henry Jenkins et al.,
Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century
This white paper will introduce you to some of the basic concepts of participatory culture, and to the inequities in access to full participation in that culture. It should provide excellent background research for the whole group. You’ll also find a short, introductory video, The New Media Literacies, on the main site for the project, which is also worth your exploration.
Mizuko Ito et al., “Media Ecologies” from Hanging Out, Messing Around, Geeking Out
If you are interested in working on social change action in the field of new media literacy with school students, you should find this chapter very informative. As the high school students for the research were interviewed a couple of years ago, and thus may be fairly close in age and experience of information and communication technologies to you, you may also be able to use this chapter to classify and theorize about your own media literacies.
The book which this chapter introduces includes sections on family and friendship, gaming and creative production (that chapter might be a useful supplement to your work in NCLC 103, also). These chapters, and others in the book, all might be useful for particular research themes. Also, you can see from the introductory research sections, which I mentioned in seminar last week, how thoroughly the researchers conducted their work.
The GoodPlay Project
The GoodPlay Project focuses on the ethical issues that face young people online, and which their own behaviors and the kinds of technologies they use raise. You’ll find a list of thought-provoking articles and reports here. The inter-generational discussions in the Meeting of the Minds report might be very useful to you, as will some of the reports listed further down the screen.
You might also want to look at two books (both of which are entertaining, quick reads) which reassess the applications to learning and literacy of new media technologies, especially all those technologies often dismissed as a “waste of time,” such as games:
James Paul Gee
What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy
Steven Johnson
Everything Bad is Good for You
Networks
If you are interested in exploring networks, and issues of peer-production, social media, grassroots activism via networks, etc. you might want to read Yochai Benkler’s book, The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom. Chapters 1, 3 (especially as you are working as a collaborative group) and 4 might be good places to start.
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Journals
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing
Have a look at this journal, which you can access via the Library’s e-journal finder, as it examines what we might achieve via the everyday computing and convergence devices that we carry with us – ‘phones, netbooks, etc. Quite a lot of the research here is qualitative, often with small groups of participants, which might give you some pointers for your own project
People
Elizabeth Egan, Executive Director, Main Street Child Development Center; 703-273-1192
Ms. Egan has worked with families in this area for many years, and may be able to talk to you about needs in the immediate community & individuals with social capital that you may be able to release, etc.
(You may also want to think about bilingual sharing, in Spanish and English?)
Khaseem Davis, Early Identification Scheme, George Mason University: 703-993-3120
Khaseem Davis has worked with students and their families in our area for many years, and may be able to help you with needs assessment, and linking you to others active in the community.
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Programs
Computer Learning Centers Partnership, Fairfax County: 703-324-5171
Computer Learning Center Manager: Robert O’Quinn (703-324-5588)
Computer Clubhouse project:
Alvaro Luna, Director of the Mott Computer Clubhouse at Mott Community Center. He can be reached at 703-278-8605, TTY 711 or by email at alvaro.luna@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Additional Computer Clubhouses
Bailey’s Computer Clubhouse, located in the Bailey’s Community Center, 5920 Summers Lane, Falls Church, VA
703-933-7512, TTY 711
Gum Springs Computer Clubhouse, located in the Gum Springs Community Center, 8100 Fordson Road, Alexandria, VA
703-360-3014, TTY 711
James Lee Computer Clubhouse, located in the James Lee Community Center, 2855-A Annandale Road, Falls Church, VA
703-534-3387, ext. 209, TTY 711
Reston Computer Clubhouse, located in the Reston Teen Centr, 12196 Sunset Hills Drive, Reston, VA
703-326-7040, TTY 711
Willston Multicultural Computer Clubhouse, located in the Willston Multicultural Center, 6131 Willston Drive (rear entrance), Falls Church, VA
703-536-2753, TTY 711
For Adult Computer Learning Labs: 703-324-5544
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Libraries:
You’ve probably already done this, but do talk to librarians at Fairfax libraries, as they also have a strong sense of community resources and community needs.