Cultural Shifts
Social Change Through YouTube: The Use of Black Women's Stand-Up to Propel Conversations About Race View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Caitlin Hawkins
This research explores the role of Black women stand-up comedians as educators and activists, with a specific focus on how their comedy performances, viewed through platforms like YouTube, can serve as a means to build in-group community with Black audiences and educate secondary white audiences. Through their artistry and comedic performances, these comediennes have effectively utilized humor to challenge social norms and foster dialogue on critical issues. This paper explores how Black women stand-up comedians navigate the intersections of their identities through content analysis of YouTube videos connected to the literature. Comediennes drew from their lived experiences as Black women to shed light on the nuances of race, gender, and other societal factors, which create informal learning opportunities for viewers. Drawing from Black feminist thought and audience research, this study delves into the transformative potential of Black women's comedy in fostering understanding, empathy, awareness, and community.
Telenovela Production from Script to Screen: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Digital Pedagogy, Culture, and Language View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Elena Mangione, Steven Varela
This paper presents a case study of an innovative Spanish language and culture course, an academic endeavor that foments language acquisition while introducing the cultural and economic significance of telenovelas, a genre central to LA/latino media and an export commodity with global impact. Students engage critically with the genre, exploring its role in shaping cultural narratives. Students transition from theory to practice, undertaking roles of writers, actors, directors, editors, and producers to create an original Spanish-language telenovela. Scriptwriting workshops emphasizing narrative structure and character development reflective of cultural nuances complement practical modules on acting, filming, and directing. Central to this pedagogical approach is the creation of a digital space where the production process is documented and shared. We discuss the digital tools and platforms utilized to facilitate this collaborative and creative space, and how these tools enhance learning outcomes. The digital pedagogy component extends to post-production, where students engage in editing and subtitling in English to reach a wider audience. The final product is a four-episode telenovela (with 4 commercials) that is not only an educational tool but a piece of cultural production. The project culminates in a public screening. We detail the pedagogical framework, the multidisciplinary approach, and the assessment strategies employed to measure engagement and learning outcomes. The case study contributes to the discourse on digital pedagogies/spaces for learning, demonstrating how traditional forms of cultural storytelling can be effectively leveraged to enrich modern educational experiences and prepare students for an evolving digital landscape.
A Pacific Approach to Peer Validation – Awarding Digital “Ula”
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Wendy Holley Boen
The Ula is a Pacific tradition where a garland made of flowers or chocolate is gifted to others as a sign of respect and appreciation. This Samoan practice has been introduced in a programme for Specialist Teachers at Massey University, New Zealand, in a digital form - and is used as a non-formal recognition of peers. As an extension to digital badging, it is used to reinforce engagement and application to practice for Resource Teachers in the Specialist Teaching programme. The Specialist Teaching programme is a national 2-year postgraduate qualification for 400 experienced teachers annually to become specialised Resource teachers. The role of the Resource Teacher is to support families, teachers and systems to cater more effectively for all learners in an inclusive education system. The journey is often transformative for these Resource Teachers as they re-story themselves as change agents for a more equitable society. The programme’s hybrid approach cultivates a national interprofessional network through face-to-face opportunities and an online learning community. Alongside their growing specialist domain knowledge, resource teachers can struggle to evidence the less tangible competencies required to support learners with additional needs (e.g. building relationships, disrupting inequitable practices). The research outlined in this presentation explored the value students place on giving and receiving ula; the professional competencies typically recognised, and how this process shapes the interprofessional network within and beyond study. This paper summarises the importance of non-formal validation of competencies as part of students’ overall self-assessment of learning, growth, collaboration and impact.
