Exploring Critical Digital Literacy Practices

In this book, Jessica Zacher Pandya examines the everyday videomaking practices of students in a dual language, under-resourced school in order to explore the ways children interrogate their worlds, the kinds of identities they craft, and the language and literacy learning practices that emerge from digital video production. Focusing on vulnerable populations who are often left out of innovative in- and out-of-school digital media projects—including English language learners, immigrants, and children with special needs—this book offers an expanded understanding of children’s critical digital literacy practices, and shows how videomaking in the regular curriculum affords opportunities for redistributive social justice. Weaving together pedagogical, methodological, social, and political concerns into her examination of a real-world context, Pandya offers a practical and informative analysis of making videos in schools; examines the impact of videomaking on students’ language use and agency; and adds significantly to current theorizations of digital and new literacies.

"This book provides a powerful and moving documentation of the struggles and importance of purposeful pedagogy and curriculum in one school over the long term, and an affirmation of the work of students, teachers and the school community. It offers a model of respectful collaboration between teachers, students, and researchers that acknowledges the agency of all involved, affirms the importance of resistance and action, while realistically acknowledging its complexity. This book will be warmly welcomed by teachers, teacher educators, school communities, and researchers, in its concern with new media, new literacies, contemporary schooling and social justice."

— Catherine Beavis, Deakin University, Australia

"This book is a goldmine for readers who want access to the latest thinking about integrating digital video creation into language and literacy-related curricula for children. Pandya treats digital video composition as a multifaceted, dynamic set of processes that engage children, teachers, and researchers in complex, multimodal endeavors."

—Jason Ranker, Portland State University, USA

Jessica Zacher Pandya is Chair of Liberal Studies and Professor of Teacher Education and Liberal Studies at California State University, Long Beach, USA.

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