Presentation for the live Elluminate session for week one of the 2010 BGI (Bainbridge Graduate Institute) course "Using the Social Web for Social Change". Topics included Shared Language, Social Web Definitions, Social Bookmarking & Collaborative Discovery.

1. Using the
Social Web
for Social Change
Week 1 – Elluminate Session A
September 29, 2010: 6pm PT

2. Week 1: Introduction to the Social Web
Agenda
Opening Circle
Pre-Elluminate Checklist
Who are we?
Agenda
The Firehose & the Iceburg
Shared Language & Shared Artifacts
Social Web Definitions & Collaborative
Discovery
Discussion: Course Plan
Discussion: BGI Guides
Discussion: Social Change Projects
Afterwords

3. Type a few words into
the chat window as a
Opening Circle “tag”:
a word on how you are
feeling tonight
a word about a topic
you are excited to learn
about this quarter
a few words something
you learned this week
a few words about a
concern

4. Who are we?
There are 26 students:
Who are we? 24 are Hybrid MBA
students
1 Auditing 1 Staff
~12 are 3 Year students
13 are men, 13 are
women
13 are in Seattle Area, 4
are Portland Area, 9
elsewhere
All but 2 are Pacific Time
Zone

5. Career Interests
Unlike last year, many of
Who are we? you don’t know which
sector you will be
working in. Last year 1/2
were entrepreneurs.
5 listed “Food/Ag” as an
industry concentration as
opposed to 6 last year
listing “Sustainable
Community Economic
Development”

6. You wish to learn more about Social Web to learn:
“how use social networking for business”
“to be comfortable with these tools”
“scaling my social network to make a lasting impact”
“how to create my own content”
“strategy, techniques and workarounds”
“how best to participate depending on different needs”
“to get more comfortable with putting my voice out there”
“understand the appeal of, and make more meaningful, social
networking”
“how to make videos”
“better comprehension of how to use these tools”
“learn how to support local economy and democratic cohesion”
“to better understand the positive and negative aspects of the
current online social web so that we can leverage it for better
offline social web”

7. You wish to:
“get a job”
“communicate and co-create”
“raise consumer consciousness”
“leverage social media for socially conscious startups”
“make connections between people through compelling
storytelling to catalyze change”
“cross urban and rural agriculture boundaries”
“empower change at a local level”
“to push myself to learn how to efficiently utilize these new
ways of communication, without feeling like I have lost myself
and falling behind the times”
“promote my endeavors and find like-minded change agents”
“break a personal blind-spot”
“go outside my comfort zone”

8. Civic Engagement
“I’m concerned that we increasingly have middle
school conversations on PhD level issues (ex. the
health care debate), which is fueled in part by the
web.
Christina
How can the social web provide, on balance, more
Hulet
substantive dialogue and civic engagement?”

9. Access
“I am a bit concerned because there is a basic
assumption that the people I would want to be
targeting have access to the social web. I'm not
sure that's true given the technology gap between
different socio-economic and ethnic groups in the
US, and abroad. Kim
Also, because most of the pages I am privy to are in Powe
English, I am not able to communicate with people
of vastly different backgrounds, opportunities and
opinions than I because of language barriers (not to
mention censorship!)”

10. Assumptions
Assumptions
About a third of the group have
significantly more social web
experience
In first weeks they can help
mentor those with less
experience
This year there seems to be a lot
more interest in learning how to
leverage local communities. I will
adapt curriculum to cover.

11. Questions
Questions
Not much interest in online
community management and
moderation?
Not much interest in wiki,
wikipedia, wiki gardening?
Not much interest in mobile?
Not much interest in virtual reality
& online games?
Who is available for telephone
mentoring?
Windows Video App?

