Session Information
06 SES 03, Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Open Learning
Paper Session
Contribution
Research questions , objectives and theoretical framework: This research is on the experiences, voices and views of young people and experts on the use of the new literacies in schools/education, leisure, civil action and innovation at work.
Emphasis will be on the use of Web 2.0, where interactive communication is in focus, for example blogs and Facebook, rather than on one sided publication or information seeking or Web 1.0. (see Bryan Alexander, 2008; Cormode and Krishnamurthy, 2008).
The aims of the research are:
1) to investigate the use of the ”new literacies” among Icelandic school and University students and entrepreneurs in innovation centers, and teachers and their attitudes towards that use.
2) to analyse to what extent the new literacies can be considered a cultural capital in Bourdieu´s sense of the word.
3) to analyse the boundaries that are imposed in each sector on what use and knowledge construction is formally accepted at different sites?
Theoretically one aim is to analyse to what extent the new literacies can be considered cultural/social capital in Bourdieus sense. The relevance of Bourdieus theory to new literacy studies is discussed by Collins (2000), Seiter (2008) who place the new literacies closer to reading as a variable of cultural capital, than the classical arts. Bourdieus concept of social capital is also of relevance here, defined as the sum of the resources, actual or virtual, that accrue to an individual or a group by virtue of possessing durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition (Bourdieu and Wacquant, 1992, p.119). Young people use digital communications instant messaging, cell phone texting, and social networking websites- to maintain their social capital. Facebook was developed by young students at Harvard but is now used all over the world by increasing number of people, and Icelanders are very active participants. Social capital is crucial in the convertibility of cultural capital into employment and for youth with digital skills, the school to work transition is as much about connections as it is about talent or ability. Therefore it is interesting to use Bourdieus theory and an inquiry will be made into the social-capital side of the new literacies.
The basic research questions for this paper are:
1. How do the participants experience the new literacies ( facebook, blos, texting and other interactive web 2.0 media) in education, leisure and innovation?
2. Is there evidence for concidering the use of the new literacies as cultural/social capital for the participants?
3. How is the discourse on the relationship between the new literacies and the economic recession, in terms of transparent communication, networking, knowledge construction, education and democratic participation?
The author has been collaborating with an Italian scolar on the former parts of this literacy project (see Guðný Guðbjörnsdóttir and Sergio Morra, Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 1997,1998, SM and GG, 2009), and is very interested in getting into contact with more European scholars on these issues for comparison and cooperation.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Bourdieu, P. and Wacquant, L. (1992). An Invitation to Reflexive Sociology. Chicago: university of Chicago Press. Bryan, Alexander (2006). Web 2.0. A New Wave of Innovation for Teaching and Learning? Educause Review, 41, 2, 32-44. Coiro, J., M. Knobel, C. Lankshear, D. J. Leu. (2008). Handbook on Research on New Literaces. New York og London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Collins, J (2008). Bernstein, Bourdieu and the New Literacy Studies. Linguistics and Education, 11, 1, 65-78. Cormode, G. and Krishnamurthy, B. (2008). Key Differences between Web1.0 and Web 2.0. First Monday, 13, 6 - 2 June 2008. Drotner, K. (2008). Leisure is hard work. Digital Practices and Future Competencies. In Buckingham, D. (Ed). (2008). Youth, Identity and Digital Media, pp.167-184. Guðný Guðbjörnsdóttir and Sergio Morra. (1998). Cultural Literacy: social and developmental aspects of experience and knowledge of Icelandic culture. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 42, 1, 65-79. McPherson, T. (Ed.).(2008). Digital Youth, Innovation, and the unexpected. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press. Morra, S. and Guðbjörnsdóttir, G. (2009). Mental representation of literary characters as a distinct aspect of response to literature. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 53, 6, 591-615. Seiter, E.(2008). Practicing at Home: Computers, Pianos, and Cultural Capital. In McPherson, T. (Ed.).(2008). Digital Youth, Innovation, and the unexpected, bls.27-52. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press.
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