Identifying Barriers to Engagement in Participatory Culture

Abstract

This paper addresses barriers to participatory culture by examining the activities and concerns of twenty-eight undergraduate students enrolled in a social media course. Analysis of self-reported activities related to four dimensions of participatory culture literacy as outlined by Jenkins et al. (2009) revealed that many do not fully engage in participatory culture. While the barriers identified included mention of access issues or a lack of knowledge, most of the concern was with affective issues, including privacy concerns and the perception that they have nothing useful to contribute (or that their contributions will not be welcomed). It is recommended that instructional activities focus on building affective competencies related to participatory culture.