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Jen Scott Curwood

The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Education and Social Work, Faculty Member

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Curriculum & Instruction, Alumna

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Dr Jen Scott Curwood is an Associate Professor in English Education and Media Studies at the University of Sydney, where she is the Chair of the Humanities Ethics Committee and the English Curriculum Coordinator. She received the Teacher Educator of the Year Award from the Australian Teacher Education Association and Teachers Mutual Bank as well as the Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of Sydney's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Jen's research explores the intersections of literacy, creativity, and technology. Her work has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Literacy Research, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, Teaching Education, E-Learning and Digital Media, and Learning, Media, and Technology.

Jen has published a co-authored book, Conducting Qualitative Research of Learning in Online Spaces. She completed her PhD in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, USA. Her major area of emphasis was Literacy Studies, with minors in Composition and Rhetoric as well as Educational Psychology. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, Jen was a public school teacher. She taught middle school and high school English, and she is accredited as a K-12 reading specialist.

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University of British Columbia

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Radhika Gajjala

Bowling Green State University

Pompeu Fabra University

Kansas State University

Donna Alvermann

The University of Georgia

The University of New South Wales

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

Macquarie University

Michael M Grant

University of South Carolina

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Papers by Jen Scott Curwood

Australian schools must promote LGBT-inclusive education

by Jen Scott Curwood and Jacqueline Ullman

The Conversation (online), Feb 2014

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Kevin Donnelly, one of the men tasked with reviewing Aus... more

A figment of their imagination: Adolescent poetic literacy in an online affinity space

by Elizabeth R Padgett and Jen Scott Curwood

Drawing on sociocultural perspectives, this case study investigated ways that youth write, read, ... more Drawing on sociocultural perspectives, this case study investigated ways that youth write, read, and critique poetry in an online affinity space. Specifically, it used a thematic analysis of interviews, a linguistic analysis of online feedback mechanisms, and poetic analysis to gain insight into how four young adults engaged with poetry in Figment. Findings indicate that adolescents adopted the identity of poets, followed role models for creative inspiration, and participated in the peer review process. In addition, there was a difference between conceptualization and the reality of the constructive feedback. This study broadens scholarly understanding about adolescent online poetic literacy, with the potential to inform teaching praxis.

Professional learning in higher education: Understanding how academics interpret student feedback and access resources to improve their teaching

by Jen Scott Curwood and Martin Tomitsch

Previous research on professional learning has identified that face-to-face consultation is an ef... more Previous research on professional learning has identified that face-to-face consultation is an effective approach to support academics' learning from student feedback. However, this approach is labour and time intensive, and does not necessarily provide all academics with just-in-time support. In this article, we describe an alternative approach, which involves the creation of Ask Charlie, a mobile website that visually represents results from student evaluation of teaching (SET), and provides academics with personalised recommendations for teaching resources. Ask Charlie was developed and evaluated by drawing on design-based research methods with the aim to support professional learning within higher education. A semester-long evaluation of the website led to recommendations for improving the effectiveness and value of online, personalised, and interactive resources for academics. While Ask Charlie offered access to a valuable teaching resource portal, it was crucial that its design took into account time as well as timing in terms of supporting professional learning. Our findings suggest that future development of the website could include additional features to encourage reflection and communication as well as promote alignment with existing professional development strategies across the university.

Moving across physical and online spaces: A case study in a blended primary classroom

by Jen Scott Curwood, Lucila Carvalho, and Alyson Simpson

Learning, Media, and Technology, 2015

With the introduction of digital tools and online connectivity in primary schools, the shape of t... more With the introduction of digital tools and online connectivity in primary schools, the shape of teaching and learning is shifting beyond the physical classroom. Drawing on the architecture of productive learning networks framework , we examine the affordances and limitations of an upper primary learning network and focus on how the digital and physical elements involved in set design shape teachers' pedagogical approaches and stu-dents' learning processes. The findings suggest that blended spaces support teachers' distributed orchestration of classroom activities across tools and resources while also leveraging students' engagement in reciprocal teaching and collaborative learning.

