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Question: How do we foster positive community and use digital media to change the world in which we live?
Question: How do we foster positive community and use digital media to change the world in which we live?
Lesson Objectives
Students will be able to ...
- observe and analyze the factors that foster positive community, both offline and online.
- identify characteristics of websites that excel at creating positive online community.
- demonstrate their understanding of how to build positive community online.
ISTE Standards: 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3c, 3d, 4a, 4c, 7b, 7c, 7d
Classroom Discussion:
Classroom Discussion:
Do you think millenials get a bum rap when it comes to using digital media, being lazy, not caring about the world in which we live or creating change? Discuss.
Do you think millenials get a bum rap when it comes to using digital media, being lazy, not caring about the world in which we live or creating change? Discuss.
- Where do you think these stereotypes come from?
- Can you think of examples that disprove these stereotypes?
- What local/school youth groups do you know that initiate change and how have they done it?
- If they used social media to build community and/or create change, how did they do it?
Break Into Small Groups.
Break Into Small Groups.
Each group will watch one of these videos. Then discuss the questions in the section below.
Each group will watch one of these videos. Then discuss the questions in the section below.
Group Break Discussion
Group Break Discussion
Consider:
- Can you think of any examples of digital activism you would like to participate in on a local or global stage?
- How could you participate?
- How has digital activism changed the world and made it easier to collaborate with people from around the world?
- In what ways has it hindered global activism?
Digital Activism Doesn't Have to Be on the Global Stage: Start Here!
Digital Activism Doesn't Have to Be on the Global Stage: Start Here!
What are some issues that are specific to improving our digital community at WHS?
Do we use social media to create positive change at WHS? What examples can you think of?
Do we share the positives of what is happening at WHS?
When Social Media "Goes South?" Cyberbullying
When Social Media "Goes South?" Cyberbullying
Sophie Pecora earned the golden buzzer in "America's Got Talent" with her song about misfits. The judges talk about bullying being one of the biggest social issues of our generation. Do you agree?
We talked about who people are online in another lesson. This young woman showed her authentic self and it won her a golden buzzer!
Is the high school experience she writes about so unique?
Go this website by StopBullying.gov. Read the definition of cyberbullying, then discuss in small groups:
How would you define cyberbullying? Would you add or delete any of the definitions on this website? Why?
Read ther Cyberbullying Tactics on the StopBullying.gov website. Then discuss the following in small groups:
Do any of these tactics surprise you? Have you seen them online? In your community?
Are there ways that we can address cyberbullying among high school students? The following is a graphic on the StopBullying.gov site. What are your thoughts about "what works to stop cyberbullying?" Do you think these options work? Are there other options that might work better?
October is National CyberBullying Month!! Pacer's National Bullying Center gives suggestions to take action at the local level! Could you be a changemaker at WHS and help address Cyberbullying at WHS? Brainstorm ideas that might work! Could you bring awareness to the importance of being an Upstander (someone who takes action) rather than a Bystander (someone who just watches)?
Activity:
Activity:
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Assignment: Build a Positive Online Community Website
Break Into a Group: Your group’s challenge is to choose a topic and design a website to promote activism for a cause that you feel passionate about. Your website should include features and tools that will help foster positive community among its teen members — positive language, inspiring photos, opportunities to network, share photos, call to take action.
Tools You Can Use:
- Google Sites. Go to your Google Apps for Education at top right of your screen. Find Sites. Choose New Sites.
Guidelines for building online communities:
- What is your website called?
- Make the purpose of the community clear to users.
- What type of users will your website seek out and how will you attract them?
- What social media features will your site have?
- How can you encourage debates, but make sure users feel safe?
- How will you ensure that your digital community stays positive, motivated and eager to participate?
This article may give you some ideas:
Nine Ways Teens Use Social Media for Good (Adapted from Richard Milligan’s article, “The Fundamental Laws of Online Communities.” http://www. feverbee.com/2009/10/11fundamentallawsofonlinecommunities.html)
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Make WHS a Better Place
Make WHS a Better Place
Do you have other ideas for how to foster positive community and inspire positive action at Winnacunnet High School? Possible Twitter feeds? Digital Shoutouts? Discuss.
Share these ideas on a Wakelet or a FlipGrid (see Digital Resource page for links to step-by-step directions). Teachers, you will need to create the Wakelet or FlipGrid and invite students with a code. Invite the students to comment on each other's ideas, being mindful of digital etiquette.
OR
Using one of the digital tools we have discussed, create a PSA or ad campaign to address the issue of CyberBullying. Use some of the information from our discussions and supplement with your own research. You can work in groups or pairs.
Additional Resources:
Reading:
How the Parkland Teens got so good at social media
Teen creates 'Sit With Me' app to help kids find lunch mates (if you want to listen to the audio, put on earphones!)
ReThink, an anti-bullying app developed by a teen
Dosomething.org helps young people have an impact
How Hashtag Activism Is Changing the Way We Protest
Social Media Helps Syrian Refugee
Going Viral: what social media activists need to know
Hashtag Activism and Its Limits
Empty Clicks: why online activism Is often meaningless
Activism or Slactivism? How social media hurts and helps student activism
Further resources:
Likes Don't Save Lives (UNICEF video)
TED Talk: Wael Ghonim on social media and the Arab Spring
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