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This presentation last given on February 20, 2014
This Module is Social Networking: Communities for Christ.
Our objectives are designed to help you really learn HOW to use and apply social media in your ministry.
Our class process allows our participants to learn in three ways:
A live or webinar presentation.
A Blog, that has other resources and readings on the module topic. It’s similar to reading a text book.
A wiki, or homework component, that will challenge you to reflect on and apply what you have learned. It’s like the workbook for our course.
Here’s a simple definition of Social Networking.
The use of websites to build online communities of people who have similar interests
Similar interests can be anything from hobbies to political affiliations, to a shared cause, like preventing cruelty to animals. Some of us are connected by our work.
If you use the Internet to connect with others of similar interest, you have participated in a social network.
Our task in this module will be to figure out how we can harness social networking technologies to change that definition to…this.
. When we say social media, we mean any use of electronic or digital communication though which users create online content. Email, websites, Facebook, etc. More later.
In other words, using those same tools (Facebook and Twitter) to build up a network of people who share faith
Is this getting scary for you? Probably not, as SN has become more “mainstream” in the last few years.
Let’s think about what OUR COMFORT LEVEL IS in the area of social networking.
So if I say to you “Today we are going to learn to use Facebook” – what is your gut reaction? It’s like saying to a child “Today you are going to go swimming”
Stage 1 – Denial, Fear and/or Resistance – Are you that person?
Stage 2 – Reluctant Toe-Dipping “Well, I guess I’ll try it” I’LL OBSERVE A FACEBOOK PAGE. I’LL READ A BLOG. I’LL OPEN A TWITTER ACCOUNT.
Stage 3 – Immersion. I’ll take the plunge. Hey! I’m not going to drown! This could be fun! Look at all the other people swimming in this pool. I’M GOING TO ENROLL IN DDBC.
Stage 4 –Dog Paddling. Take a few strokes and try it out! I’LL TRY POSTING A STATUS UPDATE IN FACEBOOK. I’LL TWEET AS PART OF MY HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT. I’LL SHARE A VIDEO IN DIGITAL CATECHESIS.
Stage 5 –Skilled swimming – coaching – imitating others. AFTER A FEW MONTHS, YOU WILL FIND THAT USING SN FOR MINISTRY AND THAT YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO THINK ABOUT “HOW” – IT BECOMES SECOND NATURE.
Where are YOU? By the end of this module, you will all move closer to being swimmers. Digital NATIVES are already swimming!
Henry Jenkins, former Director of Media Studies at MIT tells us that a participatory culture is one in which members contribute, feel connected, value artistic expression and civic engagement, and offer mentorship to novices.
This concept is true of our growing digital media culture today, true of the younger generations especially, and hopefully true of DDBC. Let’s take a closer look at what we mean by Participatory Culture.
Examples of how participatory culture has impacted in the world today, using new media tools
Crowd sourcing to find the Boston Marathon bombers – triangulating digital images to pinpoint suspects.
Relief to Haiti after earthquake– rallying medical resources via cell phone donations
3.
When we say use, there are all sorts of levels or stages of use.
Jenkins is now professor of Communications, Journalism and Cinematic Arts at USC, and author of Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Combine, in 2009 described four forms of participatory culture.
Jenkins challenges us “to develop the skills, knowledge, ethical framework and self confidence needed to be full participants in the cultural changes” due to new media. This is relevant to education, to culture, as well as to our Church.
Taking a closer look at the four forms identified by Jenkins, let’s start with Affiliations.
A good example is Facebook. Friends, groups and pages on FB are linked to one another, all through their membership in FB.
For DDBC, we have a FB GROUP, and a special social network called Digital Catechesis. Your affiliation with these two tools will be a point of participation in DDBC and in SM.
These are different online activities that allow users to create new expressions.
Digital Sampling: incorporating bits of someone else’s art (music motifs, e.g.) into a new work.
Skinning and modding: altering computer software to modify characters in a game setting
Fan videomaking: Using YouTube to connect with other fans and create a community, sometimes in parody, based on a common interest
Fan Fiction: stories about characters written by fans of the original work, not by the original author.
Zines – self-published magazine usually on unconventional subject matter
Mash-Ups – visual aggregations of digital media to create a new web content.