Boys' literacy development: Navigating the intersection of popular culture, new literacies, and high-stakes assessments

by Jen Scott Curwood and Daniel Yeung

English in Australia, 2015

Prior scholarship suggests that many boys are disengaged from school-based literacy because they ... more Prior scholarship suggests that many boys are disengaged from school-based literacy because they do not see its value or significance in their lives. In response, this study investigates the role of popular culture and new literacies in motivating adolescent boys within secondary English. Drawing on sociocultural approaches to literacy research, this case study at a boys' high school in Australia builds upon previous research on boys' literacy and offers insights into the potential connections between boys' school-based literacy practices and their out-of-school interests and experiences. The findings indicate that teachers positively believe in the potential for new literacies and popular culture texts to motivate and engage adolescent boys. At the same time, the study suggests that some boys find new literacy practices unnecessary as they move into their senior years of high school and prepare for the New South Wales Higher School Certificate exam.

Update your status: Exploring pre-service teacher identities in an online discussion group

by Yolanda Lu and Jen Scott Curwood

A substantial body of research indicates that a teacher’s identity is an essential aspect of thei... more A substantial body of research indicates that a teacher’s identity is an essential aspect of their professional practice. As this body of research grows, researchers have increasingly sought to investigate the nature of pre-service teacher identities. This paper reports on a study that examined identities in the context of a pre-service cohort's online discussion group. By examining the group, this study attempted to address a gap in research knowledge, as research to this date has been unable to investigate pre-service teacher identities in non-course endorsed or instructor occupied spaces. A thematic and quantitative analysis of online postings by and interviews with group members provided an insight into how identities performed and related to one another within the online discussion group. The findings indicate that one category of identities emerged from a commitment to the social expectations and values of the group, whilst another emerged out of a personal resistance towards the social norms of group participation and involvement. This study may be useful for teacher educators deliberating the use of online spaces to support pre-service teacher identity development.

Words on the screen: broadening analyses of interactions among fanfiction writers and reviewers

by Alecia Marie Magnifico, Jen Scott Curwood, and Jayne C. Lammers

Literacy

Young fanfiction writers use the Internet to build networks of reading, writing and editing – lit... more Young fanfiction writers use the Internet to build networks of reading, writing and editing – literacy practices that are highly valued in schools, universities and workplaces. While prior research shows that online spaces frame multiple kinds of participation as legitimate, much of this work focuses on the extensive contributions of exceptional young authors. In this paper, we foreground the contributions of fanfiction reviewers and focus on their interactions with writers, exploring their communicative literacy practices and hypothesising about how we can make their reading and writing more visible and more effectively consider their learning practices. To do so, we conducted a linguistic analysis of fanfiction review comments on two sites, FanFiction.net and Figment.com. While fanfiction readers provide writers with an authentic audience for their creative work, our findings indicate that the review comments that they leave generally do not offer specific feedback regarding the craft of writing. For this reason, we argue that teachers' expertise is still needed in the difficult task of developing young adults' composition, peer review and critique skills.

English teachers’ cultural models about technology: A microethnographic perspective on professional development

Journal of Literacy Research, 2014

Prompted by calls for research on technology-focused professional development, this ethnographic ... more Prompted by calls for research on technology-focused professional development, this ethnographic case study investigates how teachers’ participation in learning communities may influence technology integration within the secondary English curriculum. In this paper, I draw on educational psychology, cognitive anthropology, and sociolinguistics to build a theory of teacher learning. I then take a microethnographic approach to discourse analysis to show how teachers’ use of language and contextualization cues within a learning community reflect their cultural models, or everyday beliefs, about technology. This study addresses two gaps in the literature. First, it explores the role of situated language in constructing English teachers’ cultural models related to technology. Second, it examines micro-level interactions within a professional learning community to understand how teacher learning occurs in social and cultural contexts. The analysis suggests that the implementation of educational reforms, including reforms associated with technology integration and literacy education, are often dependent upon teachers’ skills, values, and cultural models.

