Distributed digital contexts and learning: Personal empowerment and social transformation in marginalized populations

Chib, Arul, Bentley, Caitlin and Wardoyo, Reidinar-Juliane Distributed digital contexts and learning: Personal empowerment and social transformation in marginalized populations. Comunicar, 2019, vol. 27, n. 58, pp. 51-61. [Journal article (Paginated)]

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English abstract

The role of digital media and learning has often been synonymous with the use of open education resources in formal institutional settings. Further, open and distance learning has been criticized for focusing narrowly on educational objectives, ignoring socio-political issues of access and participation by marginalized populations. This study examines the lived experiences of female migrant domestic workers (N=20) in Singapore attending Open University. Mobile and social media supplement open and distance learning resources to allow for open practices of consumption, production and sharing in distributed contexts of digital learning. Marginalized students engaged in participation and collaboration activities, with specific privacy practices due to their social positions. Digital learning led to substantive learning for personal empowerment and social transformation, with aspirational strategies often involving digital skills. The discussion reflects on identity management across formal and informal digital settings as a means of transforming societal discourses of discrimination.

Spanish abstract

El rol de los medios digitales y el aprendizaje a menudo ha sido sinónimo del uso de recursos educativos abiertos en entornos institucionales formales. Además, el aprendizaje abierto y a distancia (ODL) ha sido criticado por centrarse estrictamente en los objetivos educativos, ignorando las cuestiones sociopolíticas de acceso y de participación de las poblaciones marginalizadas. Este estudio examina las experiencias de vida de un grupo de trabajadoras domésticas migrantes (N=20) en Singapur que asisten a Open University. Los medios móviles y las redes sociales complementan los recursos ODL para permitir prácticas abiertas de consumo, producción e intercambio en contextos distribuidos de aprendizaje digital. Los estudiantes marginalizados intervinieron en actividades participativas y colaborativas, con prácticas de privacidad específicas de acuerdo a sus posiciones sociales. El aprendizaje digital condujo a un aprendizaje sustantivo para el empoderamiento personal y la transformación social, con estrategias de aspiración que a menudo involucran habilidades digitales. La discusión reflexiona sobre la gestión de identidades en entornos digitales formales e informales como un medio para transformar los discursos sociales de discriminación.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: Digital media; identity; open development; distance education; marginalization; migration; Medios digitales; identidad; desarrollo abierto; educación a distancia; marginalización; migración
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BJ. Communication
G. Industry, profession and education.
G. Industry, profession and education. > GH. Education.
Depositing user: Alex Ruiz
Date deposited: 01 Apr 2019 14:50
Last modified: 01 Apr 2019 14:50
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/33839

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