‘They need to read the classics.’

Do they? Really? I often wonder what would happen if we did free choice reading throughout school. I’ve lost count of the number of students who have admitted, sometimes sheepishly, that they completed an assignment without reading the assigned text, and I just want to say, me too, kid, me too… (never at uni, though (promise!))!

In 2016, I was involved in an Action Research Project where I reflected upon my effectiveness as an English teacher and engaged in research to better support my students with reading and writing in the classroom. It was in the initial stages of the project that I was introduced to the work of Nancie Atwell who writes on the power of reading workshop and student choice of reading material (2015). On this controversial topic Atwell has penned countless articles, published books, and in 1990 she actually started a school which focused on the explicit teaching of the skills of writing and reading, but the main tenant, underpinning the success of the students who attend the school, is student choice of what to write, and what to read (Center for Teaching and Learning [CTL], n.d., para. 4). The notion of reading for pleasure in the classroom fits so perfectly with the work of Fiske (2010, p. 44) and his discussion of the ‘everyday pleasure’ of popular culture, and Johnson’s (2005, p. 14) reiteration of the inherent value of popular culture.

Reading is a highly personal undertaking and crucial to the development of literacy skills, and yet, so often the preferred method of ‘reading’ at school is students borrowing a teacher-chosen-class-novel, reading a chapter at a time while completing comprehension questions, and then writing a literary essay. And we wonder why students don’t read for pleasure outside of school? It seems as if we pin our desperate hopes – for that single assigned novel, in its shining glory of literary value, textual integrity, and all those gosh darn beautiful metaphors, to suddenly metamorphize our non-reading students into the literati. Wilhelm (2016, p. 31) will attest, that ignoring the link between pleasure and motivation is, and this won’t come as a shock to anyone who has tried to force someone to read something, not very helpful in creating readers.

The common reality in schools is that students’ self-determinacy is very low on the list of priorities and there are many reasons for this, there is a  syllabus to teach, accountability measures, assessment for, of, and as learning, literacy targets, etc. etc. but it really is possible and I am with Wilhelm (2016, p. 32) here, imperative, to prioritise pleasure when it comes to reading (I would also argue the same for writing, but that’s an idea for another post!). I changed my perspective on the ‘class novel’ after reading In the Middle (Atwell, 2015) and realised there were other ways to do things, and so, where I could, I made changes and one of those changes was the ‘class novel’. Some students enjoy the practice of laboriously poring over a single text, and I also find it riveting, but when teaching I am always desperately hoping all 30-students, from wildly different backgrounds, with a range of convictions, hopes, and dreams I would likely never comprehend (as someone several decades older than them) will like the book I chose from the book room that was the best of the three options left, and, there were 30-copies, in reasonable condition.

This approach doesn’t inspire much joy, and it doesn’t create a culture of reading and this is where things start to fester – reading brings pleasure, sure, but it also counters social disadvantage, and offers a way to engage in the discourses of the wider world (Wilhelm, 2016, pp. 32-33). There is an idea that if students engage with the canon they will forever be changed by the power of literature and will acknowledge the immense possibilities offered by the written word and they will be readers henceforth, and that anything in the realm of popular culture is a waste (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 33).  It is perhaps like eating ice-cream for dinner—delicious but not something any self-respecting grown up would do (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 33). I would argue, though, that secretly we do sometimes want ice-cream for dinner and the abandoning of the rules and structures, to do something that is fun and pleasurable is a delight and important, but even this is a false equivalency as reading a young adult novel isn’t the ‘ice-cream’ of the literature food pyramid, reading is reading, and inherently valuable (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 37). If we stick with the ice-cream metaphor, we’ve missed the point, and we fall into the Arnoldian territory of placing a value judgement on stories that appeal to young people, diverse voices that might not otherwise be heard, an interaction between our students and the expression of our world’s cultures as they stand, today (Takacs, 2014, p. 2). Is it not a highly sophisticated undertaking, and therefore valuable, to read contemporary stories that innately, regardless of intention, offer some insight into society as it is (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 33)? 

