Sunday, October 12, 2008

act: access, citizenship, technology

the participatory culture (PC) article talks about diverse communities, social skills, and increased peer-to-peer learning environments. I can't help but to think about all K-20 educational institutions that may have limited resources (e.g. low faculty:student ratios, less computer technologies) and how many of the facets of PC may be limited within these select environments. does PC come with the assumption that schools have the resources to create, maintain, and thrive in a PC educational institution?

if students come from underrepresented or underserved cultural communities, how is PC affected? How can one of these students be a "media creator" when she/he may not have access to the new media culture needed to create it? If learning outcomes and educational literacy become defined by new media culture and computer technologies, as educational leaders and citizens, do we automatically exclude those students who do not have access to such technologies? Although various computer technologies have become more accessible to more people, some students still do not have access to such resources. The social class hierarchy created by a society rooted in capitalism, perpetuates within the classroom. Not all schools/universities are "good." Some rise to the top, some fall to the bottom. Some get by on what that have, and others excel with all of the resources they desire. Who benefits or suffers? Our students. Our future. Our world.

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