Digital Identity and Performance:How Student Identity Construction Can Be Influenced Through Digital Social Media and Expressed Through Theatrical Performance
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Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 2015-06-01 Digital Identity and Performance:How Student Identity Construction can be Influenced Through Digital Social Media and Expressed Through Theatrical Performance Mindy M. Nelsen Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Film and Media Studies Commons, and the Theatre and Performance Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Nelsen, Mindy M., "Digital Identity and Performance:How Student Identity Construction can be Influenced Through Digital Social Media and Expressed Through Theatrical Performance" (2015). Theses and Dissertations. 5566. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5566 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Digital Identity and Performance: How Student Identity Construction Can Be Influenced Through Digital Social Media and Expressed Through Theatrical Performance Mindy M. Nelsen A thesis submitted to the faculty of Brigham Young University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts Amy Petersen Jensen, Chair Rodger Sorenson Lindsay Livingston Department of Theatre and Media Arts Brigham Young University June 2015 Copyright © 2015 Mindy M. Nelsen All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT Digital Identity and Performance: How Student Identity Construction Can Be Influenced Through Digital Social Media and Expressed Through Theatrical Performance Mindy M. Nelsen Department of Theatre and Media Arts Master of Arts Adolescents and teens are surrounded by a myriad of influences that affect how they see and present themselves. Contemporary communication for these young people frequently happens in an online forum through digital social media. The primary purpose of this master’s thesis is to examine the affect of digital social media on adolescent and teen identity construction and perception of self and other. Further research was performed to identify how that identity can be expressed through theatrical performance. The first chapter is a review of current literature, theory and practice of those within the educational paradigm who are trying to incorporate media literacy skills into contemporary pedagogy. An action research project was formulated to create lesson plans that aid students in engaging critically with digital social media and then empowering them with the skills to access, analyze, evaluate and create that media. Students then use their findings in the creation of a devised theatre piece. Chapter Two discusses the methodology involved with the gathering of the data and the process of analysis using open coding. Chapter Three presents the findings and exhibits student work and Chapter Four analyzes the findings and presents a course for future study, research and use of the findings in the contemporary drama classroom. Key Words: [adolescents and teens, devised theatre, digital social media, drama education, identity, media literacy education, media messages, storytelling, technology] ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I need to thank my wonderful intermediate drama students who trusted me on this journey and taught me more about teaching and learning than I could possibly imagine. The past two years of students have loved and supported me through this process and have forgiven me for my shortcomings as I have tried to negotiate this new chapter of my life. My former students have also checked up on me and encouraged me throughout this process, coming in and helping, coaching, supporting and listening. I am a much better teacher because of my students. I am a much better person because of what they teach me every day. Next, I must extend my profound gratitude to my professors who have guided me along this journey, especially Dr. Amy Petersen Jensen, who believed in me when I didn’t know if I could do this and whose guidance and advice has helped make this final work much more rewarding and thoughtful than I could have ever anticipated. Thank you to those on my committee and in this college who reviewed and edited this work. Very special thanks must also go to my amazing cohort in this program: Amy, Bob, Emily and Reilly. I am certain I could not have accomplished any of this without their help, support, and encouragement. These people will be forever my friends and trusted advisors! I must also thank my family and friends who have dealt with the craziness of the past two years and loved me through it. My fellow drama teachers who checked up on me and talked me off metaphorical cliffs. Randy, who has stepped up to the plate and filled in all the gaps I missed and loved and helped my students when I wasn’t there to do it and whose artistry inspires me to see the beauty in everything. Cheryl, who encouraged me daily and was there as a crying shoulder when I needed it. She was able to magically create more time in my day by taking some of my workload. Timbre, who is the most brilliant person I know, a superb copy editor and an extraordinary friend. She helped me negotiate this foreign territory and anticipated my needs before I ever knew I would have them. Mason, who has had to deal with my emotional state and fear and insecurities and throughout it all, he never gave up on me. This extraordinary person never doubted and never stopped making sure I believed in myself and in what I was trying to do. C&I! To my siblings who cheered me on and listened to me complain, thank you so much! To my Grandpa who bought me the computer upon which this thesis was written and encouraged me to always do more and reach higher; I miss you every day! And finally to my parents who taught me the power of education, an extraordinary hard work ethic, the potential of one person to make a difference, and that it’s never too late to go back and follow your dreams. Thank you! Digital Identity and Performance TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ v CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1 THE FLOW OF COMMUNICATION .................................................................................................. 3 ADOLESCENT AND TEEN IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION AND REPRESENTATION ................................ 6 THE CONTEMPORARY THEATRE ARTS CLASSROOM ..................................................................... 7 The Necessity of Technology Inclusion in Classrooms ......................................................... 12 Influences of Digital Social Media ........................................................................................ 17 Digital Storytelling and Documentary Film .......................................................................... 24 Art and Creative Participation .............................................................................................. 27 MEDIA LITERACY EDUCATION AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS ............................................... 30 ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS ......................................................... 33 CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 37 METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................... 37 QUALITATIVE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ................................................................................... 37 ACTION RESEARCH .................................................................................................................... 38 CONTEXT OF STUDY AND PROJECT ............................................................................................. 42 DEVELOPING RESEARCH QUESTIONS ......................................................................................... 43 STUDY PARTICIPANTS AND CLASSROOM ENVIRONS................................................................... 45 STUDENT FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS ..................................................................................... 47 CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................................... 48 METHODS AND PROCEDURES ..................................................................................................... 49 DATA COLLECTION .................................................................................................................... 51 Artifact One: Reflective Journal Responses .......................................................................... 52 Artifact Two: Student Posted Blog Responses (Wiki Entries) ..............................................