PL6.
Participatory Culture seems like a foreign term but in reality defines my everyday life. Yes, I have a Facebook and check it daily. Yes, I have a Twitter that I update regularly. Yes, I had a Myspace and AIM that were my "gateway drugs" to my online social networking addiction. The thing that blows my mind is that I never thought these sites would become so powerful that they are changing the path of future culture from a local scale all the way to a global one. Although it's hard pinpoint the exact start of it all, it has blown up to become a tool that can connect people everywhere; which has never been done before. I can remember watching futuristic movies as a kid and thinking, "Wow! How cool would it be to live in those times!"... and here I am, on the verge of being a star character in Back to the Future. The video puts the power of these new tools in perspective by breaking down new skills that are needed to participate in these new technologies. I am currently a member of an affiliation culture, a collaborative problem solving culture, and a circulation culture. 3 out of the 4 culture I actively participate in. That number surprised me, especially someone who considered themselves NOT technologically savvy. The video incorporates several of the new skills needed for these technologies including appropriation, multitasking, performance, negotiation, and judgment. The video is in part interactive through being a video its self but does lack certain skills like transmedia navigation, play, and networking. After defining the new set of skills needed, I can agree with their thesis. The generation that uses technology efficiently (which apparently includes me, who knew?) has indeed developed new skills to allow them to manage the Internet in their favor. With 6 tabs open as I write this blog, multi-tasking stands out to me as one of the most important skills. Networking is also another important aspect of using technology. As soon as I meet a new person I want to find them on Facebook or Twitter to find out more about them and network. Participatory Culture can be used in the classroom in many ways and helps to bridge the gap between teacher and student. Online learning games can be utilized so easily and teach kids without them even knowing it. Sporcle.com is one of my favorite game websites that masks the bore of boredom of some educational topics by creating interactive games around the subject. The teacher may propose students to launch a campaign via Facebook and encourage their friends to participate in it. Blogs and wiki's really help to connect students for more than just a class period. Podcasts and videos are fun and interactive. There are many ways to utilize the technological tools that are available on today's Internet.