Platformised Affinity Spaces: Learning Communities on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok
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| Title: | Platformised Affinity Spaces: Learning Communities on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Z. Vermeire, M. J. de Haan, J. Sefton-Green, S. F. Akkerman |
| Source: | Frontline Learning Research. 2024 12(4):1-21. |
| Availability: | European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction. Peterseliegang 1, Box 1, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. e-mail: info@frontlinelearningresearch.org; Web site: http://journals.sfu.ca/flr/index.php/journal/index |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 21 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Social Media, Video Technology, Visual Aids, Communities of Practice, Informal Education, Electronic Learning, Technology Uses in Education, Influence of Technology, Interaction |
| ISSN: | 2295-3159 |
| Abstract: | Online, informal learning communities bring youth opportunities for learning that schools cannot offer. Yet, there are concerns about the impact of social media platforms' control over online learning. We argue for a re-evaluation of what an 'online informal learning community' is by looking at such active communities on three platforms: YouTube, Twitch and TikTok. We do this by reconsidering Gee's 'affinity spaces' and by asking: how can we understand online informal learning communities in the current sociotechnical context? We observed and analysed interactions of six learning communities on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok. Our results show that in today's platformised online context, Gee's concept of 'affinity spaces' should be reconsidered in three ways. First, platforms call for discussion about affinity spaces' boundaries through the visibility regimes that play a part in access. Second, platforms challenge the affinity spaces' grammar; to maintain a focus on their interest, platforms need to engage with interests provided by platform cultures. Third, a more fixated hierarchisation, informed by platforms' focus on creators, impacts affinity spaces' social structures. We introduce the concept of 'platformised affinity space' as a first step to specific dynamics that platforms introduce to online informal learning communities. We conclude that we only understand these communities when acknowledging how these dynamics are appropriated as well as resisted to achieve community goals. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1462717 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1462717 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Platformised Affinity Spaces: Learning Communities on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Z%2E+Vermeire%22">Z. Vermeire</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22M%2E+J%2E+de+Haan%22">M. J. de Haan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22J%2E+Sefton-Green%22">J. Sefton-Green</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22S%2E+F%2E+Akkerman%22">S. F. Akkerman</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Frontline+Learning+Research%22"><i>Frontline Learning Research</i></searchLink>. 2024 12(4):1-21. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction. Peterseliegang 1, Box 1, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. e-mail: info@frontlinelearningresearch.org; Web site: http://journals.sfu.ca/flr/index.php/journal/index – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 21 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2024 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Media%22">Social Media</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Video+Technology%22">Video Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+Aids%22">Visual Aids</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communities+of+Practice%22">Communities of Practice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Informal+Education%22">Informal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+Learning%22">Electronic Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+Uses+in+Education%22">Technology Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Influence+of+Technology%22">Influence of Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interaction%22">Interaction</searchLink> – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 2295-3159 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Online, informal learning communities bring youth opportunities for learning that schools cannot offer. Yet, there are concerns about the impact of social media platforms' control over online learning. We argue for a re-evaluation of what an 'online informal learning community' is by looking at such active communities on three platforms: YouTube, Twitch and TikTok. We do this by reconsidering Gee's 'affinity spaces' and by asking: how can we understand online informal learning communities in the current sociotechnical context? We observed and analysed interactions of six learning communities on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok. Our results show that in today's platformised online context, Gee's concept of 'affinity spaces' should be reconsidered in three ways. First, platforms call for discussion about affinity spaces' boundaries through the visibility regimes that play a part in access. Second, platforms challenge the affinity spaces' grammar; to maintain a focus on their interest, platforms need to engage with interests provided by platform cultures. Third, a more fixated hierarchisation, informed by platforms' focus on creators, impacts affinity spaces' social structures. We introduce the concept of 'platformised affinity space' as a first step to specific dynamics that platforms introduce to online informal learning communities. We conclude that we only understand these communities when acknowledging how these dynamics are appropriated as well as resisted to achieve community goals. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1462717 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1462717 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 21 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Social Media Type: general – SubjectFull: Video Technology Type: general – SubjectFull: Visual Aids Type: general – SubjectFull: Communities of Practice Type: general – SubjectFull: Informal Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Electronic Learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Technology Uses in Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Influence of Technology Type: general – SubjectFull: Interaction Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Platformised Affinity Spaces: Learning Communities on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Z. Vermeire – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: M. J. de Haan – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: J. Sefton-Green – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: S. F. Akkerman IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2024 Identifiers: – Type: issn-electronic Value: 2295-3159 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 12 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Frontline Learning Research Type: main |
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