Exploring a Methodology for Tracing Spatial, Social and Textual Networks through Neighbourhoods

1. Exploring a Methodology for Tracing Spatial, Social and Textual Networks through Neighbourhoods State of Australian Cities Conference Adelaide Nov 28-30 2007 Sue Nichols, Helen Nixon, Sophie Rainbird University of South Australia Jennifer Rowsell Rutgers University

2. Parents’ networks: The circulation of knowledge about children’s literacy learning (ARC Discovery) • Mothers’ and fathers’ understanding of how best to foster children’s learning and development (CLD) is a vital element in optimising children’s learning • Our project focuses on how parents and caregivers access the kinds of resources which can assist them to support CLD.

3. Resourcing parents: geographic, social and virtual affordances • How are resources spatially located? • How do resources circulate through immediate social interactions? • How are resources made available through digital environments? • The interactions between all these elements.

4. Conceptual elements • The ecological survey • The semiotics of place • Network theory and analysis

5. An ecological approach • Educational research tradition of theorising relationship between home & school • Extended to communities as educational sites • Good et al (1997) • Neuman and Celano (2001)

6. Ecological Survey – Phase 1 • Selection of sites

7. Site 1: Rural community of two adjoining townships, located on the fringe of the metropolitan area. New housing developments just commencing. • Site 2: Central hub and surrounding residential area of metropolitan local government district including large mall. • Site 3: US town with high social contrast, home to a highly educated elite and a strong working-class black community. Experiencing significant growth and change, owing to immigration.

8. Fieldsites in South Australia

9. Fieldsite in Princeton, New Jersey, US

10. Ecological Survey – Phase 1 • Reconnaissance & observation – virtual & actual • Following leads • Identifying key site features

11. Signage in different sites

13. Two Wells

14. Virginia

15. Ecological Survey – Phase 1 • Drawing boundaries of sites • Seeking permission

16. Modbury

17. Phase 2 – Data collection • Documentation • Inventories • Mapping • Photographs • Artefact collection • Observation • Use of space • Use of resources • Interactions regarding CLD

18. Internal Mall Space

19. Store

20. Educational resources – inventory

21. Phase 3: Data analysis – Geographic, social and virtual affordances • Characteristics of information & resources • Spatial context – where is this text/display/shop? What kind of space is this? • Access – how easy is it to find/reach/see? • Cost – how much time/money/effort does it take to: get to this place/access this resource/take this thing home? • Social relations – which people are hailed to read this text/come to this place? • Mobility – how does information/resources move in and out of this space? • Networking – what kinds of connections are made between intofmration/resources in different spaces & places?

22. Comparing internal spaces in contrasting sites within a town

23. Place context Spatial context Immediate semiotic context Specific Resource

24. Layers of context: Text

25. Window

26. Shop

27. Street

28. Phase 4: Network mapping of families • Priorities for CLD including any special needs; • Resources sought and gathered and the forms these take eg books, magazines, educational toys, bookmarked web-sites; • Places where resources were sourced and method of accessing these places; • Social networking in relation to CLD information and resources; • Practices associated with these resources e.g. play, reading, behaviour management, health care, diagnosis; • How parents manage their economic resources in relation to knowledge resources, eg what do they decide to buy rather than borrow and why?