Minnesota Campus CompactMinnesota Campus CompactEngaging Students and Community Engaging Students and Community

through Technologythrough Technology12 February 201012 February 2010

There Goes Everybody: There Goes Everybody: Social Media and Social Media and Civic EngagementCivic Engagement

Michael Kuhne, Ph. D. Michael Kuhne, Ph. D. Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeMinneapolis Community and Technical College

There Goes EverybodyThere Goes Everybody

Two meanings:

1. Play on title of Clay Shirky’s book

2. Sinking feeling of being behind the technology wave

Biographical InformationBiographical Information Full-time unlimited (tenured) English Full-time unlimited (tenured) English

instructor at Minneapolis Community instructor at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (1995)and Technical College (1995)

5/5 teaching load with the majority of 5/5 teaching load with the majority of the courses being writing-intensivethe courses being writing-intensive

Have been teaching since 1982 and Have been teaching since 1982 and am 51 years oldam 51 years old

Social Media and Civic Social Media and Civic EngagementEngagement

Recent reports indicate the size of the wave:

1) Kaiser Foundation2) Pew Center for the Internet and

American Life

From Kaiser Foundation web site <http://slides.kff.org/chart.aspx?From Kaiser Foundation web site <http://slides.kff.org/chart.aspx?ch=1351>ch=1351>

Kaiser Family FoundationKaiser Family Foundation

http://slides.kff.org/chart.aspx?ch=1351http://slides.kff.org/chart.aspx?ch=1351

Accessed 4 February 2010Accessed 4 February 2010

Pew Center for the Internet and American LifePew Center for the Internet and American Life

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Social-Media-and-Young-Adults/Part-3/3-Teens-and-social-http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Social-Media-and-Young-Adults/Part-3/3-Teens-and-social-network-communication-practices.aspx?r=1network-communication-practices.aspx?r=1

Accessed 4 February 2010Accessed 4 February 2010

Talking PointsTalking Points Clay Shirky’s Clay Shirky’s Here Comes Everybody: The Here Comes Everybody: The

Power of Organizing without Organizations Power of Organizing without Organizations – – what can we learn, what questions what can we learn, what questions should we raiseshould we raise

Classroom experiences with Social Media, Classroom experiences with Social Media, including wikis, blogs, and MMORPGsincluding wikis, blogs, and MMORPGs

Making civic engagement/technology Making civic engagement/technology connections and asking questionsconnections and asking questions

Clay ShirkyClay ShirkyHere Comes Everybody: Here Comes Everybody:

The Power of Organizing without OrganizingThe Power of Organizing without OrganizingPot Stirrings from ShirkyPot Stirrings from Shirky Comment based upon an analysis of Garrett Hardin’s “Tragedy of Comment based upon an analysis of Garrett Hardin’s “Tragedy of

the Commons” – “professionals are often the last ones to see it the Commons” – “professionals are often the last ones to see it when that scarcity (the professionals reason for existing) goes when that scarcity (the professionals reason for existing) goes away” (58-9).away” (58-9).

““Much of what gets posted on any given day is in public but not Much of what gets posted on any given day is in public but not for the public” (40).for the public” (40).

“ “ [. . .] social tools don’t create collective action – they merely [. . .] social tools don’t create collective action – they merely remove the obstacles to it” (159).remove the obstacles to it” (159).

““Revolution doesn’t happen when society adapts new technologies Revolution doesn’t happen when society adapts new technologies – it happens when society adapts new behaviors” (160).– it happens when society adapts new behaviors” (160).

““As more people adopt simple social tools, and as those tools As more people adopt simple social tools, and as those tools allow increasingly rapid communication, the speed of group action allow increasingly rapid communication, the speed of group action also increases, and just as more is different, faster is different” also increases, and just as more is different, faster is different” (161).(161).

Shirky also addresses flash mobs, blogs, Twitter, and Open SourceShirky also addresses flash mobs, blogs, Twitter, and Open Source

Social Media’s PromiseSocial Media’s Promise

Exploring around the edges (but not Exploring around the edges (but not diving in)diving in)

WikisWikisBlogsBlogsMMORPGsMMORPGs

Research Essay WritingResearch Essay WritingWikis and WikipediaWikis and Wikipedia

The “site” for research and writing is The “site” for research and writing is Wikipedia.Wikipedia.

Students become members of the Students become members of the Wikipedia community by identifying Wikipedia community by identifying an entry of interest to them, an entry of interest to them, researching the item, and then researching the item, and then editing the entry.editing the entry.

Drafts of their course writing are Drafts of their course writing are shared on the course wikishared on the course wiki

Civic Engagement ElementsCivic Engagement Elements

Students collaborate with each other Students collaborate with each other on entries.on entries.

Students reach out to “experts” in the Students reach out to “experts” in the field (most of the time, experts field (most of the time, experts respond) – experts on tap, not on top respond) – experts on tap, not on top (Harry Boyte)(Harry Boyte)

They begin to understand the public They begin to understand the public dimensions of their writingdimensions of their writing

Civic Engagement ElementsCivic Engagement Elements

Blogs should allow for a different kind Blogs should allow for a different kind of engagement student-to-student of engagement student-to-student and student-to-instructorand student-to-instructor

Ideally, blogs create environments Ideally, blogs create environments where dialogs rather than monologs where dialogs rather than monologs occur.occur.

