A presentation given to the Virginia Mayors Institute in Roanoke, Virginia on October 4, 2014 about using communication technologies and social media to engage younger generations in community building and public issues.

1. Involving youth in community issues
John Boyer (joboyer@vt.edu)
Dept. of Geography
Virginia Tech
Twitter: @plaidavenger

3. ...and I am the MAYOR of this town

4. ...and I am the MAYOR of this town

5. The technology tools now
available to communicate
and to deliver content are
AWESOME!!!
...but don’t be forced into
compliance, nor lulled
into complacency....

6. While a class isn’t
a town....
a few general
strategies we use
in super-large
classes are
applicable...

7. Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth
While a class isn’t
a town....
a few general
strategies we use
in super-large
classes are
applicable...

8. Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth
Strategy #2: Expand options
While a class isn’t
a town....
a few general
strategies we use
in super-large
classes are
applicable...

9. Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth
Strategy #2: Expand options
Strategy #3: Make a class into a
community
While a class isn’t
a town....
a few general
strategies we use
in super-large
classes are
applicable...

10. -Communicate in their languages
Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth

11. -Communicate in their languages
Increases teacher/student interactions
Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth

12. -Communicate in their languages
Increases teacher/student interactions
Increases student/student interactions
Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth

13. -Communicate in their languages
Increases teacher/student interactions
Increases student/student interactions
Provides instant and continuous feedback
Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth

14. These amazing (and free!) new communication tools to
that bring people together...most of which your students/
citizens are already using!
Tools that help students
interact with other
students

15. These amazing (and free!) new communication tools to
that bring people together...most of which your students/
citizens are already using!
Tools that help students
interact with other
students

16. These amazing (and free!) new communication tools to
that bring people together...most of which your students/
citizens are already using!
Tools that help students
interact with other
students

17. Professor Facebook/Twitter - class notices, quick
polling, instant feedback & casual interaction
Tools that help connect the
professor to the students

18. Professor Facebook/Twitter - class notices, quick
polling, instant feedback & casual interaction
Tools that help connect the
professor to the students

19. Tools that help connect
the professor to the
students Ustream - Online office hours

20. Tools that help connect
the professor to the
students
Creating a powerful PERCEPTION of availability
Ustream - Online office hours

21. Tools that help give
students a voice during
class, building a sense of
active involvement
Twitter - Class hashtag
streamed live on-screen

22. -Communicate in their languages
Increases teacher/student interactions
Increases student/student interactions
Provides instant and continuous feedback
Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth

23. -Communicate in their languages
Increases teacher/student interactions
Increases student/student interactions
Provides instant and continuous feedback
Your citizens are already interacting in this space
(and perhaps interacting aboutYOU)
Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth

24. -Communicate in their languages
Increases teacher/student interactions
Increases student/student interactions
Provides instant and continuous feedback
Your citizens are already interacting in this space
(and perhaps interacting aboutYOU)
Strategy #1: Increase the bandwidth

25. Strategy #2: Use technology to expand options

26. -Flexibility in lecture content availability
accommodates different schedules
Strategy #2: Use technology to expand options

27. -Flexibility in lecture content availability
accommodates different schedules
YOURS
TOO!
Strategy #2: Use technology to expand options

28. -Flexibility in lecture content availability
accommodates different schedules
Strategy #2: Use technology to expand options

29. -Flexibility in lecture content availability
accommodates different schedules
-Flexibility in assignments/assessments accommodates
different learning styles and testing strengths
Strategy #2: Use technology to expand options

30. -Create assignments that utilize the on-line
environments they already use...
Strategy #2: Use technology to expand options

31. .....and harnesses their knowledge, creativity, and energies

32. Strategy #3: Build a learning community

33. Sounds kind of sappy to me....

34. Sounds kind of sappy to me....
...I mean, they are coming to class to see me,
the expert, not other students.

35. Sounds kind of sappy to me....
...I mean, they are coming to class to see me,
the expert, not other students.
So why bother building a community?

