Media Ecologies

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Although all media audiences are active, interactive and sociable media require more activity. Participatory media culture (Jenkins) Hypersociality surrounding media engagement (Ito)

Ethnographic approach is helpful for understanding the active and sociable nature of youth new media engagement. Explore not only the content of media but also the social practices and contexts in which media engagement is embedded. Ethnographic approach is also useful for youth studies.

New media ecology has a convergence and intersection of traditional analogue, broadcast, media with digital media, interactive and sociable media.

Youth inhabit a convergent media ecology. And the term new media is appropriate for describing the convergence. The new covers: interactive, digital, virtual, online, social, networked, convergent. New is situational, and relational and is not tied to just one platform.

Social and recreational activities of youth as well as context of specific instruction.

Sociocultural learning theory recognizes not-school settings as spaces for learning and engagement. attention to youth-driven settings that focuses on recreation and social communication.

Wider ecology of education: homes, schools, library, museums, parks, city, playtime, etc.

A series of environments in which youth learn with new media. Social contexts are the most meaningful and motivational for youth.

New media practices are contextualized by the social and cultural contexts that are meaningful to youth.

Youth action and voice is framed by the contexts.


Commitment to socially and culturally contextualized analysis of participation, learning, and literacy.


Changing and diverse media ecologies: youth participate in them. Modes of participation in the ecologies is contextual.


"In line with our sociocultural perspective on learning and literacy, we see young people's learning and participation with new media as situationally contingent, located in specific and varied media ecologies." (30)

The goal is to map the ecologies of media and participation to reveal how do they look like.


Ecological approach to understanding youth culture and practice.


Media ecologies in communication studies :: Has focused primarily on "media effects," to studies of the structure and context of media use. (Macluhan 1964; Meyrowitz 1986, Postman 1993).


Dynamic understanding of the cultural worlds: youth navigate spaces such as school, after-school, home, online-spaces. Relational approach.

Emphasis on the relational dimensions of how subculutures and mainstream cultures are defined. Relation and opposition between social, cultural, and technical contexts.

The dynamic media ecologies: are were media practices, learning, and identity occur.


Use of media takes place in context, structures, spaces.