Tonight in the Chair’s introduction to the DML 2010 conference, Dr. Henry Jenkins posed some interesting insights into what is emerging and what we are facing when it comes to Digital Media Learning …asking the delegates to consider more widely diversifying participation in learning communities …
From this introduction I tried to capture a number of key insights … a colleague and friend of mine, DK from MediaSnackers, a social media organisation specialising in engaging youth-based organisations, once spoke that he endeavours to make people either ‘think’ or ‘smile’ from his talks, meetings or conversations. Well tonight Henry Jenkins … most certainly made me think …
Below are a number of the key insights I took out of Henry Jenkins talk …
- HJ Insight: John Fiske noted in the 80’s and 90’s that we don’t control the cultural foundations of civilisation, we participate in them, but we don’t control them.
John Fiske published Media Matters, one of his most important work, were he examined a series of political/media events to show how America was struggling with –- and against — becoming a multiracial and multicultural society.
- HJ Insight: We are participating today more than ever! Enabling people to grow and learn in many distinctive ways.
- HJ Insight: Participatory culture – Jenkins notes that a participatory culture and web 2.0 are often terms used interchangeably but that they are not one in the same. Web 2.0 is important but it ignores a culture older than the Internet
Particpatory culture is defined by Jenkins, et al, (2006) as:
- With relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement
- With strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations with others
- With some type of informal mentorship whereby what is known by the most experienced is passed along to novices
- Where members believe that their contributions matter
- Where members feel some degree of social connection with one another (at the least they care what other people think about what they have created).
Jenkins, et al, (2006) notes, that not every member must contribute, but all must believe they are free to contribute when ready and that what they contribute will be appropriately valued. A great quote: “Participatory culture shifts the focus of literacy from one of individual expression to community involvement.” (Jenkins, et al, 2006)
- HJ Insight: Digital divide is not just about access, it is about social and cultural skills in human networks to enable proper participation …
Jenkins quotes Fiske who observed that ‘we now have new opportunities to struggle’ … noting that struggle has gone on for centuries … but with evolution in society and culture comes new opportunities to struggle …
- HJ Insight: Henry Jenkins concludes by calling the DML 2010 conference to be about .. asking questions, challenging approaches and viewpoints and in that the conference is inclusive .. including people not included before … from diverse cultures to challenge together … where digital media can go … and the future landscape of digital media learning ….
This last comment I welcome. I don’t come from specifically a media or education background, I’m based within a business school … but I research knowledge and perceptions (psychology) of digital media relative to adult users. The remit to explore how the knowledge and learning between more technically knowledgeable users/creators (e.g., designers) differs/informs a wider (and perhaps less technical) community of users in which they both co-exist with each other …
This last insight made me both think and smile:
- HJ Insight: The origin of LOL!?! Henry Jenkins also informed the delegates of the true origin of LOL – espousing it’s origin lies not in the Internet-based technologies … but in the evolution of a country-wide social network in the late 1860′s that became known as the Amateur Press Association … Food for thought!
In summary, an engaging introduction to what poses to be an interesting conference …
