This document outlines the focus and structure of a course on literacy and inquiry. The course aims to teach students to conduct qualitative research through a DIY media project. Students will work in groups to (1) produce a digital media artifact and collect data on the process, and (2) write a research report analyzing the process through relevant literacy theory. Typical media projects include blogs, wikis, podcasts, and video editing. Students must document their project through field notes, photos/videos, and verbatim recordings to collect spoken, written and observed data for analysis.

1. A DIY Media Approach to Literacy & Inquiry GLIT 6756: Literacy & Inquiry Colin Lankshear & Michele Knobel

2. Slideshow available here: www.slideshare.net/netgrrrl

3. Focus of this course Learning to “be” qualitative researchers Understanding that qualitative research is a logically-ordered, systematic process Learning to report research outcomes in an academic manner

4. The logic of research p. 29 of textbook

5. Nature of this course 1 . Work in self-selected groups/teams to produce a digital media artifact and collect detailed data on what transpires. 2. Collectively write an academic research report that discusses the process and experience of producing your digital media artifact in terms of one or two key concepts from current, relevant theory and research pertaining to “new literacies”.

6. In short…. You will be learning to be(come) teacher researchers by (1) producing a digital media artifact and (2) systematically analysing data you have collected in the light of the idea of engaging in new literacies.

7. Typical DIY Media projects Team blog Collaborative wiki Participating in a social network Podcasting Stop motion animation Music video editing (incl. anime music video remixing) Remixing music Participating in a fan fiction site Photosharing (or video sharing) Other (e.g., creating an app, movie trailer remixes, flash animation, Second Life machinima)

8. Documenting your project: collecting spoken, written and observed data Observed data : your fieldnotes, your photographs/videos of the group working, screen grabs/captures, etc. Spoken data : Verbatim recording or documentation of what people said (can be written down or audio-recorded) Written (extant) data : Online tutorials, helpful websites, how-to videos, troubleshooting, discussion boards, text-focussed screen grabs

9. Writing good fieldnotes Fieldnotes Preliminary patterns/hunches/analyses I located a useful website that helped with converting files Tuesday 11:03am I searched with google using the phrase “file conversion” and located a blog (http://everydayliteracies.blogspot.com) that recommended a free online service called Zamzar (zamzar.com). Zamzar is fully online which means I was able to …… BAD EXAMPLE Conceptual: Accessing distributed expertise a la Jenkins’ “participatory culture” Technical stuff: media files need to be compatible with the editing software Other: Web 2.0 – free software service located entirely online (cf., shift to webtop from desktop)