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My Identity Exploration: Christina U. King


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New Literacies and Its Use as a Form of Activism

Prior to reading these articles on digital and pop culture literacies (Haddix & Sealey-Ruiz, 2012), case studies of young immigrant children and their intersectional identity negotiation (Compton-Lilly et al., 2017), and new media narratives as connective identity texts (Wargo, 2017), I don't know that I really viewed student use of new literacies as a form of activism on the parts of the students and/or the teachers. However, when looking at the potential and power associated with the ability to pen or write one's own story - these new literacies have the potential to shift or refocus the power away from the teacher - as in a more traditional and teacher-lead space - to the student. This repositioning or shifting of power opens up many doors for those who are typically marginalized - African Americans, Blacks, Latinxs, LGBTQ youth, immigrants, etc. I like the term "emancipatory pedagogies" used by Haddix and Sealey-Ruiz (2012) which aptly describes new literaci...
What is Activity Theory? It is my understanding that within Activity Theory there are tools which are examined as being situated within actions, discourses, and activity systems (Bomer, 2003). Bomer utilizes a Vygotskian Framework to determine the affordances - intended and unintended - of the varied concrete tools the teacher placed in the classroom. Specifically, Bomer looked at how the tools were used to mediate culturally sanctioned states of mind. In laymen terms, classrooms and other environments are full of tools and how our students come to understand and utilize these tools - intended (what/how we/teacher would like them to use the tools) and unintended (ways that we/teacher didn't necessarily think of using the tools) - is both contextual and socio-culturally situated. Bomer (2003) states that the use of a tool - or learning to use a tool is nested in many layers of cultural and historical context" (p. 224). Vygotsky's Theory calls for the use of media or tool...