Digital Narratives, Social Connectivity and Disadvantaged Youth: Raising aspirations for rural and low socioeconomic young people

Abstract

This paper explores the role of digital narratives and social media in promoting social integration, enculturation and expressive self-reflection within an enabling tertiary preparation program designed to raise the aspirations and widen the participation of economically and geographically disadvantaged young people in higher education.  The program combined Digital Storytelling assessment with the use of social networking site Facebook as a learning management system. Students from rural and low socioeconomic backgrounds with low secondary school results, low aspiration and little opportunity for matriculation to universities, benefited from intensive intervention strategies which focused not only on academic preparation but on the social and cultural obstacles underlying inequality in higher education participation. Combining face-to-face teaching, mentoring and pastoral care with integrated digital platforms may provide a non-traditional pathway which facilitates not only academic and technological competence but the opportunity for non-traditional students to become more connected, confident and visible in higher education.