Susannah Stern’s article Producing Sites, Exploring Identities: Youth Online Authorship takes a unique approach when examining the ‘what’s and why’s’ that motivate teens to write blogs or design web pages—she actually talks to teens. Most research related to this topic has been conducted by asking adults their thoughts and opinions about what motivates teens and the reason they write online versus asking the youth authors themselves.
It is clear that youth use their online writing to share their thoughts and ideas and possibly receive comments back. Some teens use this as a way of exploring new identities, others want to learn about web publishing and have friends who have a blog or website, and yet others are using their writing as a means of self-expression. To better explain the idea of self-expression, youth are using their blog as if it were a journal or diary…only public for everyone who has access to the Internet to read and comment on.
One point I found extremely interesting in Stern’s article relates to the varying perspectives of social scientists who think at times teens are trying present themselves as someone they are not, as if they are trying to create another persona through online writing. However, when teens are asked about this, many state they are trying to find their true authentic self through their online exploration. While it is acknowledged that they sometimes present themselves ‘shined-up,’ they honestly believe they are presenting their ‘real’ self, the self that some are afraid to show face-to-face. Since it is teens who are writing this, shouldn’t we listen and give more credit to their viewpoints rather than what researchers think is the reasoning behind their online authorship?
One question I had after reading Stern’s article concerns the lack of information about the demographics of the teen authors she spoke with in gathering her information. I was left wondering if these teens were mostly male or female, were racially or culturally diverse, from low, middle or high socio-economic households, from urban, rural, or suburban areas or from second language learners. I can guess what the demographics might be, but that would be making huge assumptions on my part. I think this information would be interesting to examine and see if ALL youth are using blogs and web pages or only certain groups of youth are engaging in this type of exploratory writing.
Additional research on this topic resulted in finding many interesting articles including this one. Not only does it address similar issues discussed by Stern, the authors analyze weblogs associated with the developmental process of teens.
Stern, S. (2008). Producing sites, exploring identities: Youth online authorship. Youth, identity, and digital media. Ed. D. Buckingham. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. doi:10.1162/dmal.9780262524834.095
Subrahmanyam, K., Garcia, C. M., Harsono, L. S., Li, J., Lipana, L. (2009). In their words: Connecting on-line weblogs to developmental processes. British Journal of Developmental Psychology (27), 1, (p. 219-245). dio: 10.1348/026151008X345979
Dear Jennettagogue,
ReplyDeleteI too was curious about the whole mystery surrounding teen identity. I monitor my teen-age daughter’s web use by the amount of time she spends and occasionally visit her Facebook page. She doesn’t like it but I have shut down her web privileges in the past so she tolerates this fatherly intrusion. The reason I grounded her from using the internet for social purposes was for not following house rules… and it was like I chopped off a limb. Oh boy!
Her immaturity really shows through at times, especially when she has shared a problem she is having with her online “friends.” Yet, overall she is learning to carefully navigate her teenage years with the assistance of her chosen online community.
She admits to being a much more adventurous and sarcastic person online than she is in person. However, because her Facebooking and Twittering can be read by the same kids she sees at school – she has to be careful with what she says. For example, she once made a racist joke that upset her mom and I. We talked it over with her and she was very flippant (the Web can be “real” or “fake” to suit the argument of the teenager) about it. It was only when some of her peers (including a boy she liked at school) chastised her for being insensitive that she posted a formal apology. So is my daughter seeking her true identity through self-expression via online interactions? I think so, but on a less-serious side than what Stern portrays.
Statistics that indicate what?, why?, and how many? things young adults do on the internet would be a big breakthrough. It would probably be very controversial as well. Thank you for the additional readings and opportunity to discuss a topic that is relevant to my stage of life right now.
Kevin Woolley
Kevin and Jeannette,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experience with your daughter. As this is public as well, I wonder how she feels about this being on display. Parental Payback? :-)
Your questions and response to Jeannette's experience also tie neatly with what you posted on my blog. I feel like the "coolness" factor is definitely existent, and often surpasses any true exploration of identity and self-reflection. You asked whether or not educational blogs are truly purposeful or make headway. I believe they can be, because often for teens who cannot always determine "real vs fake" uses of on-line communication, the structure inherent in educational blogging or interface automatically helps to frame this. (Although, I'm sure it can be achieved outside traditional classrooms or educational settings and it can equally fail in traditional classrooms or educational settings).
One good example of how educational blogs are helping is the one we are constructing and manipulating right now.