Att göra literacy online och offline : Digitala medier i barns kamratkulturer

Abstract in English

This video ethnographies study examines the everyday interaction of two groups of children (aged between 10 and 13) as they use digital media in their spare time. One group of boys has been studied in their recreation centre and one group of girls has been studied at home and at the stable. The participants have different social and cultural affiliations. The purpose of the study is to examine how the children in the different groups organize their peer cultures as they participate with other children in different kinds of digital literacy events. Furthermore, the study aims at examining what kind of competencies the children display when they participate in these digital literacy events. Theoretically, and in the analysis of the material, the study is based on New literacy studies, in which literacy is approached as a social, cultural and situated practice.

The empirical material consists of ethnographical fieldwork combined with video recordings of everyday digital literacy events of the children, as well as informal conversations and screen-shots of the online interaction of the children. The children’s participation in digital literacy events are analysed with a CA-inspired interaction analysis. The analysis focus on how the children organise their participation in the midst of face-to-face interaction and how they use writing, symbol and image based communication on the internet. In the analysis the children’s use of non-verbal resources and the body have also been taken into consideration.

The study shows that the children in the two groups develop different forms of technical and social literacy competencies that draws on their experiences, hobbies and participation in local practices. Through their participation the children strengthen relationships and organize their peer cultures. Their digital literacy events also involve navigating on the internet, communication with friends via internet as well as critically evaluating information on the internet in interaction with their peers.