Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture

Many teens today who use the Internet are actively involved in participatory cultures—joining online communities (Facebook, message boards, game clans), producing creative work in new forms (digital sampling, modding, fan videomaking, fan fiction), working in teams to complete tasks and develop new knowledge (as in Wikipedia), and shaping the flow of media (as in blogging or podcasting). A growing body of scholarship suggests potential benefits of these activities, including opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, development of skills useful in the modern workplace, and a more empowered conception of citizenship. Some argue that young people pick up these key skills and competencies on their own by interacting with popular culture; but the problems of unequal access, lack of media transparency, and the breakdown of traditional forms of socialization and professional training suggest a role for policy and pedagogical intervention. This report aims to shift the conversation about the "digital divide" from questions about access to technology to questions about access to opportunities for involvement in participatory culture and how to provide all young people with the chance to develop the cultural competencies and social skills needed. Fostering these skills, the authors argue, requires a systemic approach to media education; schools, afterschool programs, and parents all have distinctive roles to play. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learnin

Causes of Low Enrollment of Black Students in Upper-Level Science Courses

For approximately seven years, the number of Black students enrolled in upper-level science courses (e.g., Chemistry, Human Physiology, Physics) is proportionately lower than the number of non-Black students a.t Palatka South High School, Palatka, Florida.On the surface, this low enrollment appears to coincide with the fact that there are more non-Black students than Black students enrolled in the school. However, if one were to examine closely the total number of Black students enrolled in upperlevel science courses from the school\u27s total Black student population enrolled in science classes, and compare it to the school\u27s total non-Black population enrolled in science courses, it would be evident that there exists a significant amount of disproportion between Black and non-Black enrollment in upper-level science courses. If this trend also exists at the County, State, and even the National level, it would be a major factor in the nation\u27s shortage of minority scientific manpower.The area of science is forever expanding, providing excellent career opportunities, job advancement and security with good salaries. Given the opportunity for leadership and worthwhile contributions as a professional in the scientific community, Dr. Robert Flakes of Florida A & M University has concluded that Blacks are under-represented in the science and science-related industries of this country

Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture

Many teens today who use the Internet are actively involved in participatory cultures—joining online communities (Facebook, message boards, game clans), producing creative work in new forms (digital sampling, modding, fan videomaking, fan fiction), working in teams to complete tasks and develop new knowledge (as in Wikipedia), and shaping the flow of media (as in blogging or podcasting). A growing body of scholarship suggests potential benefits of these activities, including opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, development of skills useful in the modern workplace, and a more empowered conception of citizenship. Some argue that young people pick up these key skills and competencies on their own by interacting with popular culture; but the problems of unequal access, lack of media transparency, and the breakdown of traditional forms of socialization and professional training suggest a role for policy and pedagogical intervention.This report aims to shift the conversation about the "digital divide" from questions about access to technology to questions about access to opportunities for involvement in participatory culture and how to provide all young people with the chance to develop the cultural competencies and social skills needed. Fostering these skills, the authors argue, requires a systemic approach to media education; schools, afterschool programs, and parents all have distinctive roles to play.The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learnin

Carbon fibre as a prosthetic material in orthopaedics

The place for carbon fibre as a prosthetic material in orthopaedics is examined. The early development of implant materials and the problems associated with their use, both from the point of view of material strength and biological inertness is examined. A brief description of the historical milestones in implant surgery is described. A review of currently acceptable materials which are used in surgical practice is presented. The potential advantages of carbon fibre as a prosthetic material are outlined and the development of this material in recent years is described. A series of experiments on rats, chickens, rabbits and sheep are described in which both the rigid and flexible forms of carbon fibre are examined. Initial experiments on rigid carbon fibre suggested that this material exhibited a higher degree of biological inertness than other conventional implant materials. Experiments described demonstrate this to be the case but later attempts to use the material in clinical practice have proved disappointing. This is largely because the mechanical disadvantages outweigh the biological advantages of the material in this form. In the examination of filamentous carbon fibre, it has been shown that advantage can be gained from both its biological and mechanical properties. Pii'st in animals and later in humans, it has been possible to demonstrate the actual induction of new tendons and ligaments in response to the presence of filamentous carbon fibre. Experimental evidence is presented to support the statement that true tendon induction does in fact occur, and a small number of clinical cases are described to demonstrate the practical use of this material. In summary, this thesis describes the development of a hitherto unused material in orthopaedic practice and concludes with the suggestion that the material has a real and necessary place in the management of certain conditions in the human

Motorsport Valley revisited:Cluster evolution, strategic cluster coupling and resilience

Over 20 years ago a series of papers identified a strikingly dominant economic cluster – the UK’s Motorsport Valley (MSV) – which led to MSV becoming an international exemplar of concepts such as agglomeration, clusters and knowledge-driven systems of regional development. Utilising an evolutionary perspective on cluster development, this paper asks ‘whatever happened to MSV?’. Drawing on the framework of strategic cluster coupling, four cluster development episodes are conceptualised that each depict the dynamic evolution of the cluster’s multi-scalar institutional environment, strategic coupling trajectories and economic development outcomes. Reflecting the emerging synthesis between evolutionary economic geography and geographical political economy, the paper describes an extended case study of cluster development, an evolutionary process of strategic cluster coupling and, ultimately, an example of cluster resilience. Through a focus on strategic cluster coupling, the paper provides further understanding of cluster evolution and path development mechanisms at key moments of cluster reconfiguration – and an empirical update and continuation of the economic story and cluster lifecycle of MSV

Lendo criticamente e lendo criativamente

O texto discute a relevância da ficção derivada de obras literárias pelos seus fãs, levantandoa diferença entre a leitura crítica e a leitura criativa. Ele explora as principaistécnicas utilizadas e as motivações dessa subcultura, assim como sua manifestação naInternet. Além de citar algumas obras comerciais baseadas em clássicos, ele tambémdiscute o possível impacto pedagógico de se apropriar desse fenômeno na sala de aula.This text discusses the importance of fiction derived from literary works by their fans,proposing the difference between critical reading and creative reading. He explores themain methods used and the motivation of this subculture, as well as its manifestationon the Internet. He not only cites some commercial works based on classics, but alsodiscusses the possible pedagogical impact of appropriating of this phenomenon inthe classroom

More Than Peer Production: Fanfiction Communities as Sites of Distributed Mentoring

From Harry Potter to American Horror Story, fanfiction is extremely popular among young people. Sites such as Fanfiction.net host millions of stories, with thousands more posted each day. Enthusiasts are sharing their writing and reading stories written by others. Exactly how does a generation known more for videogame expertise than long-form writing become so engaged in reading and writing in these communities? Via a nine-month ethnographic investigation of fanfiction communities that included participant observation, interviews, a thematic analysis of 4,500 reader reviews and an in-depth case study of a discussion group, we found that members of fanfiction communities spontaneously mentor each other in open forums, and that this mentoring builds upon previous interactions in a way that is distinct from traditional forms of mentoring and made possible by the affordances of networked publics. This work extends and develops the theory of distributed mentoring. Our findings illustrate how distributed mentoring supports fanfiction authors as they work to develop their writing skills. We believe distributed mentoring holds potential for supporting learning in a variety of formal and informal learning environments