"Multiliteracies for Inclusive Technologies: A Case Study on Location-Based Services and Domestic Violence Survivors"

Jennifer Roth Miller

Jennifer Roth Miller is a student in the Texts and Technology Doctoral Program at the University of Central Florida. Jennifer's research interests explore the convergence of philanthropy, social justice, education, corporate social responsibility, and cause-based marketing in socially constructing collective views on issues such as technology, lifestyle, health, and community.

Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Location-Based Services & Privacy

Location-Based Services & Privacy Cont.

Domestic Violence Survivors & Geolocation: A Case Study

Digital Literacy Possibilities for Domestic Violence Survivors

Digital Literacy Possibilities for Domestic Violence Survivors Cont.

Potential for Rhetoric & Composition

Works Cited

Digital Literacy Possibilities for Domestic Violence Survivors, Cont.

The result of the project was a contextually designed smartphone application wireframe. The team worked with a participatory design committee to work through multiple iterations of the app so that it would provide several ways for survivors of domestic violence to maintain the privileges of a smartphone without compromising their safety. The app was contextually designed by a participatory design committee made up of representatives from several local domestic violence organizations, injunction court, county and university police, victim services, a domestic violence-related foundation, and university students (Walls et al., 2016).

Ultimately, the app allowed survivors to control geolocation information at the level they needed. For example, they could turn off all geolocation in an emergency with the push of one button. In less dangerous times, they could perform a scan on their phone to see which applications are accessing geolocation information at any given time. They could set up push notifications to notify them as applications access geolocation information. The app also included opportunities to silently and privately text and call the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Conversations are hidden from call and text logs or histories. The entire app is both password protected and hidden behind a “cloak.” The cloak feature included a “ghost mode” that, with the click of a button, made the app appear to be a simple game. However, within the app, survivors could receive help and control geolocation services while remaining safe from the abusers who tend to monitor their every action.

Each of these approaches provided strengths and advantages along with disadvantages and weaknesses. The top-down education program taught survivors skills that were predetermined as important. While surveys indicated survivors found the education useful, because they were not active in creating the program and motivation levels were unclear, they didn’t maximize their learning and were left with more questions after the training. The organization administering the training prescribed what should be learned, how it should be learned, as well as what survivors’ needs and uses for the information were. Education is needed. However, a multiliteracies approach may have been more effective.

The popular technology program offers strengths that leverage peer education in contextually relevant situations. Purcell Gates and Gates (2010) advocate for authentic learning or learning situations based on real-life understandings and activities. For non-mainstream populations, authentic learning opportunities are an important factor in acquiring literacies because instruction based on hegemonic values doesn’t resonate. If applied to domestic violence survivors, there could be some real advantages and progress, yet survivors need multiliteracies and tools to control their smartphone privacy. The app provides some tools, but in the end is only an artifact. Combining the app with a peer-led, multiliteracies and popular technology inspired authentic learning approach may be a promising solution.

Peer-led multiliteracies education efforts in shelters focusing on functional, critical, and rhetorical literacies are hopeful. Functional literacy skills would allow them to modify phone and application settings. Critical literacy skills would allow them to make informed decisions about which technologies and applications they will or will not use. Finally, rhetorical or reflective literacies would aid them in co-creating tools such as their own app to streamline controlling their privacy based on their specific needs. Capitalizing on the strengths of popular technology, authentic learning, multiliteracies, and co-created tools such as the Safely Social app, this model could be a very promising future direction. A future research study testing this model would be very worthwhile.