Time, Education, and Youth Culture: An Anthropological Analysis of Temporal Literacies in the Digital Age

• In Event: Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: Digital and Media Contexts of Language and Literacy

Abstract

Time can be conceptualized as a form of literacy, characterized by particular values and practices that vary across cultures and contexts. The construct of time is thus central to understanding student learning and educational processes. However, the widespread integration of information and communication technologies is changing how people experience time. This analysis examines how virtual temporal realities are (a) transforming youth cultural practices and educational processes and (b) disrupting the traditional assumptions of linear time. Findings suggest that today’s students are developing and learning in a society characterized by temporal disorder, requiring them to master multiple, often contrasting, temporal literacies. Within this new sociocultural context, innovative approaches to research and practice are needed to facilitate students’ academic success.

Authors

• Julia Cassman Duncheon, University of Southern California

• William G. Tierney, University of Southern California