The act of reading in school could be seen as a nudge to high culture and this is often cemented by the teacher’s choice of text, so many students therefore, rebel against the pressure to read as it is not a pursuit that provides them with value (Fiske, 2010, p. 46). So why do we take an ‘Eat your vegetables!’ stance on reading and glorify the classics when this practice does not foster a love of reading? We understand that reading is wildly beneficial – published texts have been written, edited, and revised but a little bit of that moral panic creeps in and those young adult texts go right out the window (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 33; Johnson, 2005, p. 14). An English writing lesson your student may have experienced or you may have taught is ‘write what you know’ which I take to mean that one’s experiences ground the writing and allow the exploration of the unknown, and I think this is a great way to think about reading – let students ‘read what they know’ and they will learn more and more and their reading world will open before them (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 37).

Here are some fabulous resources on reading:

‘Raising Readers’ by Megan Daley

‘How to Raise a Reader’ by Pamela Paul

Your Kid’s Next Read with Megan Daley and Allison Tait

Center for Teaching and Learning Reading List

Book Suggestions - Year 7/Year 8

Challenge Card (below)

Here are some questions you could ask to generate conversation about YA novels:

1. What is the last YA book that you read? What would you rate it out of 10 and who would you recommend it to?
2. Who is your favourite YA author?
3. What makes a novel suited for a young adult audience?
4. What is your favourite type of story to read within the overarching genre of YA?
5. Do you think YA is as important as say, classic literature? Why or why not?
6. Do you think YA is valued by peers/teachers/parents/society? Why/why not?
7. Where do you find out about new YA books?
8. Do you prefer one off titles or series?
9. Do you have an all-time favourite YA book? What would you rate it out of 10 and who would you recommend it to?
10. Where do you access most of your books?
11. Are you interested in trying books outside those aimed at a young adult audience?
12. Have you ever re-read a YA book?
13. Have you or would you ever consider listening to a YA audiobook? Why/why not?
14. If you were to write a YA book, what would it be about?
15. If you were to adapt your favourite YA book for the screen, which actors would play each of the characters?

Reference List

Atwell, N. (2015). In the Middle. Heinemann. 

Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). About CTL. http://c-t-l.org/about-ctl/ 

Fiske, J. (2010). Understanding Popular Culture. Routledge.

Johnson, S. (2005). Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Today’s Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter. Riverhead Books.

Takacs, T. (2015). Interrogating Popular Culture: Key Questions. Routledge.

Wilhelm, J. D. (2016). Recognising the power of pleasure: What engaged adolescent readers get from their free-choice reading, and how teachers can leverage this for all. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 39(2), pp. 30-41.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Reading Challenge by Kira Bryant

'All she does is scroll.'

Oh, dude, so do I! But think about it for a moment, what is she scrolling? We may purport that young people are engaging in a ‘mindless’ pastime but when I am just ‘scrolling’ I am often in a research rabbit hole after seeing an interesting book on Instagram. I search how much the book costs to buy, whether my local library has it in stock, or whether I should use a precious Audible credit and listen to it instead, but then I think…maybe I shouldn’t have Audible, because I read on Twitter that Amazon doesn’t treat its employees very well and then I wonder if there is an alternate platform for audiobooks and do some research there. And then, I think… what about GoodReads… that is also an Amazon product… but if I delete GoodReads how will I remember what I read and what will happen to my reading challenge!?

I digress. But, let’s take stock – this is recount of my social media usage and how I find myself learning many interesting things (and wasting a bit of time, but that’s neither here nor there…unless I have an assignment to do!) but I bet it is different to how you use social media, and it is most definitely different to how young (individual) people use social media (young people are not a homogenous group). They have a range of interests, engage in a range of offline and online communities, and these factors influence the myriad meaningful ways in which they engage in the online world (Jenkins et al., 2016, p. 24).

Social Media Mix 3D Icons - Mix #2 by Visual Content available under a CC 2.0

So, scrolling. It is a relatively new term and according to Merriam Webster, (n.d. para. 4), is it the habit of moving through digital content as if one is ‘unrolling a scroll’ – pretty cool, right (did you know that the representation of a real-world item in another form is known as skeuomorphism?)! What might a young person be ‘scrolling’? Let’s be honest, it could be anything, but at some point, (and for the purpose of this discussion), it is likely social media accounts to see who has made a new post, appreciating the aesthetic content of a favourite Instagram influencer, seeing what is new on a video hosting and making app like Snapchat or TikTok, or maybe they are online to create their own content – posts, photographs, images, videos in what is an expression of their identity (which may or may not be the one they embody in offline life) (Jenkins, et al., 2016, p. 27; Dowdall, 2009, p. 45). It is an entire world, and just as complex and diverse as the offline spaces young people inhabit, and just as important (Jenkins et al., 2016, p. 24). The discourse around social media has become more complex over time but alongside the elements that may make us grown-ups feel a little uneasy (we were young once, right, we know what young people get up to – look how many letter boxes were blown up in days gone by!) there are aspects worth considering and a blanket ban, if a problem happens to arise, is not the answer when there is so much to positivity that will be lost in the process (Jenkins et al., 2016, p. 26).