Between continuity and change: Identities and narratives within teacher professional development

Teaching Education, 2014

This year-long ethnographic case study examined high school teachers’ participation in technology... more This year-long ethnographic case study examined high school teachers’ participation in technology-focused professional development. By pairing a dialogical perspective on teacher identity with a micro-level analysis of narratives, findings indicate that teachers use language and other semiotic resources to express their own identity as well as to acknowledge, expand on, and counter others’ identity claims. Moreover, technology integration may challenge teachers’ established identities or threaten their authority in the classroom. This analysis suggests that teacher educators need to value teachers’ established and emergent identities as well as create space for dialogic narratives in order to facilitate technology integration in schools.

DIY media creation

by Jen Scott Curwood, Alecia Marie Magnifico, and Jayne C. Lammers

Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 2014

Research suggests that young adults are motivated in school contexts when they believe in their o... more Research suggests that young adults are motivated in school contexts when they believe in their own self-efficacy, have intrinsic motivation, set goals, experience agency, and demonstrate interest. To highlight how online spaces foster motivation, we focus specifically on two project-based DIY sites, Figment.com and Scratch.mit.edu. From reading and writing to programming and designing, these environments offer young adults around the world an opportunity to interact and collaborate with others around a shared passion. We focus specifically on the design features of these DIY sites and consider how they motivate young adults’ digital literacy practices.

Reader, writer, gamer: Online role playing games as literary response

Bridging Literacies with Videogames, 2014

This chapter examines literacy practices related to The Hunger Games, a young adult trilogy. Draw... more This chapter examines literacy practices related to The Hunger Games, a young adult trilogy. Drawing on sociocultural theory, this ethnographic study highlights the ways in which youth use online role-playing games as a response to literature. Specifically, it considers how Tumblr, a microblogging site, offers a platform for readers to readily become writers and gamers. The chapter includes an analysis of one young woman’s creative writing and role playing process. It closes with practical ideas related to the teaching of literature in a participatory culture.

From collaboration to transformation: Practitioner research for school librarians and classroom teachers

Collaborative Models for Librarian and Teacher Partnerships, 2013

As part of educational reforms, educators are increasingly expected to gather and interpret data,... more As part of educational reforms, educators are increasingly expected to gather and interpret data, implement initiatives, and analyze outcomes. Practitioner research offers a framework for conducting school-based inquiry; consequently, it can be an instrumental part of educational change. Due to its focus on local contexts, collective knowledge, and critical reflection, practitioner research can foster collaboration between school librarians and classroom teachers. This chapter explicates the core features of practitioner research and discusses new findings from a three-year study of digital literacy conducted by a high school librarian and an English teacher.

Exploring tools, places, and ways of being: Audience matters for developing writers

by Jen Scott Curwood, Jayne C. Lammers, and Alecia Marie Magnifico

Exploring Technology for Writing and Writing Instruction, 2014

This chapter explores how writers respond to interactions with readers and audience members in tw... more This chapter explores how writers respond to interactions with readers and audience members in two technology-mediated writing contexts: a Hunger Games fan’s use of FanFiction.net and a classroom using Scholar to write original narrative texts. The authors look across the two spaces to analyze similarities in how the technology is used to foster interaction with readers and develop writers’ craft through these interactions. In particular, they analyze how writing functions in each space as a tool, a place, and a way of being. By considering the affordances of these two contexts, the authors argue that technology is changing how we write and learn to write, in and out-of-school, by connecting writers with an audience that can significantly shape their goals, skills, and processes.

iLiterate: Exploring iPads, multimodality, and writing pedagogy in secondary English

Handbook of Research on Digital Tools for Writing Instruction in K-12 Settings, 2014

Digital technologies significantly shape and mediate adolescents’ writing practices. Consequently... more Digital technologies significantly shape and mediate adolescents’ writing practices. Consequently, this chapter investigates the relevance and use of emergent technology in Year 8 English classes in an Australian high school. The importance of this study stems from the introduction of the Australian Government’s Digital Education Revolution and the growing prominence of technology in local schools. Building on sociocultural perspectives and new literacies scholarship, this case study critically considers how iPads influence student writing. Moreover, it examines what pedagogical strategies teachers use when implementing iPads in their classes to support student learning outcomes. Findings from this study contribute to our understanding of how digital tools influence students’ collaborative learning, multimodal practices, and writing processes.

