Positive and Negative Lights of Fan Culture

Abstract

This article primarily aims to give an overview regarding fan culture, and point out the outcomes of both joining fan community and doing fan activities. These outcomes were ranked from fans’ psychological trait, enjoyment, behaviors, motivation, to the improvement of media literacy skills and other academic skills. Other related issues such as media effect, prosocial media, and educational media are also identified. As reviewing various studies in the field of fandom, fan scholars suggest the teachers to incorporate fan fiction writing activities as a part of creative writing assignment. Fan fiction is the story written by fan authors who reproduce the original media in different narrative. Using fan fiction in classroom can heighten students' learning motivation and enhance the 21^st century skills. Future study should test the effect of using other kinds of fan activities in classroom setting as well as previously done with fan fiction.