Jabari Mahiri

Literacy Learning Within Community Action Projects for Social Change

This case study describes the literacy development of a struggling reader over a seven-month period as he engaged in a youth-led participatory action research (PAR) project. The projects goal was for youth participants to develop a proposal for productive change in their local community and present it to community stakeholders. The study focused on ways the participants were supported in gaining skills in research, writing and oral communications. The study examines the process through which literacy skills improved for the youngest participant for whom the academic aspects of this project were extremely challenging. It describes curricular and pedagogical approaches during the process that led to his academic literacy improvements. Findings indicate the key components that increased this participants literacy development were the caring, supportive environment that was established, an assets-based approach and apprenticeship model as well as connections of the research project to real world purposes.

Micro-cultures: deconstructing race/expanding multiculturalism

Multicultural educational research, perspectives, and pedagogical practices emerged in response to assimilationist models for addressing cultural diversity. As a field of study, it incorporates an array of concepts, principles, theories, and content aimed at increasing educational equity and achievement for all students. Though working toward progressive goals, this article argues that multicultural education in the United States mainly operates within racial categories that are defined and sustained by ideological, social, political, and economic forces and practices of white supremacy and, therefore, is constrained – if not subverted – in its important work. Collaterally, this article makes the case that its delineation of a concept of “micro-cultures” can help to productively expand multicultural conceptualizations and practices by deconstructing static, reductive categories of race to reveal more nuanced and complex personal/cultural positioning and affinities that are often (though not always) enabled and enacted digitally.

The educational landscape of the digital age: Communication practices pushing (us) forward

This paper identifies trends in the emerging models of knowledge production available in our society. We suggest it is crucial not only to be aware of these emerging models but also to be open to opportunities and possibilities that may still develop. We consider how people may express different levels of solidarity and commitment to these trends and models in their information consumption and distribution processes. We discuss how educators are now engaging in profound pedagogical renewal by expressing deeper levels of solidarity and commitment to knowledge production and educational projects through professional and personal interactions. These interactions are producing pedagogical models that allow both teachers and learners to become knowledgeable while simultaneously breaking away from domain conventions. These bottom-up pedagogies foster creativity, collaboration and the use of new digital tools. They are driven by learner interests and, as such, have the potential to bring the joy back into the learning process. Finally, we argue that emerging models of knowledge construction mediated by ICT provide new cultural landscapes and ecologies of learning that disrupt traditional inscriptions of individual identities and racial-cultural affinities.ResumenEn este artículo, se identificarán algunos modelos y tendencias emergentes en la producción de conocimiento. Se hará hincapié especialmente en cómo los individuos implicados en los procesos de consumo y de distribución de la información expresan diferentes niveles de solidaridad y de compromiso, y se sugerirá que es crucial que las personas no solo conozcan estos procesos, sino que también estén abiertas a otros modelos, oportunidades y posibilidades que, dadas las condiciones sociotecnológicas y comunicativas actuales, aún deben desarrollarse. Se abordará con especial interés el ámbito de la educación, puesto que se entiende que los educadores están participando de forma comprometida en una profunda renovación pedagógica a través de proyectos compartidos cimentados en interacciones profesionalesy personales facilitadas porlas redes. Estas interacciones favorecen la emergencia de modelos pedagógicos que permiten a profesores y a alumnos convertirse en expertos al mismo tiempo que rompen con muchas convenciones epistemológicas clásicas. Estas pedagogías generadas de abajo arriba no solo fomentan la creatividad y la colaboración, y se sustentan en el uso de nuevas herramientas digitales, sino que las promueven e impulsan los intereses del alumnado, y por ello, tienen el potential suficiente para devolverle la alegría al proceso de aprendizaje. Por último, se argumentará que los modelos emergentes en la construcción del conocimiento a través de las TIC ofrecen nuevos paisajes culturales y ecologías de aprendizaje que trastocan las inscripciones tradicionales de las identidades individuales y las afinidades raciales y culturales.

El panorama educativo de la era digital: Prácticas comunicativas que (nos) impulsan hacia adelante

This paper identifies trends in the emerging models of knowledge production available in our society. We suggest it is crucial not only to be aware of these emerging models but also to be open to opportunities and possibilities that may still develop. We consider how people may express different levels of solidarity and commitment to these trends and models in their information consumption and distribution processes. We discuss how educators are now engaging in profound pedagogical renewal by expressing deeper levels of solidarity and commitment to knowledge production and educational projects through professional and personal interactions. These interactions are producing pedagogical models that allow both teachers and learners to become knowledgeable while simultaneously breaking away from domain conventions. These bottom-up pedagogies foster creativity, collaboration and the use of new digital tools. They are driven by learner interests and, as such, have the potential to bring the joy back into the learning process. Finally, we argue that emerging models of knowledge construction mediated by ICT provide new cultural landscapes and ecologies of learning that disrupt traditional inscriptions of individual identities and racial-cultural affinities.ResumenEn este artículo, se identificarán algunos modelos y tendencias emergentes en la producción de conocimiento. Se hará hincapié especialmente en cómo los individuos implicados en los procesos de consumo y de distribución de la información expresan diferentes niveles de solidaridad y de compromiso, y se sugerirá que es crucial que las personas no solo conozcan estos procesos, sino que también estén abiertas a otros modelos, oportunidades y posibilidades que, dadas las condiciones sociotecnológicas y comunicativas actuales, aún deben desarrollarse. Se abordará con especial interés el ámbito de la educación, puesto que se entiende que los educadores están participando de forma comprometida en una profunda renovación pedagógica a través de proyectos compartidos cimentados en interacciones profesionalesy personales facilitadas porlas redes. Estas interacciones favorecen la emergencia de modelos pedagógicos que permiten a profesores y a alumnos convertirse en expertos al mismo tiempo que rompen con muchas convenciones epistemológicas clásicas. Estas pedagogías generadas de abajo arriba no solo fomentan la creatividad y la colaboración, y se sustentan en el uso de nuevas herramientas digitales, sino que las promueven e impulsan los intereses del alumnado, y por ello, tienen el potential suficiente para devolverle la alegría al proceso de aprendizaje. Por último, se argumentará que los modelos emergentes en la construcción del conocimiento a través de las TIC ofrecen nuevos paisajes culturales y ecologías de aprendizaje que trastocan las inscripciones tradicionales de las identidades individuales y las afinidades raciales y culturales.