The Hunger Games: Literature, literacy, and online affinity spaces

Language Arts, 2013

This article examines adolescent literacy practices related to The Hunger Games, a young adult tr... more This article examines adolescent literacy practices related to The Hunger Games, a young adult trilogy. By focusing on the interaction of social identities, discourses, and media paratexts within an online affinity space, this ethnographic study offers insight into how young adults engage with contemporary literature. Moreover, it contributes to our understanding of how they use technology as an integral part of social networking and meaning making. The article ends with recommendations related to the teaching of young adult literature and the integration of digital tools and online spaces into the curriculum.

Writing in the wild: Writers’ motivation in fan-based affinity spaces

by Jen Scott Curwood, Jayne C. Lammers, and Alecia Marie Magnifico

Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 2013

In order to understand the culture of the physical, virtual, and blended spheres that adolescents... more In order to understand the culture of the physical, virtual, and blended spheres that adolescents inhabit, we build on Gee’s concept of affinity spaces. Drawing on our ethnographic research of adolescent literacies related to The Hunger Games novels, the Neopets online game, and The Sims videogames, this article explores the nature of interest-driven writing in these spaces. We argue that fan-based affinity spaces motivate young adults to write because they offer multiple modes of representation, diverse pathways to participation, and an authentic audience. As scholars and educators, we posit that these out-of-school spaces can offer youth new purposes, modes, and tools for their written work.

Applying the design framework to technology professional development

Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 2013

Building on contemporary research on teacher professional development, this study examined the pr... more Building on contemporary research on teacher professional development, this study examined the practices of a technology-focused learning community at a high school in the United States. Over the course of a school year, classroom teachers and a university-based researcher participated in the learning community in order to investigate how technology can promote student achievement and engagement within the secondary English curriculum. This analysis used the design framework in order to identify key practices within the learning community, which included writing a mission statement, innovating with digital tools, engaging in critical discussion, and examining student work. Findings suggest that the design framework can offer a common discourse and visual representation to guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of professional development.

Redefining normal: A critical analysis of (dis)ability in young adult literature

Children's Literature in Education, 2013

This literary analysis examines constructions of normalcy and disability within contemporary youn... more This literary analysis examines constructions of normalcy and disability within contemporary young adult literature, including Jerk, California (Friesen, 2008), Marcelo in the Real World (Stork, 2009), and Five Flavors of Dumb (John, 2010). As recent winners of the Schneider Family Book Award from the American Library Association, these novels offer complex and realistic portrayals of characters with disabilities. Drawing on critical discourse analysis, this paper explores how identity, agency, and power shape the novels’ plots and themes. The growing prevalence of characters with disabilities in young adult literature offers an opportunity for students to consider how disability is constructed in society and represented in literary works. By taking a critical approach to literary analysis, teachers can emphasize social justice within the English curriculum.

Fan fiction, remix culture, and The Potter Games

Teaching with Harry Potter, 2013

This chapter draws on my ethnographic research of adolescent literacy, online affinity spaces, an... more This chapter draws on my ethnographic research of adolescent literacy, online affinity spaces, and young adult literature. Affinity space ethnography is a powerful methodology that can shed light on the culture of physical, virtual, and blended spheres that adolescents inhabit. In particular, affinity space ethnography affords access to participants around the world, a readily available web-based historical record of the affinity space’s practices, and a way to trace adolescent literacy practices across sites, texts, and discourses. As part of an affinity space ethnography, I explored how youth, ages 11 to 17, in the United States, Canada, and Australia engaged with The Hunger Games. Cassie was one participant in the study, and this chapter analyzes her experience with writing fan fiction based on Harry Potter and The Hunger Games.

Collaborative learning across time and space: Ethnographic research in online affinity spaces

by Jen Scott Curwood, Jayne C. Lammers, and Alecia Marie Magnifico

Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, 2013

In this paper, we further articulate connective ethnography and consider how it may add to quali... more In this paper, we further articulate connective ethnography and consider how it may add to qualitative studies of collaborative learning in naturalistic, computer-mediated settings. Despite their physical separation, members of online affinity spaces work and learn together—they construct and review artifacts and share their work across sites. To trace these processes, we examine the complex artifacts and texts that constitute social practice in these spaces. We consider how expanding connective ethnography may meet researchers' needs in online contexts and we raise questions about how participants learn in these settings. Finally, we outline principles for an affinity space ethnography designed to capture the collaborative web of social interactions and audiences inherent to participation in affinity spaces.