36. -Helps keep students engaged, interested, and active
before/during/after class
A college course is a holistic learning experience for an entire semester, not just during the
live class session...and you cannot be there personally all the other hours of the week
-Students who feel they are a part of a community help each other
and inform each other much more
Basically, because a community can increase student
learning, learning opportunities, and may even make
your job way easier than dealing with 3000 individual
students
-Perhaps cliche, but collaborative learning and working prepares
students much more for ‘the real world’

37. Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:

38. A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times
Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:

39. A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times
Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:

40. A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times
Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:

41. A COMMUNITY can answer each other’s questions
...3000 individuals will ask you the same question
3000 times
And a community can take
care of problems as well...
like our
FACEBOOK SCANDAL
Not sold yet? Then let’s make it more real:

42. Community building is not all
academically-oriented either...

43. More important than the mundane:
a COMMUNITY of learners can often form a more
logical climbing team to knowledge than you can...

44. More important than the mundane:
a COMMUNITY of learners can often form a more
logical climbing team to knowledge than you can...

45. A COMMUNITY feels comfortable and even compelled
to add to the class in a great diversity of ways
...a class of INDIVIDUALS does not

46. A COMMUNITY working together can achieve more
than an INDIVIDUAL can on their own...and can make
the impossible possible with a collective voice.

47. A COMMUNITY working together can achieve more
than an INDIVIDUAL can on their own...and can make
the impossible possible with a collective voice.
...GROUP SYNERGY evolves organically

48. Aung San Suu Kyi
Noble Peace Prize Winner
and chairperson of the
National League for
Democracy in Burma
Led to live Skype session with her
Initial interest from
Burmese student
Skype shout out & social networking by students

49. ...but what are business types doing with
this digital “community” stuff?

50. Business Objective #1: Manage your PR

51. Business Objective #1: Manage your PR

52. Business Objective #1: Manage your PR

53. Business Objective #1: Manage your PR

54. Business Objective #1: Manage your PR
-to at least “appear” to be attentive to consumer
concerns

55. Business Objective #1: Manage your PR
-to at least “appear” to be attentive to consumer
concerns
-increasingly the (easiest/cheapest/best) way to collect
feedback on products and service

56. Business Objective #2: Build Brand Loyalty

57. Business Objective #2: Build Brand Loyalty
-cradle to grave consumers: get users in early

58. Business Objective #2: Build Brand Loyalty
-cradle to grave consumers: get users in early
-get to them in every avenue of media/
communications possible

59. Business Objective #2: Build Brand Loyalty
Trust the Capn’n
-cradle to grave consumers: get users in early
-get to them in every avenue of media/
communications possible

60. Business Objective #2: Build Brand Loyalty
Trust the Capn’n
-cradle to grave consumers: get users in early
-get to them in every avenue of media/
communications possible
-God save us from Disney

61. Business Objective #3: You are on our team

62. Business Objective #3: You are on our team
If I said: Less filling!

63. Business Objective #3: You are on our team
If I said: Less filling!

64. Business Objective #3: You are on our team
If I said: Less filling!
-build a sense of belonging; you are not alone

65. Business Objective #3: You are on our team
If I said: Less filling!
-build a sense of belonging; you are not alone
-positive feedback loop: you are on our team, you
matter, buy more, you matter more

66. Business Objective #3: You are on our team
If I said: Less filling!
-build a sense of belonging; you are not alone
-positive feedback loop: you are on our team, you
matter, buy more, you matter more

67. Business Objective #4: Screw Big Business
This community stuff is empowering individuals

68. Business Objective #4: Screw Big Business
This community stuff is empowering individuals

69. Business Objective #4: Screw Big Business
This community stuff is empowering individuals

70. Business Objective #4: Screw Big Business
This community stuff is empowering individuals
-Power to the (entrepreneur) people!

71. Business Objective #4: Screw Big Business
This community stuff is empowering individuals
-Power to the (entrepreneur) people!
-Individuals, and individuals working together as a
shared voice, can focus and enact change like never
before

72. ...and thus, what could you laggards in government
do with all this “digital community” shizzle?

73. ...and thus, what could you laggards in government
do with all this “digital community” shizzle?

