Google is my Friend version3

Google is my Friend: Literacy in Searching
by Pascal Routledge

Topic 1:  Becoming an Insider

It is important to discuss what is an insider in the construct of an Affinity Space?  An insider is someone who is involved in discourse about a particular area which is at the basis of the affinity site or the social practice.  “This means that being an ‘insider’ to a new literacy practice presupposes sharing the ethos values in question; identifying with them personally.” (Researching New Literacies: Web 2.0 practices and insider perspectives, COLIN LANKSHEAR page 5)  An insider is someone who can make inferences, connections and interpretations of all kinds of levels to text within a certain construct of the affinity web site that may only make partial sense to the outsider whereby the insider fully understands.  (ibid Lankshear 2007 page 2).  The act of being an insider carries a certain important understanding or “mindset” (Lankshear & Knobel, 2003, 2006) that is affiliated with the shared knowledge within the website involving new technology stuff.  In analyzing the definition and reviewing our data we believe that an insider is someone who has knowledge and experiences to solve certain problem solving issues and offering things that work with digital stuff.  Becoming an insider fits our research as it indicates that as we became more experienced with the production of the stop animation film we began to use terms and words that were specific to the making of our movie artefact.  Furthermore we now have the knowledge and experiences that enable us to become insiders.   In addition should we continue to develop our skills to produce a stop film animation movie we could become experts.   We were becoming insiders to the stop film animation movie affinity websites due to our growing knowledge and confidence; we even published our artefact on such social sites as YouTube and Facebook.  In contrast we were not experts in this affinity.

Topic 2:  Assessing Expertise

In affinity sites it is stated according to Black that ‘newbies’ and experts share the same activities, “ and that there is a wide range of expertise and many forms of knowledge that are valued; thus, the roles of “expert” and “novice” are highly variable and contingent on activity and context at any given moment.” (Black, Affinity Spaces, page 14).  Moreover our difficulty became how to decide who was and wasn’t an expert.  We used trial and error to assess the value of the information and our willingness to grind (Jenkins) through the stuff.  For us this pattern in our own data suggests that we were willing to work through the parts of our project that were not fun, as referred to by Jenkins through the information to master the skills, collect the materials needed to produce a stop motion film that we felt proud of in anticipation of a pay off down the road.  (Jenkins, Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century White Paper page 23)   Furthermore, there were times in our research where we had to return to the site for additional solutions.  Literature refers to this just-in-time-learning concept (___________).  Our research was on hold until we found a solution to move forward, and we needed knowledge and skill at this time.  While we went back to the affinity sites to find solutions to our problems it became apparent to the group the difficulty of knowing who was an expert at the technical skills needed to produce a stop motion film or an expert in the content of our stop motion film and how the project relates to Star Wars.  We tested the solutions that was posted, or were offered on the Fan Fiction Sites, by who we refer to as an insider.  As we tested the possible solutions that we found it became apparent that not all suggestions were solutions.  If the suggestion failed we deemed the suggestion given from an insider but not an expert.  We then went back to the website and found another solution, from an insider, tested their suggestions and if it was successful, and we were happy with the result, we deemed that they are an expert.  Students use this technique regularly in finding solutions to learning problems.

Topic 3:  Affinity Space

What is an affinity space?  An affinity space is more than just occupying a here and now or presence.  An affinity space refers to:  “Approaching FFN as a space rather than a community then, is a way of focusing attention on the interplay among engagement, active participation, a sense of belonging, and the production of social space” ( Black Affinity Spaces, p. 9) a place where participants can share their ideas and discuss topics affiliated with the website.  They are able to be involved in the shaping of the content of the space and the interactional organization of the space. (Black Affinity Spaces, p. 22)  In traditional learning we were intimidated by others because of their size, race, gender, and age.  I would not participate and I was unwilling to engage in conversation or express an opinion.  However in the new literacy mechanism all are equal as no one can see one another.  According to Black “…“newbies,” or novices, and experts share the same activities and participate in the same space.” (Black Affinity Spaces, page 14) thereby encouraging experimentation and involvement within the website.  In our research we found this to be true.  We experimented with affinity spaces, we were able to test solutions and none of us felt intimidated.  As a researcher note, we have analyzed our lack of willingness to participate in online discussions because of our learning style, and lack of experience in using this learning mechanism-affinity space.

Topic 4:  The act of “being” involved in affinity spaces

We followed a process while we were involved in the creation of our stop motion movie.  The process was going online to get information, by becoming a 21^st Century learner and using those skills.  This process reflects the use of affinity web sites and what we did while we were their.  “Affinity spaces offer powerful opportunities for learning” (White Paper: Jenkins page 9).  By being involved in this type of participatory culture activity, today’s youth are far more willing and able to develop their reading and writing skills, their social skills, research skills, technical skills, and critical analysis skills which are mastered outside of the typical lecture style of teaching in the classroom. (White Paper: Jenkins page 4).   By the use of the above, which constitutes the 21^st Century learning style we produced our artefact.  We saw how much information is available and the details involved creating a stop motion animation film.  Therefore we saw the benefit of being involved in this type of participatory culture.  My experiences in doing the research demonstrated my comfort to take an idea and to test it.  I was not standing in the middle of my classroom with 100’s of eyes watching.  Therefore the strength of this process in learning is beneficial. 

Topic 5:  On the Edge

In our research we became takers of just-in-time knowledge and technique, that is, we were stuck and needed a skill or information, we searched the site, found the information and left the site, the term we ‘surfed’ the Internet applies in this instance.

We refer to on the edge as how we felt for the following reasons:  First, because we felt that there was no need to comment and secondly, the lack of ability or expertise to comment.  Now that we have completed the artefact where we applied solutions from the affinity sites we could go back to them and enter discussions as to what worked and did not work.  Thereby we become ‘insiders’ and not just ‘surfers’.  In analysing this approach for a classroom application the essential component is the student being able to use the 21^st Century Literacy strategies.  We are being driven to provide opportunity to move us away from the 100% “Broadcast” (Growing Up Digital, Don Tapscott, page 139) Learning leaning towards the “Interactive” (ibid) 21^st Century Learning.

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