Australian schools must promote LGBT-inclusive education

by Jen Scott Curwood and Jacqueline Ullman

The Conversation (online), Feb 2014

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Kevin Donnelly, one of the men tasked with reviewing Aus... more

A figment of their imagination: Adolescent poetic literacy in an online affinity space

by Elizabeth R Padgett and Jen Scott Curwood

Drawing on sociocultural perspectives, this case study investigated ways that youth write, read, ... more Drawing on sociocultural perspectives, this case study investigated ways that youth write, read, and critique poetry in an online affinity space. Specifically, it used a thematic analysis of interviews, a linguistic analysis of online feedback mechanisms, and poetic analysis to gain insight into how four young adults engaged with poetry in Figment. Findings indicate that adolescents adopted the identity of poets, followed role models for creative inspiration, and participated in the peer review process. In addition, there was a difference between conceptualization and the reality of the constructive feedback. This study broadens scholarly understanding about adolescent online poetic literacy, with the potential to inform teaching praxis.

Professional learning in higher education: Understanding how academics interpret student feedback and access resources to improve their teaching

by Jen Scott Curwood and Martin Tomitsch

Previous research on professional learning has identified that face-to-face consultation is an ef... more Previous research on professional learning has identified that face-to-face consultation is an effective approach to support academics' learning from student feedback. However, this approach is labour and time intensive, and does not necessarily provide all academics with just-in-time support. In this article, we describe an alternative approach, which involves the creation of Ask Charlie, a mobile website that visually represents results from student evaluation of teaching (SET), and provides academics with personalised recommendations for teaching resources. Ask Charlie was developed and evaluated by drawing on design-based research methods with the aim to support professional learning within higher education. A semester-long evaluation of the website led to recommendations for improving the effectiveness and value of online, personalised, and interactive resources for academics. While Ask Charlie offered access to a valuable teaching resource portal, it was crucial that its design took into account time as well as timing in terms of supporting professional learning. Our findings suggest that future development of the website could include additional features to encourage reflection and communication as well as promote alignment with existing professional development strategies across the university.

Moving across physical and online spaces: A case study in a blended primary classroom

by Jen Scott Curwood, Lucila Carvalho, and Alyson Simpson

Learning, Media, and Technology, 2015

With the introduction of digital tools and online connectivity in primary schools, the shape of t... more With the introduction of digital tools and online connectivity in primary schools, the shape of teaching and learning is shifting beyond the physical classroom. Drawing on the architecture of productive learning networks framework , we examine the affordances and limitations of an upper primary learning network and focus on how the digital and physical elements involved in set design shape teachers' pedagogical approaches and stu-dents' learning processes. The findings suggest that blended spaces support teachers' distributed orchestration of classroom activities across tools and resources while also leveraging students' engagement in reciprocal teaching and collaborative learning.

Boys' literacy development: Navigating the intersection of popular culture, new literacies, and high-stakes assessments

by Jen Scott Curwood and Daniel Yeung

English in Australia, 2015

Prior scholarship suggests that many boys are disengaged from school-based literacy because they ... more Prior scholarship suggests that many boys are disengaged from school-based literacy because they do not see its value or significance in their lives. In response, this study investigates the role of popular culture and new literacies in motivating adolescent boys within secondary English. Drawing on sociocultural approaches to literacy research, this case study at a boys' high school in Australia builds upon previous research on boys' literacy and offers insights into the potential connections between boys' school-based literacy practices and their out-of-school interests and experiences. The findings indicate that teachers positively believe in the potential for new literacies and popular culture texts to motivate and engage adolescent boys. At the same time, the study suggests that some boys find new literacy practices unnecessary as they move into their senior years of high school and prepare for the New South Wales Higher School Certificate exam.

