Susannah Stern provided information about adolescent authorship online in her article, “Producing Sites, Exploring Identities: Youth Online Authorship.” Key concepts were identified as common threads throughout the article. The three common threads identified in the article were identity evaluation, personal growth and developmental social/cultural motivations. The following interpretation of these common threads will provide supporting information about the social/cultural phenomena and beneficial factors of adolescent authorship.
The first common thread concept, identity evaluation was addressed “as how one subjectively views oneself over time and across situations.” As today’s youth start asking self-evaluation questions such as “who am I?” and “who will I be?” they develop a need to explore and discover. The quest to explore and discover concepts about their identity has resulted in teens calling out for clarification in public and private spheres. The public sphere of online personal home pages and personal blogs was the media of choice. The authorship of content over time published online provided teens with the freedom to inquire, gain feedback and discuss identity issues they have experienced in a chronological manner. The freedom of expression experienced through online authorship provided today’s youth with a forum to conduct self-examination that provided clarity as well as public perceptions about topics in a low risk setting. Therefore, this low risk setting allowed adolescents’ to process and analyze their personal growth and development.
The second common thread was illustrated through adolescent growth and development. Through the developmental stages today’s adolescents have transformed themselves from their actual self to a more ideal self through the use of online dialogue. According to Stern, 2008, their “personal sites provide forums for cathartic release of pent-up feelings,” a forum for relevant, deep, introspective thoughts, and an opportunity to gain feedback about personal ideas about media and culture industries that inform them of others perceptions. As they grew to understand themselves in the world they took pride in their home page presentation, they refined their publications and strived to present quality work and gain respect from their readers. As they became more creative and artistic in how they represented themselves online they became socially/culturally motivated.
The third common thread social/cultural motivations have driven today’s adolescent and influenced them as they expressed themselves online. The freedom of self-expression along with corresponding feedback from their readers provided them with relevant connections and relationships in the world. Therefore, their publications gained a more global perspective not limited to their local community but to a larger culture. These cultural connections opened up their opportunity to explore again through what Gee, 2001 referred to as “passion communities” with high standards and peer pressure. After they established themselves online today’s youth wanted to validate themselves and solicited feedback from social groups. Social acceptance to teens is greatly desired. Stern, 2008 states “adolescents frequently view and value themselves based on how they are viewed and valued by others.” As they gained confirmation, validation and respect they began to establish “who they are?” and “who they will become?” The online authorship process has provided today’s adolescent with a forum to evaluate their identity, conduct meaningful dialogue as they go through developmental stages and changes, and align themselves with social/cultural groups of common interest. These activities are a few of the beneficial factors of adolescent online authorship.
In conclusion the common threads of identity evaluation, personal growth and developmental social/cultural motivations were addressed in the article. These common threads provided through the article written by Savannah Stern, confirmed my personal beliefs and interpretation of what online authorship has done for today’s youth. Our youth have benefited and grown intrinsically through the online authorship process.
For more information and data please go to Teens and the Internet: The Future of Digital Diversity