Introduction: multicultural education and micro-cultural youth

Abstract Multicultural education’s pedagogies and perspectives work to increase equity and achievement for all students. This article suggests, however, that more emphasis be placed on the unique affinities and contingencies that constitute the identities of each individual, particularly beyond broad, relatively static categories of identification like race or ethnicity. A concept of micro-cultures is proposed to understand the personal-cultural practices and positionality of contemporary youth and adults in more complex and nuanced ways.

Contents Vol. 59, 2016

Marc H. Bornstein, Bethesda, Md. Nancy Budwig, Worcester, Mass. Ileana Enesco, Madrid Alexandra M. Freund, Zurich Cynthia Garcia Coll, Providence, R.I. Artin Goncu, Chicago, Ill. Bente E. Hagtvet, Oslo Paul Harris, Cambridge, Mass. Christine Howe, Cambridge Shoji Itakura, Kyoto Melanie Killen, College Park, Md. Charlie Lewis, Lancaster Na’ilah Suad Nasir, Berkeley, Calif. Terezinha Nunes, Oxford Willis F. Overton, Philadelphia, Pa. Susan Rivera, Davis, Calif. Barbara Rogoff, Santa Cruz, Calif. Sylvia Rojas-Drummond, Mexico City Martin D. Ruck, New York, N.Y. Geoffrey Saxe, Berkeley, Calif. Diana Slaughter Kotzin, Philadelphia, Pa. Judith Smetana, Rochester, N.Y. Liliane Sprenger-Charolles, Paris Elsbeth Stern, Zurich Keiko Takahashi, Tokyo Michael Tomasello, Leipzig Elliot Turiel, Berkeley, Calif. Stella Vosniadou, Athens Cecilia Wainryb, Salt Lake City, Utah David C. Witherington, Albuquerque, N.M. James Youniss, Washington, D.C. Philip Zelazo, Minneapolis, Minn. Founded 1958 as ‘Vita Humana’ by H. Thomae (1958–1981) Former Editors: M.L. Langeveld (1963–1974), B.L. Neugarten (1963–1969), K.F. Riegel (1970–1977), W. Edelstein (1982–1987), J.A. Meacham (1977–1987), H. Sinclair (1982–1987), D. Kuhn (1988–1996), B. Rogoff (1997–2002), G.B. Saxe (2003–2006)

In-Human Development: A Micro-Cultures Alternative

In the intricate process of human development, the social construction and imposition of the idea of race and its hierarchy of categories contributes to “in-human” development. In the USA particularly, racial categories have been delineated around certain identity contingencies [Steele, 2010], and despite being inaccurate and unscientific, they are used to forcefully, yet problematically shape human identities and development. Nearly two decades into the 21st century, globally shared events and innovations work to simultaneously deconstruct and reconstruct the idea of race. The Trump campaign for the Presidency of the USA propagating white identity politics and the rise in Europe of similar political forces are examples of these kinds of pivotal events. The development and pervasive use of social media and other digital texts and tools are pivotal innovations. As innovation intersects with and ultimately becomes events, personal identity development can be enabled or constrained in myriad ways. In this essay we argue that human development is best served by understanding and engaging micro-cultural identities and affinities of each individual in society – attributes and practices that are veiled by color-coded categories of race. Then we suggest how unique micro-cultural positioning, practices, choices, and perspectives of individuals raise important questions for research and educational practices connected to identity and human development. Identity contingencies like skin color, facial features, hair type, and body size are linked to how we are socially constructed and treated in society as well as how we interact with the world [Steele, 2010]. However, in outlining enabling aspects of digital media, Gee [2003] indicated the significance of identity affinities. This idea is that people (and particularly youth) utilize digital affordances to develop selective group affinities through which membership or participation is defined primarily by shared endeavors, goals, and practices, rather than shared race, gender, nation, ethnicity, or culture. Gee [2013] further delineated a collateral concept of “activity-based identities,” the freely chosen practices that contribute to grounding and delineating a person’s sense of self. These practices can reflect resident and emerging forms of social organization, and they can be (but do not necessarily have to be) digitally mediated.