Update your status: Exploring pre-service teacher identities in an online discussion group

by Yolanda Lu and Jen Scott Curwood

A substantial body of research indicates that a teacher’s identity is an essential aspect of thei... more A substantial body of research indicates that a teacher’s identity is an essential aspect of their professional practice. As this body of research grows, researchers have increasingly sought to investigate the nature of pre-service teacher identities. This paper reports on a study that examined identities in the context of a pre-service cohort's online discussion group. By examining the group, this study attempted to address a gap in research knowledge, as research to this date has been unable to investigate pre-service teacher identities in non-course endorsed or instructor occupied spaces. A thematic and quantitative analysis of online postings by and interviews with group members provided an insight into how identities performed and related to one another within the online discussion group. The findings indicate that one category of identities emerged from a commitment to the social expectations and values of the group, whilst another emerged out of a personal resistance towards the social norms of group participation and involvement. This study may be useful for teacher educators deliberating the use of online spaces to support pre-service teacher identity development.

Words on the screen: broadening analyses of interactions among fanfiction writers and reviewers

by Alecia Marie Magnifico, Jen Scott Curwood, and Jayne C. Lammers

Literacy

Young fanfiction writers use the Internet to build networks of reading, writing and editing – lit... more Young fanfiction writers use the Internet to build networks of reading, writing and editing – literacy practices that are highly valued in schools, universities and workplaces. While prior research shows that online spaces frame multiple kinds of participation as legitimate, much of this work focuses on the extensive contributions of exceptional young authors. In this paper, we foreground the contributions of fanfiction reviewers and focus on their interactions with writers, exploring their communicative literacy practices and hypothesising about how we can make their reading and writing more visible and more effectively consider their learning practices. To do so, we conducted a linguistic analysis of fanfiction review comments on two sites, FanFiction.net and Figment.com. While fanfiction readers provide writers with an authentic audience for their creative work, our findings indicate that the review comments that they leave generally do not offer specific feedback regarding the craft of writing. For this reason, we argue that teachers' expertise is still needed in the difficult task of developing young adults' composition, peer review and critique skills.

English teachers’ cultural models about technology: A microethnographic perspective on professional development

Journal of Literacy Research, 2014

Prompted by calls for research on technology-focused professional development, this ethnographic ... more Prompted by calls for research on technology-focused professional development, this ethnographic case study investigates how teachers’ participation in learning communities may influence technology integration within the secondary English curriculum. In this paper, I draw on educational psychology, cognitive anthropology, and sociolinguistics to build a theory of teacher learning. I then take a microethnographic approach to discourse analysis to show how teachers’ use of language and contextualization cues within a learning community reflect their cultural models, or everyday beliefs, about technology. This study addresses two gaps in the literature. First, it explores the role of situated language in constructing English teachers’ cultural models related to technology. Second, it examines micro-level interactions within a professional learning community to understand how teacher learning occurs in social and cultural contexts. The analysis suggests that the implementation of educational reforms, including reforms associated with technology integration and literacy education, are often dependent upon teachers’ skills, values, and cultural models.

Between continuity and change: Identities and narratives within teacher professional development

Teaching Education, 2014

This year-long ethnographic case study examined high school teachers’ participation in technology... more This year-long ethnographic case study examined high school teachers’ participation in technology-focused professional development. By pairing a dialogical perspective on teacher identity with a micro-level analysis of narratives, findings indicate that teachers use language and other semiotic resources to express their own identity as well as to acknowledge, expand on, and counter others’ identity claims. Moreover, technology integration may challenge teachers’ established identities or threaten their authority in the classroom. This analysis suggests that teacher educators need to value teachers’ established and emergent identities as well as create space for dialogic narratives in order to facilitate technology integration in schools.

DIY media creation

by Jen Scott Curwood, Alecia Marie Magnifico, and Jayne C. Lammers

Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 2014

Research suggests that young adults are motivated in school contexts when they believe in their o... more Research suggests that young adults are motivated in school contexts when they believe in their own self-efficacy, have intrinsic motivation, set goals, experience agency, and demonstrate interest. To highlight how online spaces foster motivation, we focus specifically on two project-based DIY sites, Figment.com and Scratch.mit.edu. From reading and writing to programming and designing, these environments offer young adults around the world an opportunity to interact and collaborate with others around a shared passion. We focus specifically on the design features of these DIY sites and consider how they motivate young adults’ digital literacy practices.