For DDBC, we will show you a tool called Glogster, which is a Mashup tool that you use to create a mixed digital media poster. We will also show you how to create your own Animoto movie – using digital images and/or video clips to tell a story in 30 seconds!
Collaborative Problems solving – everyone knows something, nobody knows everything and what any one person knows can be tapped by the group as a whole to solve a problem! https://sites.google.com/site/odu307fall2012/resource-article/jenkins/forms/collabrative-problem-solving
A good example is WIKIPEDIA
Wikipedia – an encyclopedia created by anyone in the world
Alternative Reality Gaming – uses computers AND reality to create a kind of puzzle based on the real life of players.
Spoiling – online community gathers and analyzes clues, forecasting the outcome of a reality show.
The DDBC Class wiki and the class blog are both places where you will utilize teamwork and collaboration to create something new and unique. Your responses and contributions matter!
Just like having a conversation, these are ways to shape the flow of media as content is created and shared.
Good example: Twittersphere - negative comments on Twitter about products or services have had a huge impact on companies striving to maintain their marketing profile.
Podcasting – creating sound clips that can be shared through other social media
Blogging – online diary
Twitter – online real time conversations
In DDBC, we will use Twitter and Blogging through WordPress to share and create content, to have conversations and to share resources.
Each DDBC is unique – because of the participation of its unique members.
What do we mean by social media tools? Any tool or web-based application that allows you to create or add content and share that content with others. Here are some common ones you may have heard about.
So many social tools out there! What should you use?
For our training purposes, we are sticking to…
Twitter, Facebook, Digital Catechesis
By the way…New social media tools are developed all the time – try to stay on top of what’s available so that you know what your students are dealing with.
Building a Social Network using the internet or www. Instead of face to face interactions.
What makes a successful social network on the www is pretty mucht he same as what makes for successful face to face networks.
creativity
vision
people
knowledge
Materials
Willingness to try something new
Persistence
Common purpose
Risk tolerance
WHO are the people in your life right now that will help you build an online network that has the potential to be a Community for Christ?
Why are we asking you to use social media in DDBC? It is central to our mission in DDBC.
We think it’s important for us to say what we are agreeing to provide through the use of SOCIAL MEDIA for this course.
Your part is on the participatory end! It’s also important for you to agree to give these social media tools a real try – to be part of a participatory culture.
A SOCIAL NETWORK that truly reflects an online communities centered in Christ would have a particular CULTURE to its community.
Draw on your experience at church, in your family or at your job to answer this question.
RESPECT:
People of faith, hope and love
promote the dignity of others and the sanctity of life.
DIALOGUE:
Not disagreement but common ground discussions,
enter into conversation with others – both speaking and listening
search for truth and understanding
FRIENDSHIP:
People who are willing to invest themselves to build bridges to others,
Serving one another,
build equity in the distribution of resources
This is a good time to remind you that what you put on the Internet stays on the Internet!
Any evidence or trace of your presence, intentional or not!
Some negative ways to leave a digital footprint are…
Inappropriate images, language
Discriminatory remarks
Non-professional communication with minors
Bullying
Negativity, complaining
These are clues that potential employers look for to eliminate job applicants. They are also in violation of USCCB social media guidelines
Things that will enhance your digital footprint
Reminders about safety
“be” the adult means that as the teacher or catechist, you must make expectations clear and follow up with consequences when violations happen.
Talk to other YMs or DFFs to see what issues they have encountered and share best practices for handling them.
Check the SN policy of your setting to make sure its use is approved.
The three social media tools we will use are Facebook, Twitter and Digital Catechesis
FACEBOOK –
The HUGE advantage of using Facebook is, obviously, that it is a highly visible platform. Facebook is where we want to be because everyone else is there.
Facebook was launched in February of 2004.
Facebook is a privately owned company, and makes money mostly through advertizing. That doesn’t mean that we can’t adapt if for evangelization!
Last quarter, Facebook passed 1.19 billionmonthly active users, 874 million mobile users, and 728 million daily users. While the year-over-year growth numbers are listed above, it's also interesting to see Facebook's growth from quarter to quarter.Jan 29, 2014
http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2014/01/29/facebook-passes-1-23-billion-monthly-active-users-945-million-mobile-users-757-million-daily-users/
How do we use FB in DDBC? Here are some examples from our DDBC Facebook group.
