Processing the year's end

So it is the end of another year; this one certainly better than the last. Still room for improvement though...

Reading about produsage and thinking about implications on literacy was a highlight. I'm still wondering how schools will address this fundamental change, but have some hope that Obama's focus on technology might prompt some rethinking. We'll see.

The ethnography is continuing although I'm less hopeful that the change initiative itself will go forward to make much impact. It seems like it's going the way of other projects in Rochester, especially with the loss of state funding. With New York State's budget woes, I doubt it will be reinstated.

The impact on the AMP'D youth project has been devastating. With no funding at all now, we continue to meet to talk about new ideas and ways to fund ourselves. The kids seem to like just getting together to talk and to work on the computers. We're down to 4 kids though, but do have lots of ideas. Our current focus is what they have called "hoodstock" (great name!). It will be a fundraiser for the network of safe houses for youth they want to put together. It's a "battle of the bands" type event where local emcees and performers will compete to be the best local artist. Unfortunately, our attempts to find a venue have been thwarted by folks who are afraid of the kids and of the genre of performance. One more testimony to how deep racism runs in this world. No one (no one in power at least) gives urban youth credit for their intelligence and passion; they just see violent stereotypes and close the door.

We're persistent though.

Maybe that'll be next year's theme.

Wonder

Two conferences and a huge snowfall later...

Just sitting and wondering a bit about what's in store next year. My fall literacy class went really well and I learned a ton from my students once again. Keeping up with how much and how fast literacy is changing is keeping me breathless. I need to rethink my assignments yet again. Of the five groups who were doing research, only 1 turned in an actual paper. Between wikis and webpages the students really went to town. They definitely got the idea of exploring the affordances and constraints of communication technologies. I wish I could have Underkoffler's collaborative space to use for my class!

With Obama's priority on innovative technologies, maybe we'll see some of what we know about complex, collaborative technologies getting more attention in research and practice. I would love an opportunity to get the virtual project up and running to get some insight into what interaction looks like in immersive environments. We need to get busy doing this work instead of imagining it. Waiting and seeing is an unproductive and uninspired strategy.