Response to Jenkins Article

Overall I found the Jenkin's report informative and feel it offered a great overview of participatory culture, media education, new media, strengths and challenges. The lens from which I read the report is that of an educator working with underserved youth in non formal learning environments (after school and summer) and thoroughly enjoyed the “what might be done” sections as they offered practical activities incorporating the use of participatory culture and technological approaches. Oftentimes overviews of concepts are offered (theory) without providing the kinds of practical information (or case studies) important to implementing new learning activities, and approaches to teaching and learning. Ideas offered were innovative in nature and designed to actively engage a group of interested young people. Active, meaningful engagement is particularly important when working with underserved youth due to an array of educational challenges. I could see many of the stories shared playing out well.

Yet there were aspects of the report that feed my (somewhat negative) perceptions of some aspects of popular culture, “gaming”, and amount of time young people engage in technology whether watching television or surfing the internet. As a mother and educator I have grave concerns about the impact of video game content and time spent watching television, for example. The Kaiser foundation has conducted extensive research (some shared in the report) on potential negative impact. While many of games now being manufactured provide an age appropriate rating, access by underage youth remains prevalent. In fact, in most cases I would guess, parents are purchasing these violent games not truly aware of its potential impact.

In addition to offering an overall reaction to the report, a number of questions or topics for further exploration surfaced. While I have not fully thought through and made sense of what was read, below you will find broad headings and a brief synopsis of my thinking (or lack of thinking) at this juncture.

Popular Culture and Technology—Are they one in the same?

Something I discovered early in the reading was the intersection of popular culture and technology. The two terms were often used or implied interchangeably, in some cases not very explicitly. Is popular culture and technology the same? Does popular culture encompass technology? Popular culture is defined as what is popular within the social context - that of which is most strongly represented by what is perceived to be popularly accepted among society. Has technology always been a part of popular culture, or has its significance grown and integrated with popular culture as new forms of technology have been introduced and accepted by the mass?

Addressing the educational needs of today’s learner

How doe we best address the educational/learning needs of today’s learner? I think this is the billion dollar question, understanding there is no one approach or answer. With so many advances taking place technologically and within popular culture specifically, how can we as educators truly engage young people in the learning process using the same philosophies and practices of yesteryear? As a system, how do we agree on “new” approaches and implement them? Does this gap in the learner’s needs and pedagogical approaches contribute to the ever widening achievement gap? Stark differences exist in participatory culture where youth experience inclusion and are media creators versus conventional educational approaches where “educational—political debate is conducted almost entirely over their heads” (Jenkins et al, 2006). Many agree (including views shared in the report) that throwing out old approaches and instituting new in its entirety would not be wise. How do we begin to make the shift in a concerted way?

Creating inclusive learning environments where all young people feel valued and have something to contribute can yield many positive learning results. For this to happen further study must be conducted to better articulate information and skills gained through the use of technology and how this relates to outcomes identified by our educational system. My opinion is incorporating these approaches in formal learning environment will take time given the political nature of the educational system. On the other hand non formal learning environments are prime places to “try” these approaches as they are less restrictive and bound to conventional rules.