Five Ways to Use Memes to Connect With Students
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Media Ecology and Learning Case rough draft
Media Ecology and Learning Case
Matthew
(Young Athlete) second interview
The young person I
interviewed for my case study is an eighteen year old male. His name is Matthew,
he is Puerto Rican born in the US and lives in a rural town in Taylor County,
West Virginia. He has one older brother
and a younger sister and is from a middle class family. Matthews’s parents are
working professionals. Matthew is an
average student and is always pushing for improvement academically. At home he has unlimited access to
technology. The family has a shared
computer in their living room but for the most part they all have their own
computers or tablets.
In my interview with Matthew
he shared with me that he has an iPod, laptop that turns into a tablet and a
smart phone (IPhone). There are some restrictions
on his computer usage; he is allowed access to the internet any time before
10:00 p.m. during a school week and on weekends he can use internet before
12:00 a.m. he must be responsible with what he searches and how he uses
language online. Generally, Matthew uses his smart phone the most; to text, and
interact with his peers through Facebook, Twitter, Snap Chat, YouTube, Vine,
Safari, email, ITunes and Instagram.
At school, his technology
access is a little more restricted. The
school has a computer lab used only for school assignments only half the time
he said the computer don’t work. Matthew, a writer for the school newspaper focuses
more on using his technology for recording interviews at school as part of his
assignments. This requires him to use his own devices Smart Phone.
In my second interview with
Matthew he said,
Now that Matthew is going
to be attending Millikin University he has access to a new online tool box of
resources shared with students at the University. Some of the tools are MU
Online, Moodle, Net storage, and Blue Tube. Matthew said he is excited to get
started and can’t wait to see what awaits him in his new adventure with
college. I asked him if he thought there would be restrictions on Wi-Fi and
internet use. He replied I don’t really think so, the University has several cyber
cafés and every floor in our dorm has access to computer labs.
Hanging
Out
Matthew said, being an
athlete I depends on my smartphone for communication with my parents, coaches,
peers, and to check in with my social media. Sometimes when coming home from an
away game I call my parents to let them know I am on my way home or to find out
what’s for dinner. I also use my phone or keep up with live grades for school
assignments and homework updates and remind 101. His favorite thing to do with
his laptop is to watch videos and download music. I try to find a balance
between doing it all so when I get to college I can manage my time wisely.
Already thinking about his college career.
As an incoming freshman to
Millikin University, I already started communicating with my coaches for soccer
and track. The school has so much to offer and there is Wi-Fi all over the
campus not like high school at all. Since I have to be on campus August 11 I am
already a student. I already have access to a new email, book store app, and
online access to everything on campus. The coaches have already sent me a full
summer work out by email so I can get started on my work out for summer
conditioning. Matthew also added that on his visit to the University he got an opportunity
to meet some of the team players and that they have already connected through
snap chat and Instagram.
Messing Around
Matthew is not much of a
game player on the computer but likes to plays games on his PS3, Game Cube,
Gameboy and PSP. Matthew plays online with out of state friends, his new game
is Destiny. Matthew explained that although he likes to play games he would rather
go to the Mall shopping, movies, and out to eat with friends and family. Playing
video games is more for in the evening and for when friends come over to just
hangout. Matthew added that the soccer team is really into playing FEFA and
that the players and the teams they create are very competitive.
I asked Matt if playing
FEFA helped him play soccer. He said yes, it helps me see my position on the
field from a different perspective and gives me a visual of the other players
who are coming at me during the game.
James Paul Gee (2005) argues that what gamers learn is embodied empathy
for a complex system. Video games players develop a feel or intuition of how
systems work. (Squire, 2011, p. 5) .
During our second interview
Matthew was kind enough to give me some insight on his visit to Millikin
University, Matthew told me that so far, so good, he already has a group of
friends that will be housed in the same dorm and all of them like to play destiny.
He added that they already exchanged character information and combat ideas on Skype. I am looking forward to connecting with my new team mates, teachers, and
making new friends.
Geeking Out
Matthew said “my goal is achieve
the highest status in Destiny” This new game has
so much animation great graphics and I like the stories.
I really like creating my character and all the weapons, I especially like
playing live online with other players. In the game there are three classes of
characters a Warlock, Titan, and Hunter. I am a male hunter. I asked Matthew
about how many hours he spent playing in a day. He said that he averages about
three to four hours playing when he has nothing to do and because it’s a new
game. Another game he still likes to play is Call of Duty, very popular among
his friends.
Video games now include a diverse range of
experiences, from music simulation to multiplayer role-playing games with new
models of distributed leadership (Steinkuehler, 2006).
There is no curfew in
college like at home, I am going to play destiny, Mario and Call of Duty
with a lot of beginners, intermediate
and advance players I can’t wait. Well as long as all my
school work is done and I
have time. I still have to keep up with my sport schedule and I am thinking
about maybe getting a job on campus. One of the things I like about Millikin is
that I will be able to do study stables at night and have access to all the
information on app in my Moodle account that I already downloaded onto my
IPhone and computer. So, I think I will be using the internet for school stuff a
lot more than before for sure.
Schooling
Matthew uses his own
laptop at school for taking notes in AP Government, newspaper class, and for
uploading music at lunch time. I like using my laptop he said because it has
all the updated software like Microsoft Word 2013, windows 8.1 and all the new
media options which is important for me. I also have a book window for Comics
which allows me to click into it and open all kinds of comic books. I asked
Matthew if he was into poetry or any kind of specific type of literature and he
said “not really”.
Education must continue to catch up
to meet Digital Literacy in the 21st Century if educators are
to generate communication among
digital natives.
How much experience would you say you have had to
prepare you for Millikin Matthew? Well I
don’t know how to answer that because I don’t know
what I am going to be required to know
and what kind of technology tools I will have to use
for homework yet. I do know how to use
Word, spellcheck and YouTube. I hope now that I am
going to college I can learn how to use
more programs like PowerPoint, Prezi and publisher. In
high school I really did not get an
opportunity to really work with those programs.
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