Mediators
This study focuses on mediators of literary work – i.e. teachers – and their engagement in the social media environment Goodreads. The data consists of on an elaborate auto-ethnographic document, which was compiled during a six-month period by 79 students enrolled in the teacher training program at Ghent University. Based on the thematic analysis, the study presents an overview of how mediators describe, experience and negotiate literary communication practices and their own role(s) within social media environments.
Conversation
Diversity
Conflict
Learning to
interpret & evaluate
Thematic analysis of the autho-ethnographic observations and reflections showed that the mediators in the study characterize social media as environments open to conversation, diversity and conflict. They argue that this creates interesting opportunities for supporting and stimulating passionate users to participate in relevant social contexts.
Social media's design and users' practices inspire the mediators to consider how people learn to interpret and evaluate the value assessments of others. The participants in the study stress the importance of encouraging and acknowledging people’s efforts to construct an identity and to exhibit expertise by creating networks of taste and experience.
Guiding novices
Counteracting
narrow interests
The affordances for cultivating and developing a passion are weighed against the downsides for novice users. In light of problems such as an excess of content and the lack of quality control, the mediators feel that a strong case can be made for planning and structuring in order to socialize new users.
The mediators also consider the necessity of counteracting and broadening the preferences and knowledge of users. They believe that some form of guidance and control is necessary to scaffold information, broaden interests, stimulate critical reflection and coach the discussion. Social media are celebrated as affinity spaces, though skepticism is expressed towards the idea of self-directed learning.