We want YOU to use this to PRACTICE getting comfortable with using FB in a ministry setting.
Let’s remember Forester’s levels of participation. Each of our social networking tools can help us be part of the participatory culture.
Our last social network to set up is Digital Catechesis. DC is a network specifically for ministers who want to advance the effective use of technology in any area of ministry. Currently, there are over 900 members on this network.
REMINDER of Forrester’s levels of participation
Maybe you LOOK at FB to gather resources. Then you are a spectator.
Spectators are people who are just observing and consuming the posts of others without any personal involvement.
When you post a resource, you invite OTHERS to PARTICIPATE in social media, just be seeing what you posted.
Joiners visit SN sites and maintain their profile.
Hopefully, your first step as a joiner will lead you into a deeper participation in this rich social network.
Collectors organize content for themselves or others. Simply sharing resources can be a good step toward greater participation on Twitter.
Critics- comment on someone else’s original content.
Creators make the social content consumed by others: I created a movie to celebrate Sr. Caroline’s birthday and shared it with our FB group. Sharing any original creation makes you a “creator” – music, articles, blog posts or videos.
Twitter is the next social media platform we will discuss. There are many ways to use Twitter.
Conversation– like instant messaging!
Take Notes in a class and tweet to others who follow you. (USCCB Fall General Assembly)
Follow others with similar interests. Let them mentor you! (You can follow Warren Buffet now, or the Pope!)
Share resources (limited to 140 characters, so people include a link to draw others into deeper understanding of the topic)
Do you have a topic of interest? Start or join a discussion group in DC.
Critics are contributors or collaborators in online discussion groups or forums.
We want you to practice in this course using our three SN tools. What ideas do you have so far, just sharing with the current DDBC participants?
PRACTICE in our class before you reach out to the rest of the world.
How do you envision using a social network to build a community for Christ? What are the possibilities? Use your CHAT BOX to give us your ideas.
Maybe something in the areas of…
Evangelization
Outreach
Prayer
Share resources
Community-building
Here are some suggestions for you as you develop your presence in SN.
It’s very easy to follow others on Twitter and FB. Discover who already has a voice in social media and use your network to share what they are saying.
This can include following individuals like the Pope or Rocco Palmo, or following larger organizations such as America Magazine. Search for the sites that are in the media and that represent our church in responsible ways.
Be sure to share articles and blogs of interest with your own Social Network – don’t just keep it to yourself! COPY the URL and paste it into your FB or Twitter post. Share a video in DC.
In FB, you can also create an Interest List to automatically compile other FB sources that might be of interest to you and others who follow you.
Using humor is a great way to convey your message without becoming too heavy handed or Churchy.
Social Networking is meant to be fun and social, so be sure to show your humanity once in a while!
Be aware that some humor sites can contain inappropriate content, and that you can’t please all the people all the time – someone may be offended, even by the mildest humor.
The world of SN is becoming more Visual. (Pinterest)
Whether you want to manage the incoming amount of social media or customize the outgoing posts and tweets, aggregators can help.
With something like HootSuite or Tweetdeck, you can send a single post to all your social media accounts at once.
Easy to get overwhelmed. Spend some time learning HootSuite to better manage your outgoing social media.
You are not alone! Even Jesus drew on the resources of his community.
Besides our instructors and materials, there are many good resources to draw upon as you grow in your understanding of Social Networking .
Some are even in the business world or educational world, not from the Church. Read and adapt to your ministry.
One we should all be aware of is our Bishops Blog, USCCBLOG. There is a post from July 5, 2012 called the Gospel and Social Media.
Here are the MAIN points of this blog article.
Educational Technology online resources are a great source for the latest best practices. Even though they aren’t for “ministry” they offer excellent tips for using social media and digital tools in educational settings that can be adapted as we pioneer using social media in ministry. They are part of your personal learning network!
Know where to find the USCCB Social Media Guidelines
Whatever diocese you are from, be aware that guidelines may be available online and that they may be in the process of being updated. Our Class blog will give you links to diocesan policies.
The National Catholic Education Association has publications of interest available online.
Amazon also has books for your continued professional development.