Texting as a channel for personalized youth support: participatory design research by city youth and teachers

Abstract

Most school districts are out to regulate and restrict student texting and fear student–teacher texting as particularly inappropriate. But might this youth-dominated channel in fact be a twenty-first century portal to personalized support for youth struggling in school? This article shares first findings from participatory design research on texting, conducted by youth and teachers in the diverse, immigrant-heavy city of Somerville, MA. In a design research project welcomed by Somerville district and school administration, teachers and students at the district's alternative high and middle school have been testing how one-to-one texting might support students, teachers, and mentors to communicate rapidly about students' personal and academic needs. Their work raises deep questions for city schools considering how to forge supportive student–teacher relationships in the digital age.

Keywords:

• texting
• student support
• relationships
• youth
• teachers
• personalization

Notes

According to the state, 63% of all students in the broader SPS are members of ‘racial/ethnic minority’ groups, and 68% receive free and reduced price lunch (http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/profiles/student.aspx?orgcode=02740000&orgtypecode=5&leftNavId=305&).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Uche Amaechi

With input from Maureen Robichaux, Ted O'Brien, and students of Full Circle/Next Wave, Somerville Public Schools, Somerville, MA, USA.