Mixing, Mashing, and Memeing Engaging Students with Participatory Classroom Culture 0-3:00 1. Introduce ourselves; Jen will start, tell about self and Keene State. Irene: --we participate in teaching 1st year writing and research, and classes in our Info Studies minor. --this class we are focusing on today, Digital Identity and Participatory Culture --two goals: 1) raise students awareness about online identity and interactions 2) invite students to create assignments and lead content --first, we are going to have you work through a similar process to what our students went through --then we will spend a few minutes processes and then go a little more in depth about the class Jennifer Ditkoff, Undergraduate Experience Librarian Irene McGarrity, Academic Technology Librarian

LOEX session OBjectives Participants will Gain concrete ideas for designing participatory culture activities including ethical information creation. Be able to define parameters for creating a classroom space that allows student generated content. 3-5:00 1. Irene: Start with learning objectives (display on projector); take two minutes and on the sticky notes write down writing topics, themes, questions that fall within the outcomes based on those outcomes. 5 min. 5:00-10:00 2. Jen Says: As a group, take the sticky notes and organize and narrow down to 1 theme however the group decides--vote, consensus, etc. 5 min.

Role Descriptions Note taker Info Seeker Googler Facilitator -On large paper, write down what info seeker and googler find. -Write down ideas, thoughts, info Info Seeker -Ask other people in the room if they know anything about the topic. Report findings back to note taker. 10-30:00 3. Jen says: On each table, facilitators will put role cards that participants can take. Each group will assign roles. Note taker/secretary. 2 Googler. 2 Information seeker. Facilitator/time keeper/manager. (After 15 minutes, design an assignment, or continue with the searching process). 20 min. 25:00 (1:55) Irene: For those of you who are ready to move on, take the next five minutes and design an assignment using the example on the handout. There’s a blank one on the back. For those of you who want to keep going, go for. 5 min. Googler -Search online to find any information about the topic. -Report findings to note taker. Facilitator -Keep time; keep group on task -Ask how group members are doing; see who needs help

Processing What did you learn? Who did you learn it from? 30-35:00: 4. Processing. Ask people two questions: 1) What did you learn? 2)Who did you learn it from? 5 min. We are going to go through and talk about designing and teaching this class.

Characteristics of a Participatory Environment low barriers support for creating and sharing informal mentorship contributions matter social connection 35-37:30 low barriers: used paper and online; we used discussion and individual support for creating and sharing: poster presentations informal mentorship: students had different areas of expertise that emerged as semester went on contributions matter: student determined several assignments and a lot of class content; voting process social connection: worked in groups, teams, had lots of sharing

Student-Centered Vs. Instructor-Centered interest-powered instructor-determined student-led and supported instructor is main disseminator of knowledge authority is shared by the group authority held by instructor information authority is challenged information authority is privileged learning is constructive inquiry and problem-solving learning as memorizing and fact-finding collective knowledge and collaborative environment is emphasized individual knowledge and competitive environment is emphasized 37:30-40:00 main reasons interested in student centered classroom was because of our own interest in the motivation facto External motivated by grades, required class, instructor approval. others because they need to take a class, but Internal: construct new knowledge, gain new understandings\ Student centered approach = interest powered, and using inquiry to understand a problem to hold student interest. Things like creating their own assignments, being in control of their own classroom content helps give students the motivation to learn things for their own gain rather than an external focus of motivation.

LEssons Learned... Specific Topics Bring an example Time of TEaching Teach don’t present Conferencing Collaborative grading? 40-42:30 -Psychology of the internet example -Have students bring a concrete piece of evidence when they are brainstorming ideas to show interest and investment in their idea -Give students a specific amount of time that they are teaching about their topic; and that they are actually teaching not presenting. A conference before they are scheduled to teach would be best. -FInally, we have been considering some kind of collaborative grading. It seems to go against the practice of having all contributions matter and breaking down authority to have student then receive grades from instructors. We have discussed the possibility of doing a three part grade of peer grades, self-reflection, and instructor grades.

Research shows that deep participation in these spaces can serve as gateways into increased civic engagement… Higher Ed should look to participatory cultures for inspiration in terms of creating better models for learning. -Rafi Santo 42:30- 45:00 Benefits: —many students in the class said that they worked harder to learn the material because they knew they were responsible for teaching their peers —more investment and ownership on the part of the student —opportunities for student empowerment —creators of information rather than just consumers. Take existing cultural information, artifacts, etc, and remix them, creating something new —empowers students —gives them first hand experience at being information creators and contributors —expands learning outside of the bubble of the classroom and academia —we talk about life-long learning; academia is a bubble; participatory approaches help students move outside of that bubble

any questions Thanks! ? You can find us at jditkoff@keene.edu imcgarrity@keene.edu

Bibliography Jenkins, Henry. “Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century.” MacArthur Foundation, 2006. John D. And Catherine T. Macarthur Foundation (2006): Web. 16 Oct. 2014. Delwiche, Aaron A, and Jennifer J. Henderson. The Participatory Cultures Handbook. New York: Routledge, 2013. Print. Weimer, Maryellen. Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2013. Bobish, Greg. “Participation and Pedagogy: Connecting the Social Web to ACRL Learning Outcomes.” Journal of Academic Librarianship 37, no. 1 (January 2011): 54–63. Tyma, Adam W. "Pushing Past The Walls: Media Literacy, the" Emancipated" Classroom, and a Really Severe Learning Curve." International Journal of Communication 3 (2009): 10. Rheingold, Howard. “Digital Storytelling 106: Open, Participatory, Student-Centric, Social...the Future?” Digital Media + Learning: The Power of Participation, September 9, 2013. Santo, Rafi. “Wait, why should classrooms care about participatory culture again?” Empathetics Integral Life, November 9, 2011.

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