Participatory Culture in Education

Participatory culture influences our understanding of pedagogy in education resulting in a transformational change of how we understand what information and knowledge is as well as the theory and practice of teaching. Instruction methods have shifted away from the teacher centred traditional approach, involving lectures, textbooks, and memorization. Students were tested on the material, and move on to the next topic. Traditional assessment tools fail to capture critical thinking and creativity.

Within participatory culture, this model is no longer relevant; how has participatory culture changed teaching methods that have been used for generations?

With the arrival of the digital revolution, information is fluid and dynamic. We can no longer rely on expensive and, likely, outdated textbooks. In addition, Information is no longer exclusively the purview of the subject experts . Everyone has immediate access and can, in fact, contribute to the body of knowledge with any ubiquitous digital device. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and SnapChat are participatory culture mediums that change the way kids think about information and their personal role in its creation. This empowers users to create, share, and engage with content in innovative ways.

The role of the educator has moved on from transmitting information and assessing learning, to facilitating the learning process. In fact, learning, perhaps memorizing, information and demonstrating the knowledge through exams will no longer serve the modern student. This shift of practice is well documented and, of course, many articles and discussions can easily be found online. Such as this article that discusses the changing role of the educator The Evolving Role of Educators in the Digital Age written by:Janifha Evangeline. In this 2024 article, the author explains the response to the digital revolution quite nicely and succinctly. It also uses the word humongous which I found entertaining.

I found more support for appropriate pedagogical response in the white paper: Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. Published in 2006, it needs an update, however,  I found it still relevant.  And, @katiahildebrandt, you will be happy, it mentions MySpace.  The authors present a rebuttal to argument that key skills will be developed by kids on their own, outside of formal education. This is an interesting read while reflecting on our class conversation from last Tuesday. A quote from the Executive Summary:

“A growing body of scholarship suggests potential benefits of these forms of participatory culture, including opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, a changed attitude toward intellectual property, the diversification of cultural expression, the development of skills valued in the modern workplace, and a more empowered conception of citizenship”

Participatory culture plays a critical role in developing skills that are highly valued in the modern workplace by fostering collaboration, creativity, and adaptability. I would like to push the argument for pedagogical transformation even further by saying that there will be a reduced emphasis on acquiring knowledge. What will be desired is the ability to imagine a solution beyond your core knowledge. Creating a solution outside of one’s core knowledge is achievable because knowledge is so accessible, and gaining these skills is a different way of learning.

This approach is vastly different compared to the paradigm up until the internet which valued the importance of already having a vast amount of information.  The ability to find relevant knowledge, synthesis and use what is required for the solution is  more important. These are the skills that will serve the modern day student, as these are the skills increasingly valued in the workforce. New didactic evaluation processes need to align with the re-prioritizing of skills..

On a final note, I appreciated that, in her article, Janifha Evangeline did not forget about the most important part of being an educator – what she calls the human element in education.  We can do amazing work embracing the digital revolution, and all that comes with it, in our classrooms; however, if a student does not feel safe, supported, nurtured and inspired, their ability to learn and thrive will be significantly hindered. Fostering a learning environment where students can meaningfully engage with the curriculum as well as each other, encourages creative thought, connection and empowerment.