Jenkins et al., (2016, pp. 28-29) explores where this feeling of uneasiness may arise – in the depth of the knowing that social media allows. Adults expect the worst because there is a link that happens in our minds between the activities we engaged in (which may or may not have involved the explosion of letterboxes), with the unknown entity of online spaces (Jenkins et al., 2016, pp. 30-31; Buckingham, 2014, p. 94). There is a bit of a sense of well, we know what we got up to without all that online stuff, so the moral panic gains traction (Jenkins et al., 2016, pp. 30-31; Buckingham, 2014, p. 94). The public nature of online spaces allows parents to see their child engaging in social interactions more than ever before and henceforth there is now an idea that good parenting is synonymous with a surveillance exercise that would rival the ASIO (Jenkins et al., 2016, pp. 30-31; Buckingham, 2014, p. 94). Perhaps the real issue is that we, and our young people, have difficulty navigating the complexity of social interactions offline and as well as on and that our collective resilience at dealing with difficult situations needs some work (Jenkins et al., 2016, pp. 30-31). 

The controversy around social media, especially during the pandemic has been ferocious. Beyond the usual spate of news articles concerning the safety of teenagers, accounts of and instances of bullying, and the impact on body image and the like, the debate around the safety, the veracity of what is hosted on social media platforms, and the impact social media has had upon public health has thrown another spanner into the public discourse on social media (Snowden, 2016, para. 6). Let’s go back to youth and social media though. Parents and teachers have valid concerns about social media usage as far as safety, negative social interactions, and the possibility of predators (and the threat of this alone is enough to keep us up at night), but there is heartening evidence in the research that it is simply not happening at the rate we would be led to believe by the media and the amount of ‘how to spot a bully’ seminars kids are required to attend (Jenkins et al., 2016, p. 30). We need to be mindful of these things, of course, so let’s expand the conversation to teach about safety in both online and offline spaces, provide support to young people navigating difficult situations online and consider how we can best help our young people to mindful of their digital footprint (Buckingham, 2013, p. 94).

Automotive Social Media Marketing by socialautomotive available under a CC 2.0

No one wants to deprive a young person of a rich and fulfilling life ‘off screen’ but what are young people gaining from their time online, and what is it that they are doing? It is likely that they are having a lot of fun, and that is no mean feat, being a teenager can be a drag (you remember this too, right?) so a creative outlet that allows self-expression, an exploration of identity during a formative period, and the building of new or maintenance of existing communities is likely the reason why social media is where many young people spend their time (Fiske, 2010, p. 44). There are spaces for every kind of subculture and hobby and interest online—writing fan-fiction, fashion, drawing, video games, sport—anything, which is bolstering for young people exploring their identity and engaging in activities that bring them joy (Fiske, 2010, p. 44; Jenkins et al., 2016, p. 27). Online spaces offer respite for those who may not be able to find their people in their offline lives and this is where this is another worthwhile consideration, a lack of access to online spaces it is another way that class plays out in real time reducing the autonomy and space a young person is able to inhabit and cutting them off from the world (Jenkins et al., 2016, p. 27; Buckingham, 2013, pp. 33-34).

The social interaction of social media is a key aspect that makes the various apps and platforms so appealing to young people but whether it is Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat or any number of social media platforms, (but likely not Twitter or Facebook, because they’re for ‘old people’, apparently*) there are a range of skills required to use the apps to their full potential (Johnson, 2005, p. 9; Dowdall, 2009, p. 45). Johnson (2005, p. 11) espouses the value of the intellectually complex task of engaging in online spaces to present an online version of oneself, write for a particular audience and purpose, and construct images or videos that fit within the particular aesthetic style preferred by the creator. Consider the choreography, rehearsals, recording, and timing required to film a dance video to upload to TikTok or as a reel on Instagram as well as the video editing, not to mention live streaming (Johnson, 2005, p. 11; Dowdall, 2009, p. 44). Considering this is the way that many small businesses market their products, there is definitely value in the skills of using social media well (Johnson, 2005, p. 11; Dowdall, 2009, p. 44).