12. The Firehose
& the Iceberg

13. The Firehose
This is a survey course – there is no
way in 80 hours to teach it all
You choose where to go deep, but
you may exceed your 80 hours if you
do
We will teach some online time
management techniques, but it is still
up to you to manage your time
“Perfection is the enemy of the good”
“Ship early and often”
“Fail fast”

14. The Iceberg
I can only teach just the tip of the
iceberg
But I will act as your guide to get a
glimpse of how deep each topic can
be
Think about where you wish to dive
deeper

15. Time Expections & Grades
Personal Learning Journals
1/2 to 1 hour a week, 10% grade
BGI Guide
1-2 hours a week, 30% grade
Social Change Project
24-32 hours
20% complete, 10% group, 10% quality
Course Participation
2 hours per week, 20% grade

16. Pre-Elluminate
Assignments

17. A Vision of Students Today
KEYQUOTE: “This video was created by
me and the 200 students enrolled in
ANTH 200: Introduction to Cultural
Anthropology at Kansas State University,
Spring 2007. It began as a
brainstorming exercise, thinking about VIDEO: Wesch, M. (2007, October
how students learn, what they need to 12) Digital Ethnography, Kansas State
learn for their future, and how our University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
current educational system fits in. We Retrieved from http://
created a Google Document to facilitate www.youtube.com/watch?
the brainstorming exercise…” v=dGCJ46vyR9o or BLOG: http://
mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/?
p=119

18. Introduction to the Social
Web
KEYQUOTE: “So what is the Social
Web? It is Social Networks of people
having conversations; Who are sharing
Social Media; It functions using Social SLIDECAST: Allen, C. (2010,
Software applications; And takes September) Slideshare.net. Retrieved
advantage of the toolchest of open from http://www.slideshare.net/
technologies called Web 2.0.” ChristopherA/introduction-to-the-
social-web-2010-0714final-5299817

19. Introduction to the Social
Web
KEYQUOTE: “Every time a new group of people meet
together — whether in a team, in a marketplace, or in
a community — one of the first activities they must do
together is create a shared language…They do this in
order to communicate more effectively together, to put
a context on the words that they have in common, to
construct a shared understanding in their minds based
both on available information and their individual
diversity of experience…Without a shared language BLOGPOST: Allen, C. (2009,
there will be no clarity on mutual goals — whether it September 16) Life With Alacrity.
involves working together, transacting a trade, or
creating something…However, some facilitators have Retrieved from http://
learned that one of the best ways to help a group form www.lifewithalacrity.com/2009/09/
a shared language is by having the group create
together a shared artifact…It allows the individuals creating-shared-language-and-shared-
participating to ask the questions: "Is this what you artiifacts.html
mean when you are talking about this?”

20. Social Networking in Plain
English
ABSTRACT: “Social Networking in Plain
English introduces the basic ideas
behind Social Networking. The video
focuses on the role of social test
networking in solving real-world
problems. The video includes: The role
VIDEO: Lefever, L. (2007, June 27)
of people networks in business and
Commoncraft, Seattle, WA USA.
personal life; The hidden nature of real-
Retrieved from http://
world people networks; How social
commoncraft.com/video-social-
networking sites reveal hidden
networking
connections; The basic features of social
networking websites.”

21. Social Media Revolution 2
(refresh)
ABSTRACT: “Social Media Revolution 2
is a refresh of the original video with
new and updated social media &
VIDEO: Qualman, E. (2010, May 27)
mobile statistics that are hard to ignore.
Socialnomics. Retrieved from http://
Based on the book Socialnomics by Erik
www.youtube.com/watch?
Qualman.”
v=lFZ0z5Fm-Ng

22. Blogs in Plain English
ABSTRACT: “A video for people who
wonder why blogs are such a big deal.
VIDEO: Lefever, L. (2008, March 5)
This is a short introduction to blogs -
Commoncraft, Seattle, WA USA.
how they work and why they matter.”
Retrieved from http://
commoncraft.com/blogs

23. The Machine is Us/ing Us
(Final Version)
POETIC TRANSCRIPT: “We Are the
Web, When we post and then tag
pictures, teaching the Machine to give
names, we are teaching the Machine.,
VIDEO: Wesch, M. (2007, May 08)
Each time we forge a link, we teach it
Digital Ethnography, Kansas State
an idea. Think of the 100 billion times
University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
per day humans click on a Web page,
Retrieved from http://
teaching the Machine”
www.youtube.com/watch?
v=NLlGopyXT_g

