This article really made me think about the participation gap that many people feel in our society and our students being one of them. Though students are participating on social media by sharing photos, videos and thoughts (via status updates) online, they are sharing this with friends and those that 'follow' them on the social media website. Many students however do not feel that they can still contribute socially and politically because they feel their voices do not matter. As the article states, there is a "lack of confidence in and understanding of the protocols of engagement" students can be taught this through media studies and be given a platform to voice their opinions. I believe that students can be shown various ways they can voice their opinion that affects the community. This can be doing via facebook pages, tweets, blogs, vlogs or small documentaries about their lives growing up. Just as the participants in the documentaries felt, students too will express feelings of affirmation and gratitude and moreover they will feel heard. In DIWO fashion, these projects can be taken on by a team as well, allowing for student thinking to grow. This is not limited to just the classroom either, some students may continue expressing ideas well beyond their years at school with the help of technology.
Mandy Rose. "Making Publics: Documentary as Do-It-with-Others Citizenship." DIY Citizenship. Pp. 201-212.
Mandy Rose. "Making Publics: Documentary as Do-It-with-Others Citizenship." DIY Citizenship. Pp. 201-212.