*Anecdotal - lots of young people in my classes have told me this, highlighting the fact that I know absolutely nothing.

The media consumption of young people has always been a contention—are they doing what they ‘should’ be doing? Which is, what exactly? Do we want them to do what we used to do – chat to friends, play handball, eat lunch? We needn’t worry because all these things are still happening, there’s just a few more options now (Jenkins et al., 2016, p. 24; Buckingham, 2013, pp. 78-79).

Here are some articles on social media that might be of interest:

Social media apps are ‘deliberately’ addictive to users

How parents and teens can reduce the impact of social media on youth well-being

When it comes to kids and social media, it’s not all bad news

Snapchat has its risks but it’s a powerful tool for youth creativity and socialisation

Teenagers need our support, not criticism, as they navigate life online

Blocking kids from social media won’t solve the problem of cyberbullying

Here are some questions you could ask to generate conversation about social media:

1. What are your top three favourite social media apps?
2. Do you spend an equal amount of time on each of the three?
3. Are you friends with the same people on each of the apps? Why/why not?
4. Summarise the purpose of each app in a few words for each.
5. Do you think social media has a positive impact upon society? Why/why not?
6. If you were unable to use social media ever again, what would you miss the most?
7. What is a day where you spent the longest time of social media?
8. What happened on the day you spent the least amount of time on social media?
9. Can friendships survive without social media?
10. Do you follow accounts of people who aren’t friends? Which is your favourite, and why?
11. Does social media make you more aware of issues in the world?
12. Are your social media tastes the same as your friends?
13. What is the most annoying thing about social media?
14. What is the best thing about social media?
15. If you could change one thing about social media, what would it be?

Reference List

Buckingham, D. (2013). Beyond technology: Children's learning in the age of digital culture. Polity Press.

Dowdall, C. (2009). Masters and critics: Children as producers of online digital texts. In V. Carrington & M. Robinson (Eds.), Digital Literacies: Social learning and classroom practices (pp. 43-61). Sage.

Fiske, J. (2010). Understanding Popular Culture. Routledge.

Jenkins, H., Ito, M., & boyd, d. (2016). Participatory Culture in a Networked Era: A Conversation on Youth, Learning, Commerce, and Politics. Polity Press.

Johnson, S. (2005). Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Today’s Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter. Riverhead Books.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Scroll. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scroll

Snowden, C. (2016). I’m right, you’re wrong, and here’s a link to prove it: how social media shapes public debate. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/im-right-youre-wrong-and-heres-a-link-to-prove-it-how-social-media-shapes-public-debate-65723

Automotive Social Media Marketing by socialautomotive available under a CC 2.0

‘They’re just playing Minecraft.'

Dozens of students enter the library during both recess and lunch to play Minecraft. They walk in, laptops under their arms, often still chewing a mouthful of food that they hastily shoved in while walking from their class to the library. Their two 30-minute breaks are their time, to eat and use the restroom, sure, but mainly to continue their Minecraft gameplay. My colleagues in the library, and I, have all admitted on various occasions that we have no idea what is so enthralling about the game of Minecraft. The natural colour palette of greens, browns and blues looks pleasant enough, but to the untrained eye the ‘blocky’ gameplay of Minecraft is strangely reminisce of games circa 1990, and aren’t graphics meant to be, like, good, now? This apparent pixelated simplicity is where Minecraft’s real complexity lies and where it allows for unimaginable possibilities.

Minecraft Cube by Albin Olsson available under a CC BY-ND 3.0

Let’s talk about constructivism for a moment. Kuhlthau et al. (2015, p. 15) espouses the significance ‘engaging students in stimulating encounters with information and ideas’ to achieve deep learning. The literal construction embedded in the gameplay of Minecraft aligns with the elements of constructivism including being an active participant, reflection, and high levels of motivation (Kuhlthau et al., 2015, p. 15). There are several elements to consider at this point, firstly, that young people are able to play Minecraft minigames competitively, but Minecraft provides greater satisfaction through collaborative gameplay (Stuart, 2019, para. 9). Young people learn the skills required to play and create within the interface of the game and the adaptability and curiosity to play successfully, in many cases are aspects that transfer to different contexts. They also have an opportunity to be part of a team and all that encompasses—leadership, decision making, and compromise. 

