Intermezzio Part II: "Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century"

Using an "Ecological Approach" to Thinking about Communication Technologies, Social Networks, and the Activities They Foster

"Rather that dealing with each technology in isolation, we would do better to take an ecological approach, thinking about the interrelationsp among all of these different communication technologies, the cultural communitites that grow up around them, and the activities they support.  Media systems consist of communication technologies and the social, cultural, legal, political, and economic institutions, practices, and protocols that shape and surround them" (8).

Definition of Participatory Culture

For the moment,let’s define participatory culture as one:
1.With relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement
2.With strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations with others
3.With some type of informal mentorship whereby what is known by the most experienced ispassed along to novices
4.Where members believe that their contributions matter
5.Where members feel some degree of social connection with one another (at the least theycare what other people think about what they have created).

Not every member must contribute,but all must believe they are free to contribute whenready and that what they contribute will be appropriately valued. (7)

Educational Goals Directly Tied to Rhet/Comp

"Our goals should be to encourage youth to develop the skills, knowledge, ethical frameworks, and self-confidence needed to be full participants in contemporary culture" (8).

Jenkins, Henry, et al. Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. MacArthur Foundation white paper. (PDF - 1.8 MB)