Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2024

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph. D.

Department

English

Degree Program

English Rhetoric and Composition, PhD

Committee Chair

Sheridan, Mary P.

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Williams, Bronwyn

Committee Member

Williams, Bronwyn

Committee Member

Kelderman, Frank

Committee Member

Sheridan, David M.

Author's Keywords

Multiliteracy center; digital literacy; multimodal pedagogy; student engagement; marginalized students; inclusive practices

Abstract

Multiliteracy centers serve as vital hubs for supporting students' digital media composing needs, especially those pertaining to digital literacy. This qualitative interview case study evaluates the efficacy of standard practices established by multiliteracy center scholarship, focusing on spatial design, tutor preparedness, and student engagement at the University of Louisville’s Digital Media Suite (DMS). Recognizing the significance of multiliteracy centers as sites of social and material access for marginalized students, this project gathers the experiences of first-generation and post-traditional student participants to inform recommendations for expanding practices to better accommodate diverse student demographics on university campuses. Informed by Black feminist research methodologies emphasizing the value of recognizing unheard voices and lived experience (Collins, 1990; hooks, 1994), this study employs feminist institutional ethnography methods of interview and participant observation (LaFrance, 2019). The findings highlight both strengths and limitations of current standard practices. While spatial design fosters flexibility and collaboration, its focus solely on space limits consideration of collaborative opportunities, while an infrastructural approach encompasses material and social elements of access. Tutor preparedness primarily prioritizes technological skills, overlooking the pedagogical complexities of student support, warranting a realignment of training hierarchy. Furthermore, although students exhibit deep engagement demonstrated by critical competence with resources, there's potential for expanding engagement to include transfer, thus facilitating long-term success. Another critical insight gleaned from this research lies in the imperative of enhancing resource awareness and uptake of the support service ecology among students. Multiliteracy centers possess the potential to bridge the gap between students and available support services, particularly for those from non-dominant communities. By fostering a culture of accessible resources, multiliteracy centers can significantly contribute to students' academic success and overall well-being. This dissertation advocates for reimagining multiliteracy center practices to create inclusive and supportive environments, prioritizing infrastructural design, balanced tutor preparedness, and broadened student engagement, notably through enhanced resource awareness and uptake. Ultimately, this study underscores the pivotal role of multiliteracy centers in fostering equitable access and support for all students in higher education.

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