The Study

This qualitative study investigated and documented the social construction of technological expertise, gender, and identity within some teenagers' specialist non-school communities. The primary purpose was to explore the construction of technological expertise. This study focused on teenagers’ perceptions of their expertise in their site of learning (non-school setting) as a source for agency compared to traditional school settings, and their descriptions of how their expertise was obtained, developed, shared, and communicated. This study asked how gender featured in the construction of technological expertise in these specialist communities, as also explored the capital and agency possessed by these non-school ‘experts’.

In plain language, I observed and interviewed eight teenagers that considered themselves to be, or were considered by others to be 'technological experts'.

The primary purpose was to explore the construction of technological expertise by these teenagers themselves whilst focusing, also on their perceptions of how the expertise they possess in particular non-school settings) as compared to traditional school settings, and their descriptions of how their expertise was obtained, developed, shared, and communicated.