Publication Date
2019
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
First Advisor
Elish-Piper, Laurie
Second Advisor
Manderino, Michael
Degree Name
Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)
Legacy Department
Department of Curriculum and Instruction (CI)
Abstract
Through the theoretical lens of connected learning and a pedagogy of multiliteracies, this
embedded case study provides an intimate portrait of two adolescents (ages 14-15), Rehema and
Luis. The focus of the study is their uses of social media both in and out of the classroom, their
purposes, practices, and perspectives surrounding this use, and the tensions that exist between
building and maintaining their identities within social networking sites (SNS) and the crossover
of their teachers and school utilizing these same SNS for learning purposes. The findings reveal
that for these particular focal participants, the use of SNS, both in and out of school, did provide
them with social and academic gains as the social networks gave them positive connections to
teachers, mentors, and those who shared similar affinities; however, they guarded their personal
social media accounts as sacred spaces to maintain their autonomy and identity. Additionally,
findings reveal that the participants demonstrated savvy digital literacy practices when using
social media, such as considering their audience, minding their privacy settings, and
communicating in multiple digital modes. Several conclusions address and discuss elements of
digital curriculum and pedagogy, which are imperative in authentic and effective integration of
Web 2.0 practices, such as the use of social media in the classroom. These crucial elements
include a focus on creating digital citizenship curriculum, which includes explicit instruction
within a critical framework as well as critical media literacy, which provides adolescents with
the opportunity to analyze critically the underlying messages and effects that social media have
on their identities and perceptions of the world, and, ultimately, to make what is implicit to them
become explicit.
Recommended Citation
Simon, Brooke Elizabeth, "In and Out of School Literacies: Adolescents Negotiating and Navigating Identities Through Social Media" (2019). Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations. 7670.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-thesesdissertations/7670
Extent
290 pages
Language
eng
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.
Media Type
Text
