Comments on: Public voice: age and sustainability issues http://www.engagedyouth.org/2008/04/24/public-voice-age-and-sustainability-issues/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:51:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Lance Bennett http://www.engagedyouth.org/2008/04/24/public-voice-age-and-sustainability-issues/#comment-129 Lance Bennett Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:16:07 +0000 http://www.engagedyouth.org/2008/04/24/public-voice-age-and-sustainability-issues/#comment-129 I agree that finding things that matter is the motivational key. And that skills training goes right along with that. In developing participatory media curriculum for our Puget Sound Off youth commons, it is challenging to find formats that are at once entertaining, useful, and interesting for different audiences. We will post some of the beta modules on the site for critical comment. One issue in particular is the degree to which we try to introduce some civic values into the media skills training (e.g., does this video invite participation or involvement in an issue?). It may be that young people who want to learn media production will learn just fine from their friends. But what kinds of social or civic values will the results achieve? I agree that finding things that matter is the motivational key. And that skills training goes right along with that. In developing participatory media curriculum for our Puget Sound Off youth commons, it is challenging to find formats that are at once entertaining, useful, and interesting for different audiences. We will post some of the beta modules on the site for critical comment.

One issue in particular is the degree to which we try to introduce some civic values into the media skills training (e.g., does this video invite participation or involvement in an issue?). It may be that young people who want to learn media production will learn just fine from their friends. But what kinds of social or civic values will the results achieve?

]]> By: Howard Rheingold http://www.engagedyouth.org/2008/04/24/public-voice-age-and-sustainability-issues/#comment-80 Howard Rheingold Sat, 26 Apr 2008 22:37:30 +0000 http://www.engagedyouth.org/2008/04/24/public-voice-age-and-sustainability-issues/#comment-80 Critically analyzing content: I'd start with a couple of shocking examples like martinlutherking.org. Then I'd show how to search for an author -- and to talk about what it means when you can't find an author for a truth claim online -- then suggest putting the author's name through a search engine to see what others say. Again, it's subversive, but I can't see how it is possible to teach anyone to find their way on the Internet without practical training in critical thinking about what they find -- which means assuming that it's possible that someone might be either putting one over on them or passing along bad information. Critically analyzing content: I’d start with a couple of shocking examples like martinlutherking.org. Then I’d show how to search for an author — and to talk about what it means when you can’t find an author for a truth claim online — then suggest putting the author’s name through a search engine to see what others say. Again, it’s subversive, but I can’t see how it is possible to teach anyone to find their way on the Internet without practical training in critical thinking about what they find — which means assuming that it’s possible that someone might be either putting one over on them or passing along bad information.

]]> By: Howard Rheingold http://www.engagedyouth.org/2008/04/24/public-voice-age-and-sustainability-issues/#comment-79 Howard Rheingold Sat, 26 Apr 2008 22:34:48 +0000 http://www.engagedyouth.org/2008/04/24/public-voice-age-and-sustainability-issues/#comment-79 Forget, for the moment, about the terminology of public voice. To me, the key seems to be -- issues that young people care about. Certainly there are issues that high school students care about, whether or not they are what adults commonly regard to be "civic engagement." I use the example of "they won't let us skateboard downtown" but there must be many issues that high school students personally care about. So all the prescriptive elements of my proposed curriculum have to come second. First is to somehow elicit authentic issues that the students care about. Given that, I would show how RSS and news searches could be used to learn about the issue, discover what other young people in other places might be doing about the issue, then move to using blogs to advocate. The tools have to be in service of causes that matter, that come from the young people's experiences and passions -- not prescribed by elders. This is, of course, courting subversion. But I would contend that subversion is a Jeffersonian civic virtue. ;-) Forget, for the moment, about the terminology of public voice. To me, the key seems to be — issues that young people care about. Certainly there are issues that high school students care about, whether or not they are what adults commonly regard to be “civic engagement.” I use the example of “they won’t let us skateboard downtown” but there must be many issues that high school students personally care about. So all the prescriptive elements of my proposed curriculum have to come second. First is to somehow elicit authentic issues that the students care about. Given that, I would show how RSS and news searches could be used to learn about the issue, discover what other young people in other places might be doing about the issue, then move to using blogs to advocate. The tools have to be in service of causes that matter, that come from the young people’s experiences and passions — not prescribed by elders. This is, of course, courting subversion. But I would contend that subversion is a Jeffersonian civic virtue. ;-)

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