The library may be filled with students playing competitively, but they are also creating worlds, contributing to shared resources, collaborating, problem solving, and also, having a lot of fun in their breaks between classes (Kuhlthau et al., 2015, p. 19; Fiske, 2010, p. 41). Minecraft offers a realm of possibilities as far as the gameplay and world creation goes. It is possible to design avatars and build all kinds of objects and places in creative mode and this is where it becomes a useful tool for school—we may not be able to attend a play during a pandemic, but Minecraft Education can give students the opportunity to build The Globe Theatre (Farber, 2016, para. 4). The level of skill required to build a real-world location in Minecraft is immense and would be an ideal task for a team of students (Fiske, 2010, p. 45). Consider how well this concept fits into the constructivist model of learning—active engagement in the learning process, building on what they have learnt in class and conducting further research, problem solving, collaborating with peers, and ongoing learning through the experience of adapting a real-world location into the game (Kuhlthau et al., 2015, p. 15). 

CmScreenshotsComp512px by Glitchunpatched available under a CC BY-ND 3.0

The convergence of media is evident in the way that Minecraft has transformed from its original ideation on PC to be a popular platform across many gaming consoles as well as populating video hosting sites like YouTube (Buckingham, 2016, pp. 78-79; T. Porter, personal communication, October 24, 2021). The way that it combines competitive gameplay with world creation also places it within the realm of convergence which is to say that it offers such broad experiences to users (Buckingham, 2016, p. 79). I spoke to my nephew for to fine tune my understanding of the game and it was evident, that the way that young people play the game depends greatly on the device they are using as there are different editions for PC, Xbox, Switch, and even mobile devices (T. Porter, personal communication, October 24, 2021). He assured me that there were positives and negatives of each, and he told me of his preferences given the technology he has available to him and what his parents allow him to use. I got a sense that Minecraft in both a literal and figurative sense fits into the ‘sandbox’ description with the capacity for individualised and creative gameplay (Chapman, 2011, para. 1: Kuhlthau et al., 2015, p. 15).

Now, the nitty gritty… could our kids get into strife while playing Minecraft? Let’s start with the cost. There is a one-off cost to purchase the game but there are some limitations in that, on some platforms, this does not allow a user to play with friends. For this to happen (and again, some of this information does depend on what console the game is played on), a subscription must be purchased and alongside access to regular game play, a server is provided, and this how one hosts games for others. An added benefit of a server is parental controls and there is an extra layer of modification possible as the user who holds the server is also able to set the in-game rules. The subscription fee could be prohibitive for many. The way that many young people access Minecraft is via accounts set up for school. For students with an Office365 account, Minecraft Education is available for free. Students will then have the opportunity to participate in learning-based maths and coding games and the freedom to use the subscription to build worlds and play with friends, beyond the scope of school assignments (Fiske, 2010, p. 44; Bowen, 2020, para. 3). 

Overall, the level of safety within the Minecraft platform really stood out to me, and I really did try to poke holes into the armour (there must be a LOT of enchants at work – that’s a Minecraft joke!). Young people with access to the game may play as individuals, with friends nearby, or online but even when they are online there are chat filters, parental controls, and ways to block other players which hopefully means the only baddies are those in-game – like ‘mobs’ of spiders, zombies, creepers (which, according to my nephew were actually first designed as pigs but there was a glitch, but they were kept in the game as Creepers. I was told to compare images of the two to see for myself—I have included the link below!) (T. Porter, personal communication, October 24, 2021; Mobs in Minecraft, 2011, para. 6). It is possible to report those who are not engaging in an appropriate manner, but I will reiterate, I am not naïve to think that every single member of the Minecraft community has only the best interests of fellow gamers in mind (Dowdall, 2009, p. 45). Being mindful of teaching moments around online safety would be useful.

SealbudsmanFace by SealbudsMan available under a CC BY-ND 3.0

The world building simply for the pleasure of creating is really highlighted in the create mode of Minecraft and the cognitive processes used for designs make it more than just a game (Fiske, 2010, p. 45; Johnson, 2005, p. 9). Considering the skills required of young people during competitive modes of  survival, minigames, and hardcore (this is when you have one in-game life, only!) as well, to determine what materials they need, to build shelter, find food, cook food, monitor their health, and build their in-game skill levels so they are able to strengthen their belongings with enchants, and the like, I think recess and lunch could be spent in worse ways!