24. Assignments
Confirm BGI Email
Signup for Social Bookmarking
Update Channel Profile
Pre-course Survey
Add to Social Web Glossary

25. A Shared Language
for the Social Web

26. Shared Language
We have already started to create a
Shared Language
Opening Circle
Tagging
Scan, Focus, Act
Meaning is in the mind, not in the
words
It isn’t really a Shared Language until
you build on it
Shared Language is essential for team
formation

27. Shared Artifacts
We can facilitate the creation of
Shared Language through Shared
Artifacts
Initially, by using delicious.com and
tagging
By blogging and commenting on
blogs
By using a variety of social web
tools
The Shared Language we create
together is yours to use and share

28. Glossary
Our first shared artifact is our shared
glossary
We are building this together
Add new words or phrases, clarify
definitions, give examples
What have you noticed so far about
the language of the social web?

29. Scan
Scan Focus Act
Keeping our intent in
context Focus
Act

30. The BGI
Social Web
How do I manage these social web
conversations? I’m overwhelmed
now!
Learn skills of:
Scan Focus Act
Learn to how to more effectively
filter information
Learn to “aggregate” by using RSS
and Google Reader!

31. Scan
In this phase we gather information in a broad way. First define
your intent and context, i.e. what is your purpose and scope?
Then select topics within that context for further review. But
Scan
don’t read or write — keep your mind in high-level scan.
Focus
Based on your scan, select those topics to concentrate on and
set aside those that are not relevant. Read and understand Focus
them based your intent & context. Think deep.
Act
Based on the Focus phase, what actions need to be taken?
Forward content that might be relevant to others, add items to
to-do lists. In Act we create and plan. Act

32. Scan » 10 Minutes
Pick a context. Scan for essentials items based on that context.
Scan
Focus » 30 Minutes
Read and review essentials in your context first. When
Focus complete, continue to review less vital items within that
same context.
Act » 20 Minutes
What can you share? What needs more work? What new
Act filters do you need to further refine our future Scans in
this context?

33. Scan » Monday
Make sure you know your high level priorities
Scan
Focus » During Week
Dig in first on your highest priorities
Focus
Act » End of Week
Focus on Actions
Act

34. Scan
In this phase we define our intent and context. We gather
information in a broad way. We begin to build a conceptual
models of our knowledge.
Scan
Focus
Based on our Scan, we choose what information to
concentrate on and set aside those that are not relevant. We Focus
refine our conceptual models into those that can be potential
practical.
Act
We take our conceptual models and apply them. We evaluate
the act process and test the results of the action. If the
conceptual models work we add them to our toolbox. If they Act
don’t, we start again.

35. What now?
The Social Web Sign up for Social
Bookmarking
We are using
delicious.com
This enables us to
together do
Collaborative
Discovery

36. What are Tags?
Tags are words that mean something
Sometimes called labels, categories,
or keywords
Things that are tagged can have many
tags
i.e. not like folders, where only one
copy resides

37. Folksonomy
Tags are personal; a “folksonomy”
not “taxonomy”
A folksonomy is the practice of
organizing information using
spontaneous, collaboratively
generated, open-ended labels to
annotate or categorize content

38. Tagging Best Practices
Tag ideas, concepts and events
Use nouns if possible
The best tags are narrow and specific
apple is too broad, mac better,
mac osx best
Give preference to singular base
Limit abbreviations
Consider modifying bookmark title:
article title « source
Take full advantage of notes:
[comment] “quote from webpage”

39. Multi-Word Tags
In most cases tag separately if each
word use in a future topic search
significant: lamp shade
not significant: san francisco
You never are going to search for “san”
Multi-word tags are typically
compacted
sanfrancisco, christopherallen
Proper words often camel-cased
SanFrancisco, ChristopherAllen

40. Tagging Best Practices
Be consistent
Think of what words others may use
Periodically review and update your
tags
When you successfully find a
bookmark from the past, add a new
tag

41. BGI Conventions
Use ‘bgiedu’ for web pages about BGI, but
not other webpages. Don’t use ‘bgi’.
Use ‘bgimgt’ for any course related
webpages
Label for specific course, e.g.
‘bgimgt564”, ‘bgimgt566sx’, etc.
Use ‘mywriting’, ‘myprofile’ for your own
work
Add http://delicious.com/bgiedu to your
Delicious network
Send your Delicious account name to
socialweb@bgi.edu to get added to BGI’s
bookmark network.

