Welcome to synchrony (studying youth networks across time-space). We're glad you're here. Synchrony is a research study under the direction of Dr. Kevin Leander at Vanderbilt University. It is aimed at better understanding how teens use everyday Information and Communication Technology (ICT), such as Instant Messaging, e-mail, and web-surfing. In this research, we are particularly interested in how Internet-based communication compares with and relates to how teens communicate face-to-face.

This research follows the naturally occurring communication practices of a group of teens online and offline, across school contexts, home contexts, and informal peer contexts. Across these many contexts, our goal is to better understand how teens are developing new literacy practices, new social networks, and new forms of identity.