Approaching generations: young researchers exploring media memories of senior citizens

Ponte, C., Aroldi, Piermarco (2012). Approaching generations: young researchers exploring media memories of senior citizens. ECREA AUDIENCE SECTION, IV Conference, Istambul 2012.

ApresentaçãoCP e PA.pdf

Abstract: This paper presents the potentialities of a research-based learning process for graduate students based on the adaptation of the Media and Generations in Italian society Project to the Portuguese context. Focusing on the same generational cohorts, following its guidelines and scripts and using the same methodology of focus groups, this process occurred within a Masters Seminar on Media Research Methods at the FCSH, New University of Lisbon, in 2011. This pedagogical orientation of involving graduate media students in supervised field work on the Digital Inclusion and Participation Project had already shown the potentialities to integrate theoretical frameworks and methodological guidelines previously introduced to the students in their self-reflection and critical evaluation of the collected data (Ponte & Simões, 2012). The current adaptation, emerging from the authors’ cooperative work in the COST Action IS0906 Transforming Audiences, Transforming Societies, proved to be a tool for students to learn and manage key concepts on media reception, such as domestication (Silverstone, Hirsch et al., 1993), generational belonging (Aroldi, 2011), tecno-dispositions, tecno-field and tecno-capital (Rojas, Straubahar et al, 2012), among others; to review the historical and media contexts in which different generational cohorts lived their formative years (Mannheim, 1927); to consider the focus group methodology and its explicit use of group interaction to generate data; to be responsible for assuring the focus group process, from composition and informed consent to transcription and subsequent analysis. Furthermore, this research-learning perspective contributed to approximate generations since it allowed younger media users to listen to the recalls and judgements from older users on the media crossing personal and historical memories. From the media memory research, the collected data contributed to the history of the media at national level integrating structural dimensions with individuals’ “social frameworks of memory” (Halbwachs, in Bourdon, 2011, p. 66), also allowing to collect data for cross-national studies. Key words: Media Generations; Media remembering; Research-based learning; Qualitative research; Focus groups; References: Aroldi, P. (2011). Generational belonging between media audiences and ICT users. Broadband society and generational changes. F. Colombo and L. Fortunati, Peter Lang: 51-66. Bourdon, J. (2011). Media remembering: the contributions of life-story methodology to memory/media research. On Media Memory. M. Neiger, O. Meyers and E. Zandberg. New York, Peter Lang: 62-73.