Reader, writer, gamer: Online role playing games as literary response

Bridging Literacies with Videogames, 2014

This chapter examines literacy practices related to The Hunger Games, a young adult trilogy. Draw... more This chapter examines literacy practices related to The Hunger Games, a young adult trilogy. Drawing on sociocultural theory, this ethnographic study highlights the ways in which youth use online role-playing games as a response to literature. Specifically, it considers how Tumblr, a microblogging site, offers a platform for readers to readily become writers and gamers. The chapter includes an analysis of one young woman’s creative writing and role playing process. It closes with practical ideas related to the teaching of literature in a participatory culture.

From collaboration to transformation: Practitioner research for school librarians and classroom teachers

Collaborative Models for Librarian and Teacher Partnerships, 2013

As part of educational reforms, educators are increasingly expected to gather and interpret data,... more As part of educational reforms, educators are increasingly expected to gather and interpret data, implement initiatives, and analyze outcomes. Practitioner research offers a framework for conducting school-based inquiry; consequently, it can be an instrumental part of educational change. Due to its focus on local contexts, collective knowledge, and critical reflection, practitioner research can foster collaboration between school librarians and classroom teachers. This chapter explicates the core features of practitioner research and discusses new findings from a three-year study of digital literacy conducted by a high school librarian and an English teacher.

Exploring tools, places, and ways of being: Audience matters for developing writers

by Jen Scott Curwood, Jayne C. Lammers, and Alecia Marie Magnifico

Exploring Technology for Writing and Writing Instruction, 2014

This chapter explores how writers respond to interactions with readers and audience members in tw... more This chapter explores how writers respond to interactions with readers and audience members in two technology-mediated writing contexts: a Hunger Games fan’s use of FanFiction.net and a classroom using Scholar to write original narrative texts. The authors look across the two spaces to analyze similarities in how the technology is used to foster interaction with readers and develop writers’ craft through these interactions. In particular, they analyze how writing functions in each space as a tool, a place, and a way of being. By considering the affordances of these two contexts, the authors argue that technology is changing how we write and learn to write, in and out-of-school, by connecting writers with an audience that can significantly shape their goals, skills, and processes.

iLiterate: Exploring iPads, multimodality, and writing pedagogy in secondary English

Handbook of Research on Digital Tools for Writing Instruction in K-12 Settings, 2014

Digital technologies significantly shape and mediate adolescents’ writing practices. Consequently... more Digital technologies significantly shape and mediate adolescents’ writing practices. Consequently, this chapter investigates the relevance and use of emergent technology in Year 8 English classes in an Australian high school. The importance of this study stems from the introduction of the Australian Government’s Digital Education Revolution and the growing prominence of technology in local schools. Building on sociocultural perspectives and new literacies scholarship, this case study critically considers how iPads influence student writing. Moreover, it examines what pedagogical strategies teachers use when implementing iPads in their classes to support student learning outcomes. Findings from this study contribute to our understanding of how digital tools influence students’ collaborative learning, multimodal practices, and writing processes.

The Hunger Games: Literature, literacy, and online affinity spaces

Language Arts, 2013

This article examines adolescent literacy practices related to The Hunger Games, a young adult tr... more This article examines adolescent literacy practices related to The Hunger Games, a young adult trilogy. By focusing on the interaction of social identities, discourses, and media paratexts within an online affinity space, this ethnographic study offers insight into how young adults engage with contemporary literature. Moreover, it contributes to our understanding of how they use technology as an integral part of social networking and meaning making. The article ends with recommendations related to the teaching of young adult literature and the integration of digital tools and online spaces into the curriculum.

Writing in the wild: Writers’ motivation in fan-based affinity spaces

by Jen Scott Curwood, Jayne C. Lammers, and Alecia Marie Magnifico

Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 2013

In order to understand the culture of the physical, virtual, and blended spheres that adolescents... more In order to understand the culture of the physical, virtual, and blended spheres that adolescents inhabit, we build on Gee’s concept of affinity spaces. Drawing on our ethnographic research of adolescent literacies related to The Hunger Games novels, the Neopets online game, and The Sims videogames, this article explores the nature of interest-driven writing in these spaces. We argue that fan-based affinity spaces motivate young adults to write because they offer multiple modes of representation, diverse pathways to participation, and an authentic audience. As scholars and educators, we posit that these out-of-school spaces can offer youth new purposes, modes, and tools for their written work.

