Reflections: Digital Youth Research
In a recent conversation with my colleague Richard Scullin we were discussing the quality of research found within the field of social media studies. In our discussion Richard brought up the fact that the study, Digital Youth Research – “Kid’s Informal Learning with Digital Media: An Ethnographic Investigation of Innovative Knowledge Cultures”, had recently published their project findings. According to the project website, Digital Youth Research:
“…is a three-year collaborative project funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Carried out by researchers at the University of Southern California and University of California, Berkeley, the digital youth project explores how kids use digital media in their everyday lives.”
Without getting into a long discussion about this research, or whether the findings of this study actually contributes any new insights into youth culture, I would like to share some impressions I have.
First of all, it is not easy task to conduct a research project in which the team is geographically dispersed, each researcher is covering a unique topic or perspective and the outcome of this research is a coherent synthesis of of what is garnered among 22 different cases studies. Kudos to all involve in this project! Your efforts are applauded, but will it change the way we view youth, social media, the emergence of technology enhanced knowledge communities and whether facebook or MySpace are reshaping social connections? Sadly, I think not. No new insights from this study have jumped out at me thus-far.
Again, this is only my opinion, but my impression is that we are getting too carried away with what “digital media” can do, or how kids use digital media in their everyday lives, rather than proactively developing policies which support the development of “innovative” knowledge cultures. We tend to get very excited when we see the emergence of novel practices and cutures afforded by “digital media” rather than actually developing and promoting practices within informal learning scenarios and exisiting institutions of formal education. I would argue that the reason we do not have policies (in formal education) is mainly due to the fact that most policy makers themselves do not understand the potential of digital media, let alone an understanding of the youth themselves. Furthermore, individuals (youth) are not fully aware of the full potential of digital media in informal learning scenarios, beyond their “social-networking” activities and ubiquitous communication practices. We need to find ways to promote “best practices” which help to promote senseful use of digital media for developing a “new” knowledge culture enhanced and augmented by digital media.
One finding from the Digital Youth Research Study I would like to highlight is the following:
“Youths’ participation in this networked world suggests
new ways of thinking about the role of education. What,
the authors ask, would it mean to really exploit the
potential of the learning opportunities available through
online resources and networks? What would it mean to
reach beyond traditional education and civic institutions
and enlist the help of others in young people’s learning?”
Dr. Mike Sharples of the University of Nottingham has made attempts to answer these questions (posed above) years ago in his research. In a statement about education and learning Sharples argued that: “there is a need to re-conceptualize learning for the mobile age, to recognize the essential role of mobility and communication in the process of learning.”
Sharples statement above can be viewed as “common-sense” among many educators and educational-technologists today, but obviously it is not a commonly shared view, otherwise we would not be still asking this question still: “Does Youths’ participation in a networked world suggests new ways of thinking about the role of education.” Of course it does! I do not need to conduct a study to find the answer to this.
Respect out to Dr. Mimi Ito and her crew, they did do a fabulous job!
I am just getting tired of reading research findings and I am wondering to myself: “When will THE REVOLTUTION come?” I want to EMPHASIZE here that I am on a little rant because I believe we need to ACT NOW, and “re-conceptualize” learning for the age we live in. We do not need any more research studies to convince us of this fact. WE NEED a concerted effort to re-shape our educational systems into environments which TRULY promote, encourage and foster innovative knowledge cultures.
References: DIGITAL YOUTH RESEARCH | Kids’ Informal Learning with Digital Media