42. Bookmarks by http://delicious.com/network/bgiedu
BGI Network

43. Bookmarks by http://delicious.com/network/bgiedu/bundle:Students
BGI Students

44. Wordle of BGIedu http://delicious.com/network/bgiedu/bundle:Students
Student’s DeliciousTags

45. Bookmarks by http://delicious.com/network/bgiedu/bundle:Staff-
Faculty-TA
BGI Staff/Faculty/TAs

46. Bookmarks by http://delicious.com/network/bgiedu/bundle:Alumni
BGI Alumni

47. Bookmarks by me http://delicious.com/christophera

48. Bookmarks by me for this http://delicious.com/christophera/bgimgt566sx
class

49. Bookmarks by a BGI http://delicious.com/christophera/bgimgt566sx
Teacher for Class Week 1 +week1

50. Scan
The Social Web Don’t just read —
bookmark and tag the
your favorite web pages
and the most useful posts.
Add bookmarks of use to
you and fellow students

51. Focus
Learn to be brutal with
The Social Web your reading.
Don’t read anything that
you don’t think is
interesting.
Scan first, then read.

52. Act
Share your favorite posts
The Social Web with others, and point
them to your social
bookmarks!
Add your fellow students
to your delicious.com
network
Browse their bookmarks
and add them to your
social bookmarks
Join the conversation!

53. Share
Cajole your colleagues
The Social Web into participating.
The more people you
have sharing the
responsibility to read and
engage, the more
effective your network
will be.

54. Share
Get them involved by
The Social Web sharing with them what
you like.

55. Share
... and what you don’t like.
The Social Web

56. Share
Share your experience in
The Social Web learning to use the Social
Web.
Help others over the
hurdles you’ve already
learned how to handle.

57. Share
Share your Passion!
The Social Web

58. Explore
Together you can explore
The Social Web the world better.
You don’t have to read it
all, only your share.
The rest will be read by
others, and the best will
be shared back to you.

59. Course Plan
October Intensive:
Saturday: The Social Web Online October
vs. Offline: Identity, Reputation &
Privacy Intensive
Sunday: Personal Brand, Kickoff of
Online BGI Guide Blogs

60. Course Plan
October: Focus on blogging,
participatory media, social video October/
Last week of October/Early
Nov Intens
November: Social psychology &
motivations for participation and
ive
change, plus misc. topics
November Intensive:
Saturday: Persuasion and social
change
Kickoff: Social Change Projects

61. Course Plan
November: Misc. topics & light
activity load to allow for Social Change November
Projects /
Dec Intens
Last week of November/Early
December: Finish team projects!
ive
December Intensive:
Saturday: Collaborative Social
Change Project
Sunday: Feedback on Social
Change Projects

62. Course Plan
December: Constructive criticism
of projects, post-mortem of course
Grades: December
10% – personal learning journals
30% – online BGI guide blog
40% – social change project
20% – participation in weekly
activities, group dialogue, mentoring
& post-mortem of course

63. Course Communications
Course plan in Channel will be
updated regularly
Send email to
Christopher.Allen@BGI.edu
Other services (google docs,
calendar, etc.) use
ChristopherA@gmail.com
Use use tag bgimgt566sx in subject
or message for faster attention
or email course TA Miriam Villacian
<easleyme@gmail.com>

64. Questions?
Feedback?
Christopher.Allen@BGI.edu
Next: October Intensive
October 8, 2010: 3pm PT