Here are some questions you could ask to generate conversation about Minecraft:

1. What do you call yourself in Minecraft? Why did you decide upon this name?
2. What does your avatar look like? Have you ever downloaded a new ‘skin’?
3. Do you ever play competitive Minecraft? What do you like about this mode of gameplay?
4. Have you built any worlds in Minecraft? Are these from your imagination or are they based on real places?
5. What is the most difficult thing to do in Minecraft?
6. What do you enjoy most about Minecraft?
7. What is the most annoying thing about Minecraft?
8. Who are your favourite people to collaborate with in Minecraft? What do you each bring to the team?
9. If you could change one thing about Minecraft, what would it be?
10. How is playing at night, in the game, different to the daylight hours? Do you often make your avatar sleep through the night or are you on the lookout for monsters?
11. Do you chat to friends while playing Minecraft?
12. What is your favourite material to mine, in the game?
13. If someone younger than you is about to sign up to play Minecraft, how would you teach them to be safe while they play?
14. What would you rate the game out of 10? Who would you recommend the game to?
15. Summarise Minecraft in three words.

A little bit of help if you have no idea what this post is about:

What is Minecraft?

Minecraft Differences Between Creative, Survival, and Hardcore Game Modes

Mobs in Minecraft (these are the in-game goodies, and baddies)

Minecraft Skins

How Minecraft Creepers Originated From A Pig Accident 

 

Minecraft at 10: a decade of building things and changing lives

Common Sense Media - Minecraft

And a few (actually, there’s a lot…) Minecraft items for those who need a gift idea (there’s even books!):

Big W

Target

Kmart

Reference List

Bowen, R. (2020). A Look At Minecraft: Education Edition & How To Play. Moms. https://www.moms.com/minecraft-education-edition-details/ 

Buckingham, D. (2013). Beyond technology: Children's learning in the age of digital culture. Polity Press.

Chapman, D. (2011). Minecraft. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/minecraft 

Dowdall, C. (2009). Masters and critics: Children as producers of online digital texts. In V. Carrington & M. Robinson (Eds.), Digital Literacies: Social learning and classroom practices (pp. 43-61). Sage.

Farber, M. (2016). 3 Ways to Use Game Based Learning. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-ways-use-game-based-learning-matthew-farber 

Fiske, J. (2010). Understanding Popular Culture. Routledge.

Johnson, S. (2005). Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Today’s Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter. Riverhead Books.

Kuhlthau, C. C., Maniotes, L. K., & Caspari, A. K. (2015). Guided Inquiry; learning in the 21^st Century (2^nd ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Mobs in Minecraft. (2011). Minecraft101.net. http://www.minecraft101.net/r/mobs.html 

Stuart, K. (2019). Minecraft at 10: a decade of building things and changing lives. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/may/18/minecraft-at-10-building-things-and-changing-lives 

‘He is on the computer, again!’

This is the typical refrain that I hear from my in-laws about what their 12-year-old son has been up to and when I ask, ‘What is he doing on the computer?’ in unison they reply, ‘nothing!’ It got me thinking… if someone saw me on my computer and said that I was doing ‘nothing’ that would make me feel rather inadequate as if the hobbies and activities that were interesting to me were not worth talking about. With some probing I was able to determine what my nephew was actually doing on his laptop which was (J. Mulcahy, personal communication, October 9, 2021): 

• adding a voiceover to gameplay and uploading machinima to his YouTube channel
• interacting with friends
• playing Minecraft 
• playing Roblox
• creating items for his Roblox avatar

The idea that these activities are ‘nothing’ highlights perhaps what is a clash of value systems and a misunderstanding of the complex skills needed to execute any of the tasks required to create online content and engage in online game play (Johnson, 2005, p. 11). My students play Roblox, too, and the above interaction was enough to give me pause. I regularly speak to students about the books they read, but as for those who are playing computer games, I haven’t felt knowledgeable enough to have a meaningful conversation. On reflection I realised I have work to do – I certainly haven’t read every book in the library but I can talk about books, why can’t I be adjacent to other forms of media? My bias exists, and henceforth I have conducted some research on Roblox, and I will follow up this post with other areas of interest including Minecraft, social media, books aimed at teenagers, and just in case you are out of your depth like me and my in-laws, some suggested conversation topics to get you up to speed with your children or students wiling away the day on their favourite game, social media app, or reading a YA novel. 

