NCTECHICAGO, IL

11 .19 .11

Parallel Literary Universes on Facebook

Presenter

Jeff Carpenter, Assistant Professor, Elon University jeffpaulcarpenter@gmail.com

Who You Are

Grade levelsFacebook savvy

Personal use Classroom use

Main Idea

The creation of virtual social networks that parallel literature can deepen student engagement with and comprehension of characters and narratives, provide opportunities to analyze and interpret those characters and narratives, and spark student creativity.

Why bring Facebook-like stuff into the classroom?

Connects reader to textIndividual character analysisSocial networks & relationship analysisPlot reviewCreative interpretations of characters,

events, languageDiscussion promptsAudience

Existing Facebook Summaries

Individual profiles

Historical figures - Ben Allen, McKinley Tech High School, Washington, DC

Facebook Parallel Universes

Character Profiles Likes and Interests Groups Questions Photos Links Videos

Social NetworksStatuses, Comments, Likes, Groups, Photos,

VideosEvents

Character Profile Example

Walls

Wall example

Language Options

Example - Directions

 Basic Information (11 Items): At least 10 of the following items must be completed on the page: Sex, Birthday, Current City, Hometown, Home Neighborhood, Family Members, Relationship Status,

Interested In, Looking For, Political Views, Religious Views.

Personal Information (32 Items): At least 31 of the following items must be completed on the page: Interests (10), Favorite Music (3), Favorite Movies (2), Favorite Books (5), Favorite Quotations (4),

About Me (6 sentences), Education and Work (2).  Photos (8 items): You must create a photo album with at least 8 photos, each with captions. These photos should be of items important to or representative of Holden.  Wall Post (11 items): The wall posts should highlight important/pivotal moments in the novel, and should be 1-2

sentences.  Groups, Pages, and Events (3 items): You must join (or create) at least 1 Group. The group should reflect Holden’s character and personal

interests You must join 1 Page. The page you join must reflect Holden’s character and personal interests. You must create 1 Event. The event you create must reflect Holden’s character and personal

interests.

Critiquing Profiles, Ideas, and Language

Eg.What elements of the profile are most

consistent, and inconsistent, with your notion of the characters?

Which ideas espoused by the characters are most consistent, and inconsistent, with your notion of the characters?

Non Facebook options

Edmodo.comgaggle.netmyfakewall.com

Off-line Options

Off-line OptionsPhotos - Thanks to Summer Pennell, Bertie Early College HS

Parallel Universes as Formative Assessment

Have students create initial basic profilesUse status updates, comments, likes & events

to gather on-going information on student comprehension

Use additions to profiles to assess depth of understanding

Potential Texts

Romeo & Juliet (Montague and Capulet social networks)

The Catcher in the RyeThe OdysseyAnimal FarmHistory options

Eg., different Civil Rights leaders respond to different events according to their varied philosophies (done at Chicago’s own EPIC Academy)

Questions and Discussion

LogisticsBenefits & Drawbacks

jeffpaulcarpenter@gmail.com