Computational Literacies Lab

5: Computing and identity

Week 5 (September 25)

Week 5 introduces the second major theme of the course, identity. We will review several ways in which the construct of "identity" is used in educational research, constructing a situated, performative, and dialogic idea of identity we will use through this course. This week we will consider a diverse array of computer-mediated cultures and identities.

Notes

  • Sorry to be getting this out late. Will do better.
  • Technobiographies--awesome!
    • If you haven't submitted yours yet, please do so this week.
  • Discussion topic this week: With computational literacies in mind as a theoretical framing, what issues feel interesting regarding digital technologies and schools today? Specifically, where might be the critical incidents--whom and what technologies?
    • For teachers: What should be considered legitimate use of generative AI?
    • For administrators (and for students): Should cell phones be banned or restricted?
  • Discussion reports
    • Specific questions:
      • What is thin description/thinness (p. 45)?
        • Contrast with thick description. Wikipedia: "In the social sciences and related fields, a thick description is a description of human social action that describes not just physical behaviors, but their context as interpreted by the actors as well, so that it can be better understood by an outsider. "
    • CS Participation
      • Who would take it as an elective – Many people find CS hard and scary.
    • CT transfer:
      • Will people know to apply CT skills on other problems in the real world?
      • Andrew's TA experience: Students focus on finding a formula
      • Personal expression can be a way to teach CS, but don’t see it the other way.
      • What would an ELA/CS teacher think of this?
    • Out of school experiences Danielle: videogames have been a way to connect with her friends / programming her own retro game was really cool because she could apply her knowledge to video games, something important to her
    • Tool design:
      • Scratch was confusing because the teacher also had no idea what they were doing.
    • Inspiring quotes:
      • Danielle: I’d like to teach a CS course that doesn’t have a test at the end. Would like to talk about important stuff.
      • a main question after reading is what do we do? How do we get rid of racial motivations in technology?
  • Comments on identity. Situated learning.

Readings

Shaw, M., & Kafai, Y. (2020). Charting the Identity Turn in K-12 Computer Science Education: Developing More Inclusive Learning Pathways for Identity. Presented at the International Conference of the Learning Sciences, Nashville, US.

Skim the following:

Moje, E. B., & Luke, A. (2009). Literacy and Identity: Examining the Metaphors in History and Contemporary Research. Reading Research Quarterly, 44(4), 415–437. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.44.4.7