Sequence # 3

William Magrino, Rutgers University, Fall 2008

Assignment One (Jenkins)
Readings: Henry Jenkins, “Why Heather Can Write”

In his critique of conventional paradigms of education, Henry Jenkins laments that “Schools are still locked into a model of autonomous learning that contrasts sharply with the kinds of learning that are needed as students enter the new knowledge cultures.” As opposed to the traditional “scaffolding” approach, centered upon the teacher, Jenkins observes a more egalitarian dynamic taking place on the Internet in which writers of fan fiction learn and produce as a cohesive unit.

To what extent can schools foster convergence by advocating the participant culture currently populated by amateurs? Should schools be more concerned with producing “amateurs” as opposed to “future professionals”? Does the anonymity of the Internet lend itself to a more egalitarian approach to learning than the traditional classroom?

Assignment Two (Jenkins and Twenge)

Readings: Henry Jenkins, “Why Heather Can Write” and Jean Twenge, “An Army of One: Me”

Jean Twenge, evaluating the integration of self-esteem building programs into the schools, warns that “Building up the self-esteem and importance of kids who are already egocentric can bring trouble, as it can lead to narcissism – and maybe it already has.” Examining the altering perceptions of authorship in light of the proliferation of new media culture, Henry Jenkins offers the following: “As we expand access to mass distribution via the Web, our understanding of what it means to be an author – and what kinds of authority should be ascribed to authors – necessarily shifts”.

Can the self-esteem issues apparent in contemporary culture be addressed through the “convergence culture” model of learning? To what extent could new notions of authorship in the classroom influence the self-esteem of students and what effect could the resulting perception of “the self” have upon learning?

Assignment Three: (Jenkins, Twenge, and Gladwell)
Readings: Henry Jenkins, “Why Heather Can Write,” Jean Twenge, “An Army of One: Me,” and Malcolm Gladwell, “The Power of Context”

“When we are trying to make an idea or attitude or product tip,” according to Malcolm Gladwell, “we’re trying to change our audience in some small yet critical respect: we’re trying to infect them, sweep them up in our epidemic, convert them from hostility to acceptance”.

Evidenced by the propagation of new media literacy via “the Potter wars,” Jenkins acknowledges that “kids are passionate about writing because they are passionate about what they are writing about”. Twenge, in support of teaching self-control among children, argues that “Kids who don’t excel in a certain area should be encouraged to keep trying.”
To what extent could the “affinity spaces” created by the advent of Harry Potter represent “the tipping point” for writing among children? How could young writers such as Heather Lawler be considered representatives of “the Law of the Few”? What does the “Power of Context” tell us about the future of the roles of the amateur and the professional in media culture and, reciprocally, in education?

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