Civic Engagement LimitsCivic Engagement Limits

No student actually registered as a No student actually registered as a followerfollower

The total number of student responses The total number of student responses to the blog were disappointingly few to the blog were disappointingly few (fewer than 50 over the course of the (fewer than 50 over the course of the semester)semester)

Massively Multi-Player Online Role Massively Multi-Player Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs)Playing Games (MMORPGs)

My first experience as an online student My first experience as an online student after having taught online for many years.after having taught online for many years.

INTS 2250 World of Warcraft: Culture, INTS 2250 World of Warcraft: Culture, Gender, and Identity (Landon Pirius, Gender, and Identity (Landon Pirius, instructor – Inver Hills Community College)instructor – Inver Hills Community College)

World of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft as a site of interaction as a site of interaction (student-to-student, student-to-instructor) (student-to-student, student-to-instructor) and explorationand exploration

MMORPGs and Civic EngagementMMORPGs and Civic EngagementLenhart, A. (2008). Teens, video games and civics: What the

research is telling us. PEW Internet & American Life Project. http://www.pewinternet.org/

“Research has shown that teens who play games with others

(such as MMORPGs) exhibit more civic participation. They are more likely to be involved in politics and charities. Furthermore, they are more committed to civic engagement and discussions about elections. Lastly, in addition to the above, game players who interact with game discussion boards are more likely to report that they stay informed about current events, are interested in politics, and have attended a march or protest.”

Email interview with Landon Pirius5 February 2010

MMORPGs and Civic EngagementMMORPGs and Civic Engagement

“Gaming provides the opportunity to expand the role civics plays in education and can engage more people. Because a wider range of people play video games (including World of Warcraft), there are tremendous opportunities to encourage participation and increase the diversity of ideas discussed.”

Email interview with Landon Pirius5 February 2010

Limits of MMORPGs and Civic Limits of MMORPGs and Civic EngagementEngagement

“ [. . .] access is unequal. Certain demographics are underrepresented.”

Email interview with Landon Pirius

Exploring around the edges Exploring around the edges (but not diving it)(but not diving it)

Using wikis, blogs, and MMORPGs Using wikis, blogs, and MMORPGs (and other forms of social media)(and other forms of social media)

““Not diving in” – these are tools Not diving in” – these are tools which could be used for teaching which could be used for teaching civic engagement, but . . . How much civic engagement, but . . . How much civic engagement is being learned? civic engagement is being learned?

I am interested. I am awed. I also I am interested. I am awed. I also have real questions and concerns.have real questions and concerns.

ResourcesResources

Please send me your list of 2-3 key Please send me your list of 2-3 key resources examining or explaining the resources examining or explaining the connections between civic engagement connections between civic engagement and social media (subject line: Social and social media (subject line: Social Media and Civic Engagement Resource); Media and Civic Engagement Resource); I’ll email that list to all participants next I’ll email that list to all participants next week, and I’ll also use diigo or ning to week, and I’ll also use diigo or ning to create a social bookmarking site that we create a social bookmarking site that we can use and share.can use and share.

Michael.Kuhne@minneapolis.eduMichael.Kuhne@minneapolis.edu

Questions for ConsiderationQuestions for Consideration1.1. What are some successful uses of social What are some successful uses of social

media to teach and encourage civic media to teach and encourage civic engagement?engagement?

2.2. What are some concerns that we have What are some concerns that we have regarding the connections between regarding the connections between social media and civic engagement?social media and civic engagement?

3.3. How does social media change our How does social media change our understanding of civic engagement?understanding of civic engagement?

4.4. What are better questions that we should What are better questions that we should be asking ourselves about the be asking ourselves about the connections between civic engagement connections between civic engagement and technology?and technology?

Works CitedWorks Cited““Digital NationDigital Nation.” .” Frontline. Frontline. Directors Rachel Dretzin and Douglas Directors Rachel Dretzin and Douglas

Rushkoff. WGBH, Boston. 2 February 2010. PBS.org. Web. 6 Rushkoff. WGBH, Boston. 2 February 2010. PBS.org. Web. 6 February 2010. February 2010.

““Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-year OldsGeneration M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-year Olds.” A Kaiser .” A Kaiser Family Foundation Study. January 2010. Web. 1 February 2010.Family Foundation Study. January 2010. Web. 1 February 2010.

Lenhart, A. (2008). Teens, video games and civics: What the research is telling us. PEW Internet & American Life Project. http://www.pewinternet.org/

Lenhart, Amanda, Kristen Purcell, Aaron Smith, and Kathryn Zickur. “Lenhart, Amanda, Kristen Purcell, Aaron Smith, and Kathryn Zickur. “Social Media and Young AdultsSocial Media and Young Adults.” Report - Pew Internet and .” Report - Pew Internet and American Life Project. 3 February 2010. Web. 4 February 2010.American Life Project. 3 February 2010. Web. 4 February 2010.

Levine, Peter. "Levine, Peter. "Here Comes EverybodyHere Comes Everybody?" Peter Levine: a blog for civic ?" Peter Levine: a blog for civic renewal. 11 January 2010. Web. 12 January 2010.renewal. 11 January 2010. Web. 12 January 2010.

Pirius, Landon. Email interview. 5 February 2010.Pirius, Landon. Email interview. 5 February 2010.Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing

without Organizations. New York: Penguin, 2005.without Organizations. New York: Penguin, 2005.““Social MediaSocial Media.” Wikipedia. 4 February 2010. Web..” Wikipedia. 4 February 2010. Web.