Notes by Erica Lindberg The Youthmap Program in Boston is (very basically): a wiki-style software map of service opportunities in Boston. - Part of the goal of Boston university implementation is break down barriers between college students at and between different universities - can be used as both a resource, a recruitment, and a research tool (e.g. of power relationships) - Uses locally (brainstormed by the class): navigating the system of Tufts departments, employment – second degree connections, marketing, event planning (for support) The Grant: - CIRCLE recently received a huge grant from The Corporation for National and Community Service to implement the software in the Boston area because they believe that Web 2.0’s connection to community service is the future. Here, the software will be used as a tool to enhance service. The software: - Eventually will take the form of both a Facebook and Myspace application - Takes the form of a map that be organized with nodes to represent people, organizations, issues. It is searchable by person, issue, or georgraphically. - Is not yet user friendly, but they’re working on it. Strategies for spreading it: 1. Classes (at universities) where students will use the software intensively to produce interesting products. Diverse classes are important. 2. Plug ins - should be something that you can drift casually into and out of.
Software crash course: - objects = nodes, lines between them = ties, links - To make a new node: drag and drop icon into map screen. Double click. Display – what you want to show General, location tabs for information imput Interviews – places for users to put material about the node – text, images, video Example Map: Columbia, MO - local newspaper built the map to see who was connected to the issue and to expand their network for new sources on local issues - Computer-generated, but reporters could imput more connections or more people - Organizations and people are linked by ties. It is searchable to issue or person. - Popup boxes tell you about the nodes’ identification and connections between organizations/people. Issues brought up by the class: - confidentiality - false information / policing - other non-civic uses (“international kids,” “football team,” “people I don’t like”) Ideas Brought up by the class - interviews – maybe split into profiles and testimonials - add tracking features of participants / events - use it for mass communication, like sending it to everyone in a network Projects: - 3 teams of students working on local issues to help both populate the map and “do something” about an issue - Helpful if someone is already working on the issue (for a basis), and someone in the group already has a relationship to them - Helpful if the topic is something interesting and useful to use on the map for the people/organizations involved (because of recruitment trouble, or analytic need) Our Class’s ideas for projects: - Immigration – locally, in Somerville and Cambridge - Boston-area student government - Bringing access to nutrition to underserved local populations Each group has made a project page outlining their ideas on the Google project page <http://sites. google.comsite/medialitsite>, which you have to log into Google Sites to edit. |