Isaac's Island in Roblox - Animal Crossing clone by avlxyz available under a CC 2.0

Before we embark on an overview of Roblox, let’s start with the concept of ‘pull media’ (Buckingham, 2013, p. 77). The design of modern media, including video games, falls into the category of ‘pull media’ with high levels of engagement, a non-linear structure, and interactivity that has led to the creation of a space that is vastly different to the monologic media forms of the past. I guess this is where many of us get the ‘heeby jeebies’ – kids talking to other people while they play games? They’re in a game with 28 random individuals? Peeps, the days of Yoshi and Mario on Nintendo Gameboy and DS are well and truly, over, (well, I’m holding on tightly to my DS). To highlight the difference, Buckingham (2013, p. 77) refers to older forms of media, like television, as ‘push media’ which directs content at the user. Roblox is ‘pull media’ in that it gives space for the user to choose when and how to engage, it requires input in terms of the creation of an avatar and responsive game play, and there is an ongoing interaction between players and creators. The morality judgement about the value of online gaming devalues the way many young people spend their time (Johnson, 2005, p. 14). Just because it isn’t the same as how we spent our time doesn’t mean it is a corrupting influence.

Roblox is both a user plays, and user creates model of platform but there is not necessarily more ‘value’ in either mode. There are various appeals for young people in the ‘play’ mode—designing an avatar (what a great way to capture aspects of their identity online (Jenkins, 2016, p. 31)), accruing items and in-game currency, ‘Robux’ (which I will elaborate upon in a moment), seeking out the games of favourite creators, playing a particular style of game, and really there is a ‘give and take’ notion of contributing to a data set for the game creator by providing feedback about elements of the game. The ‘creator’ side of the game really highlights Dowdall’s (2009, pp. 44-45) exploration about the constructivist nature of content creation and the power of learning outside the realms of formalised schooling. When creating within Roblox, a user may design entire games that start with a simple walkthrough to entire worlds. Experienced players with time on their hands can be very successful in this space and really, the only limit is their imagination (J. Mulcahy, personal communication, October 23, 2021). The affordances of the platform are developing alongside the expertise of users keeping it ever engaging with new content and options (Buckingham, 2013, 77). Roblox also allows the development of items like clothing for avatars within the platform which can then be offered to other players for purchase (J. Mulcahy & A. Mulcahy, personal communication, October 23, 2021). The sophisticated skills required to inhabit the realm of Roblox in both player and creator mode highlights the inherent value of the platform where young people can be immersed and engaged in a space while learning a range of skills that transfer to use in other contexts (Johnson, 2005, 9; Kuhlthau et al., 2015, p. 19).

Established in 2006, the game, according to YouTuber, I Am Your Target Demographic (2021, 3:56), has had a rush of popularity in response to the lockdowns required during the global health pandemic as it allows young people to stay in contact with their friends as they are able to chat while they play. Roblox has various parental controls available so the game can be locked down like ye’ old Yoshi and Mario, or players can be allowed to chat with other young people who they may know from school or extra-curricular activities. The interactivity offered requires young people to conduct themselves via a complex social contract in both communication and play as various games require collaboration and items may be traded (Jenkins, 2016, pp. 27-28; Johnson, 2005, p. 9).  Roblox currently offers a text chat function, but voice chat is a feature that will be released imminently to make this feature even more immersive (J. Mulcahy, personal communication, October 23, 2021). 

The joy that the game brings to users is not to be diminished but it is also a space where creativity and the skills required to create games and items, are honed alongside complex social interactions around trades of animals in ‘Adopt Me’ style games, and financial literacy required to manage Robux (I Am Your Target Demographic, 2021, 2:30; Fiske, 2010, p. 41). Beyond what is a range of positive aspects we should remember that Roblox is a business, and there are things of which we must be mindful. Roblox is a ‘hosting’ site like social media and YouTube, that stores user generated content, and it is a company, not an altruistic non-for-profit platform for tweens to chat to their friends. The nefarious side, of course, is that there is money to be made. While there is plenty of free content available to players, and some in-game currency is generated through game play and events, real bucks are required to purchase ‘Robux’ and this ups the ante on game play (A. Mulcahy, personal communication, October 23, 2021). Monthly subscriptions are available so players can make in-game purchases and it is these virtual belongings that make money for creators – if someone creates a game, they can embed items throughout the game that must be purchased to continue or to engage in the game in some way. Mind, though, that it is not just the creator who benefits from the sale of goods within the game. Roblox takes a 30% cut (CNBC, 2021, 3:32). To buy 100 000 in game Robux costs $1000 but selling 100000 back to Roblox? Well, that will earn just $350 and there is also a fee to withdraw real world dollars (D’Anastasio, 2021, para. 9). It seems that Roblox is definitely earning the big bucks.