Applying the design framework to technology professional development

Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 2013

Building on contemporary research on teacher professional development, this study examined the pr... more Building on contemporary research on teacher professional development, this study examined the practices of a technology-focused learning community at a high school in the United States. Over the course of a school year, classroom teachers and a university-based researcher participated in the learning community in order to investigate how technology can promote student achievement and engagement within the secondary English curriculum. This analysis used the design framework in order to identify key practices within the learning community, which included writing a mission statement, innovating with digital tools, engaging in critical discussion, and examining student work. Findings suggest that the design framework can offer a common discourse and visual representation to guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of professional development.

Redefining normal: A critical analysis of (dis)ability in young adult literature

Children's Literature in Education, 2013

This literary analysis examines constructions of normalcy and disability within contemporary youn... more This literary analysis examines constructions of normalcy and disability within contemporary young adult literature, including Jerk, California (Friesen, 2008), Marcelo in the Real World (Stork, 2009), and Five Flavors of Dumb (John, 2010). As recent winners of the Schneider Family Book Award from the American Library Association, these novels offer complex and realistic portrayals of characters with disabilities. Drawing on critical discourse analysis, this paper explores how identity, agency, and power shape the novels’ plots and themes. The growing prevalence of characters with disabilities in young adult literature offers an opportunity for students to consider how disability is constructed in society and represented in literary works. By taking a critical approach to literary analysis, teachers can emphasize social justice within the English curriculum.

Fan fiction, remix culture, and The Potter Games

Teaching with Harry Potter, 2013

This chapter draws on my ethnographic research of adolescent literacy, online affinity spaces, an... more This chapter draws on my ethnographic research of adolescent literacy, online affinity spaces, and young adult literature. Affinity space ethnography is a powerful methodology that can shed light on the culture of physical, virtual, and blended spheres that adolescents inhabit. In particular, affinity space ethnography affords access to participants around the world, a readily available web-based historical record of the affinity space’s practices, and a way to trace adolescent literacy practices across sites, texts, and discourses. As part of an affinity space ethnography, I explored how youth, ages 11 to 17, in the United States, Canada, and Australia engaged with The Hunger Games. Cassie was one participant in the study, and this chapter analyzes her experience with writing fan fiction based on Harry Potter and The Hunger Games.

Collaborative learning across time and space: Ethnographic research in online affinity spaces

by Jen Scott Curwood, Jayne C. Lammers, and Alecia Marie Magnifico

Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, 2013

In this paper, we further articulate connective ethnography and consider how it may add to quali... more In this paper, we further articulate connective ethnography and consider how it may add to qualitative studies of collaborative learning in naturalistic, computer-mediated settings. Despite their physical separation, members of online affinity spaces work and learn together—they construct and review artifacts and share their work across sites. To trace these processes, we examine the complex artifacts and texts that constitute social practice in these spaces. We consider how expanding connective ethnography may meet researchers' needs in online contexts and we raise questions about how participants learn in these settings. Finally, we outline principles for an affinity space ethnography designed to capture the collaborative web of social interactions and audiences inherent to participation in affinity spaces.

Conducting qualitative research of learning in online spaces

by Jen Scott Curwood and Sandra Schamroth Abrams

Qualitative researchers have grappled with how online inquiry shifts research procedures such as ... more Qualitative researchers have grappled with how online inquiry shifts research procedures such as gaining access to spaces, communicating with participants, and obtaining informed consent. Drawing on a multimethod approach, Conducting Qualitative Research of Learning in Online Spaces explores how to design and conduct diverse studies in online environments. The book focuses on formal and informal learning practices that occur in evolving online spaces. The text shows researchers how they can draw upon a variety of theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, and data sources. Examples of qualitative research in online spaces, along with guiding questions, support readers at every phase of the research process.