74. Gov’t objective: Distributing Info/Interacting with Public
-”Public online office hours” = Ways public can interact with gov officials
and learn more. Students don't come to office hours, its intimidating,
inconvenient, etc - same with public. Some don't want to go to hearings
or the office or a live Q&A, give them another option.
-Post answers where all can see it....why repeat yourself a thousand times?
-People (esp this generation) access info in different ways. Used to digital
information that they can get anytime and where (YouTube, Wikipedia,
Google Hangout)

75. Gov’t objective: Keeping Finger on the Pulse
Twitter: I'm sure they all have accounts - but if not get
on it! Use a program like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite to
search for your town/county name so you know what
the conversation is about. Also use it to search locally
for tweets about certain pertinent topics. Are they
mentioning construction, or wondering why their trash
is not being picked up, etc.
Don’t just “push” information, Twitter can be a
discussion. Respond to those with issues.

77. ‘The community’ knows where citizens are talking/
complaining/voicing their concerns (Reddit, Craigslist)
-What are their main concerns?
-What are they ranting about?
-What are solutions others are proposing?
Gov’t objective: Keeping Finger on the Pulse

81. A MAYOR’s objective:
Crafting the narrative
-Control the narrative, before users’ narratives control you
-Connecting in this silly digital world = future voters
-Get your community to head off the trolls

82. A MAYOR’s objective:
Crafting the narrative
-Control the narrative, before users’ narratives control you
-Connecting in this silly digital world = future voters
-Get your community to head off the trolls

83. But there is just one catch....

84. But there is just one catch....
You can’t actually “make” a community.

85. AND speaking of ‘catches’....
there are some things that need to be
recognized about this community ‘revolution’...

86. -It is a ton of work. Especially up front.
AND speaking of ‘catches’....
there are some things that need to be
recognized about this community ‘revolution’...

87. -It is a ton of work. Especially up front.
AND speaking of ‘catches’....
-The more successful you are, the more time consuming it
can become.
there are some things that need to be
recognized about this community ‘revolution’...

88. -It is a ton of work. Especially up front.
AND speaking of ‘catches’....
-The more successful you are, the more time consuming it
can become.
-Administration and support have to pony up
there are some things that need to be
recognized about this community ‘revolution’...

89. -It is a ton of work. Especially up front.
AND speaking of ‘catches’....
-The more successful you are, the more time consuming it
can become.
-Administration and support have to pony up
there are some things that need to be
recognized about this community ‘revolution’...
-Administration and support have to encourage
experimentation, and not condemn failure

90. -It is a ton of work. Especially up front.
AND speaking of ‘catches’....
-The more successful you are, the more time consuming it
can become.
-Administration and support have to pony up
there are some things that need to be
recognized about this community ‘revolution’...
-Administration and support have to encourage
experimentation, and not condemn failure
-Harness the tools to serve you....don’t serve them.

91. -It is a ton of work. Especially up front.
AND speaking of ‘catches’....
-The more successful you are, the more time consuming it
can become.
-Administration and support have to pony up
-It will all change tomorrow.
there are some things that need to be
recognized about this community ‘revolution’...
-Administration and support have to encourage
experimentation, and not condemn failure
-Harness the tools to serve you....don’t serve them.

93. Technologies in society are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!

94. Technologies in society are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
Citizens don’t have to be passive:
HARNESS THEIR ENERGY!

95. Technologies in society are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
Citizens don’t have to be passive:
HARNESS THEIR ENERGY!
You don’t have to do it alone:
HARNESS USER
KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS!

96. A strong community is a potent force:
HARNESS THE POTENTIAL!
Technologies in society are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
Citizens don’t have to be passive:
HARNESS THEIR ENERGY!
You don’t have to do it alone:
HARNESS USER
KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS!

97. A strong community is a potent force:
HARNESS THE POTENTIAL!
Technologies in society are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
Citizens don’t have to be passive:
HARNESS THEIR ENERGY!
You don’t have to do it alone:
HARNESS USER
KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS!
SO GET BACK....
....TO THE FUTURE!

98. A strong community is a potent force:
HARNESS THE POTENTIAL!
Technologies in society are not just gimmicks:
HARNESS THE TOOLS!
Citizens don’t have to be passive:
HARNESS THEIR ENERGY!
You don’t have to do it alone:
HARNESS USER
KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS!
SO GET BACK....
....TO THE FUTURE!