Anyone who has children to buy a gift for rather appreciates the process of transmediation of which Roblox has taken full advantage. There is a range of books, action figures, and gift cards available in amounts of $10, $25, and $50 allowing users to buy in game Robux. Gift cards may offer a discrete way of allowing players to purchase in game rather than connecting a real-life credit card to an account. I did type ‘Is Roblox suitable for a 12-year old’ and landed on the expected ‘moral panic’ listing the dangers of the game (Jenkins et al., 2016, pp. 24-25). I just wanted to say, yes, Family Zone (2021, para. 7), the internet, and specifically, online fames, like any ‘room filled with strangers’ could harbour shady characters but real world, or online world, the stranger danger rules apply. We teach our young people to be careful in public places and this is just a little reminder, to continue such lessons so our young people are able to interact safely, while saving some of their pocket money, in the online world of Roblox.  

Roblox gift card in a hand over gift cards background by Gifty Cards available under a CC 2.0

Here are some questions you could ask to generate conversation about Roblox:

1. What does your avatar look like? Why have you decided on that outfit and features?
2. Have you ever made any items for your avatar? What have you made? Would you consider making some?
3. How long did it take you to make the items? What kinds of skills do you need to make things for the game?
4. What are your favourite types of games in Roblox?
5. Do you have a favourite game creator?
6. Have you ever created a game? What was the most exciting part of creating your own game? What was the most challenging?
7. What do you like most about Roblox?
8. What do you like least about Roblox?
9. What do you think about Robux? Is it better to play with some Robux in your account? Can you have just as much fun without Robux? 
10. Do you communicate with your friends during game play? What is the best game experience you have had with friends?
11. Have you played a Roblox Event? Have you won any event items? 
12. Have you traded any items in Roblox? How did you go about making sure the trade was fair?
13. If someone younger than you is about to sign up for a Roblox account, how would you teach them to be safe while they play?
14. What would you rate the game out of 10? Who would you recommend the game to?
15. Summarise Roblox in three words.

Check out the transmediation stockists… (Now that I have a bit more of a clue, I will likely be buying a few gift cards for my nephews to thank them for their help with writing this post!).

Popular retailers:

Big W

Target

EB Games

JB HI-FI

A little bit of help if you have no idea what this post is about:

What is Roblox? Why do people play it?

2020 Roblox Trailer

2019 Roblox Trailer

How Roblox Became A $30 Billion company

Common Sense Media - Parents' Ultimate Guide to Roblox

Reference List

Buckingham, D. (2013). Beyond technology: Children's learning in the age of digital culture. Polity Press.

CNBC. (2021, February 13). #CNBC How Roblox Became a $30 Billion Company. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXV9RV0s5pA 

D’Anastasio, C. (2020). On Roblox, Kids Learn It’s Hard to Earn Money Making Games. Wired. https://www.wired.com/story/on-roblox-kids-learn-its-hard-to-earn-money-making-games/ 

Dowdall, C. (2009). Masters and critics: Children as producers of online digital texts. In V. Carrington & M. Robinson (Eds.), Digital Literacies: Social learning and classroom practices (pp. 43-61). Sage.

Family Zone. (2021). Roblox: What parents must know about this dangerous game for kids. Family Zone. https://www.familyzone.com/anz/families/blog/roblox-parents-review 

Fiske, J. (2010). Understanding Popular Culture. Routledge.

I Am Your Target Demographic. (2021, April 8). I Am Your Target Demographic – What is Roblox? Why do people play it? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU2pLJiptzA

Johnson, S. (2005). Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Today’s Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter. Riverhead Books.

Kuhlthau, C. C., Maniotes, L. K., & Caspari, A. K. (2015). Guided Inquiry; learning in the 21^st Century (2^nd ed.). Libraries Unlimited.