Identity Online
October 2007 - September 2009(Contact: Dr James Simpson)
Funded By: British Academy
The aim of this project is to establish how adult learners of ESOL construct textual identities in their electronic literacy practices using networked computer media both within and outside their places of learning. That is, how do they identify themselves, and how are they identified by others, in their online literacy practices? How do these practices differ in and out of class?
There are three objectives:
- to ascertain the range of opportunities which multilingual learners have for developing electronic literacy skills within their places of learning;
- to identify the scope and nature of multilingual learners' electronic literacy practices outside their formal places of learning;
- to discern and describe the features of multilingual learners' online linguistic behaviour which relate to identity both within and outside their formal places of learning.
The first year of the project (2007-2008) is taking place in three intermediate-level ESOL classes. In the second year (2008-2009) it moves outside classrooms to investigate multilingual students’ electronic literacy practices at work, at places of leisure activity and at home.
This project last updated by James Simpson on 10th October 2007.