1. Introduction Tim Riley University of Westminster Research title Social Media: Digital content creation and sharing across the ages

2. Summary

3. Summary ‘ Publish and filter’ Content is created and shared by users then… edited, re-appropriated, remediated, re-used and mashed-up by other users to create something new.

4. Summary This research investigates how three age groups of people use social media to create and share digital content and will examine their differing levels of digital literacy. Primary research question: How do three age groups of UK web users create and share content online?

5. Studies of Children and Young People

6. Studies of Children and Young People Extreme Positive Don Tapscott argues that the internet has enabled the ‘net generation’ to, “enhanced their intelligence” (Tapscott, 2009:30). The so-called, digital generation Extreme Negative Neuroscientist Lady Susan Greenfield coined the term ‘mind change’ to describe the way she thinks, “IT culture is changing children’s brains” (MacLeod, 2006) and believes it threatens the “quality of our existence” (Sample, 2010). Cautious Nicholas Carr “ The internet lures us. Our brains become addicted to it. And we have to be aware of that, and not let it control us” (Carr, 2010).

10. Communication and Distribution Channels Time based Synchronous – sender and receiver are concurrently engaged in communication Asynchronous – sender and receiver are not concurrently engaged in communication Communication paradigms ‘ one-to-one’ (interpersonal) ‘ one-to-many’ (mass) ‘ many-to-many’ (networked)

11. Age Groups and Communication Technology

13. Recent UK Survey Statistics

14. Content Creation in Context Content creation in the context of this project is defined as: An arrangement of visual and/or audio material that requires some element of composition or editing. Motivations: “ People…[ ]….produce their own content for self-expression and self-actualization” (Shao, 2009:9). “ Obtaining gratification from being recognized and being able to articulate views, thoughts and experiences through content creation online are important determinants in affecting a person’s perceived empowerment” (Leung, 2009:1344).

16. Digital Literacy: Digital Skills and Critical Thinking Skills Allan Martin: “ The awareness, attitude and ability of individuals to appropriately use digital tools and facilities to identify, access, manage, integrate, evaluate, analyse and synthesise digital resources, construct new knowledge, create media expressions, and communicate with others, in order to enable constructive social action; and to reflect upon this process” (2006).

18. Methodology Stage One – One-to-one questionnaire The first part of the study will be conducted online, email and via telephone with 90 people, 30 from each of three different age ranges. Stage Two – Face-to-face interview Data for this stage would be gathered through 30-recorded face-to-face interviews on location. 10 participants will be selected from each age range. This will allow greater connection with the participant and enable visual participation to be observed in-situ. Stage three – Online forum/social network This will be a closed online platform available only to the participants of the research. Participants will be encouraged to communicate with each other, discuss the project and share experiences and information. This site will be operational throughout the remaining two years of this project.

19. Tim Riley – University of Westminster – Social Media: Digital content creation and sharing across the ages ________________________________ www.timrileydigital.com www.myphddiary.co.uk ________________________________