Multiliteracies in ELA Classrooms

My interest in this article was sparked by the discussion of the participatory role of the audience in Web 2.0. However, to call this group an ‘audience’ does not consider the active role this group has in shaping how information is produced and consumed. The previous consumer of information now plays a role in producing and reacting to information in an impactful way. In turn, this affects the way knowledges are produced and consumed. For example, commenting on a blog post changes the original content and creates another knowledge about it.

Web 2.0 can be a powerful tool as it has been used to “mobilise” (Lankshear and Knobel 4) people. Online communities are created with dialogue occurring between participants with similar interests and creating knowledges. It has proven to be a highly effective tool in information production and dissemination, as was seen in Egypt through the use of Twitter, which was used to “mobilise” the people and helped overthrow former Egyptian ruler, Hosni Mubarak (Nolan).

Lankshear and Knobel point to the creation of a “hybrid journalism that merges traditional newsroom practices with the decentralized intelligence of individuals and groups spread across the Internet” (9). The field of journalism has changed as journalists no longer ‘search’ for the news; journalists must now sift through information that is available and choose the content they want to use (Nolan).

The article looks closely at blogging which is a form that has lead to another: vlogging. Vlogging is a video blog that is like a type of web television and has created another branch of blogging. It contains an element of reality television that has made it a popular category on Youtube- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_blog.

Youtube is a popular platform that maximizes user participation through its create, view, comment (text or video response), rate and subscribe options. Users can choose how they want to participate and engage with the platform. Each participatory method generates information about the user and the content they are engaging with. Content creators can also interact with their viewers and respond to viewer’s comments. This allows content creators to directly interact with their viewers. The relationship that is formed is reflected in vlogs as content creators sometimes speak directly to their audiences. The accessibility of who they are watching creates a profound connection between viewer and content creator.

The examples used in the article are seven years old and much has changed since then. However this article does highlight the fundamental component of Web 2.0– user participation. It is important to engage our students through platforms they already engage with and use them as tools to further students’ learning.

Works Cited

Lankshear, C. & Knobel, M.  Blogging as Participation: The Active Sociality of a New Literacy. American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, US, April 11, 2006. Web.

“How to Separate Fact and Fiction Online”. Youtube. TEDtalk. 11 December 2012. Web. July 8. 2013

By: Fatima Ali

Blog post #1