Technological Initiatives For Social Empowerment

Technological Initiatives for Social EmpowermentDesign experiments in technology-supported youthparticipation and local civic engagementLeo BurdPhD Thesis DefenseMIT Media Lab - May 4th, 2007

thesis committeeMitchel ResnickLEGO Papert Professor of Learning Research, MITRoger HartAffiliated Professor, City University of New YorkLorlene M. HoytAssistant Professor of Technology and Planning, MITAlexander PentlandToshiba Professor of Media Arts and Sciences

contentsmotivationresearch approachthe Young Activists Network initiativethe What’s Up Lawrence initiativeconclusions and next steps

Sao Paulo, Brazil

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motivationIn order to foster democratic and participatory societies, it is importantto create innovative learning initiatives in which, from a very youngage people are motivated to investigate their communities and dosomething about matters that affect their lives.(Hart 1997- Children’s Participation: The theory and practice of involving young citizens in community development and environmental care - pg. 9)

research questions What are the main attributes of the learning initiatives thatfoster youth participation and local civic engagement? How can digital technologies support the implementation ofthose learning initiatives in youth technology centers? What attributes should digital technologies have in order tobecome more suitable for that task? What other factors have to be in place, besides thetechnology, for those initiatives to succeed?

design-based research approachAnalysis ofpractical problemsTheoreticalframeworkRefinements of problems,solutions and methodsDesign experimentsin real settingsDesign principles(based on http://projects.coe.uga.edu/dbr/FAQ.html)

design experiments developed during this thesisThe Young Activists Network (YAN) initiativeYAN1YAN2YAN320032004The What’s Up Lawrence initiativeWUL02005(software development)WUL12006WUL2

variables analyzed by proposed frameworkengagement,participation,technology usageeducationalapproach resourcessettingempowerment

empowerment“have control over the decisions that affect one’s own life”proactive,good services,open governmentcommunityempowering& empoweredorganizationpositive self-esteem,knowledge, skills,active engagementindividual

the Young Activists Network initiativethe Young Activists Network (YAN)

Bangalore, 200313

Children’s Rights Flyer (Charlestown 2003)

Teen Pregnancy Event(Chelsea 2004)15

Trash Olympics(Charlestown 2004)16

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action-research life cycle

the YAN box19

analysis of the experimentpersonal YAN fostered critical understanding of theempowermentneighborhood YAN provided many opportunities for personalexpression and participation YAN helped youth implement personallymeaningful projects in the communitytechnologyusage existing technology is not appropriatesustainability youth participation requires a lot of adult supportand scalability

Building Blocks2005summer program

what’s up-related hypothesesHelping young people organize personally meaningful community eventsmay overcome some of the barriers present in other more traditionalapproaches to youth participation and local civic engagement.A telephone-based community system can bring great value to the abovementioned initiative.

why telephones? easily accessible easy to use low-cost can be integrated with computers and theInternet (VoIP)

systemarchitectureSystemarchitectureThe What’s Up systemPhone componentFestivalWeb componentDrupalWhat’s Up scriptsWhat’s UpmodulesAsteriskMySQLServer

demo

seeds of system usageby youth uploading of original songs, poetry access by non-cellphone, non-email users voicemail and system usage at odd times integration with MySpaceby the youthorganization creation of groups for different departments tofacilitate communication among staff and members promotion of community events announcements and voicemail broadcasts

analysis of the experimentempowerment What’s Up facilitated personal expression What’s Up facilitated community awareness What’s Up facilitated outreach to/from organizationtechnologyusage audio is very attractive telephone interface is very abstract, unusualsustainabilityand scalability proper use of the system requires a central team tooversee the project

comparing the initiativesYANWhat’s Upaccessibilityxengagementxindividual empowermentxorganizational empowermentxsustainabilityxscalabilityxspreadx

attributes of the new organizationsupport youth empowerment by providing youth organizationswith the appropriate technologies, materials, and support requiredfor the implementation of youth-led community initiatives. education outreach technology funding

thesis contributions (1 of 2) framework for the design and analysis of technologicalinitiatives for social empowerment detailed description and critical analysis of 2 initiatives thatfocus on youth participation and local civic engagement a new model of community-technology initiative that is moreinclusive and empowering

thesis contributions (2 of 2) the What’s Up system as a tool that can potentially expandthe outreach of community organizations and facilitatenetworking among youth, youth organizations and supportiveadults generic platform for the implementation of telephoneenhanced community systems guidelines for the design of technologies for socialempowerment proposal of new type of community organization to supportthe development of technological initiatives for socialempowerment

future directions release What’s Up system as open-source modules enhance tool based on findings test framework with different settings, audiences disseminate findings and promote discussion

acknowledgementsmy thesis committeelorlene, roger and sandymy familymãe, pai, meus super irmãos e cunhadasbarbara and nortynoah

acknowledgementsthe computer clubhouse networkgail, ingeborg, patricia, stinathe yan teamdanielle, heidi, kate, pascha, rebecca, tashaadetunji, juliet, jayson, leahkristen, claire, katieana maria, perola, pedro, carlos, ricardolourdes, raul, baghya, sandhyaluis lach, adelmar, pablocarolina, oswaldo, triptithe what’s up lawrence teammisael, rasec, jessica, joelthe staff and members of movement city and lcw

acknowledgementsthe llk teamrobbin, eleonora, bakhtiar, michelle,diane, margarita, michael, liz, evelynandres, amon, chris, john, natalie, jay, tammy, lis, orenthe media labandrea and thomaz, ariane and laird, fernanda and dani, claudia,josh, tad, juan carlos,nitin, shani, toshi, yumilinda, kevin, jon, steve,will, paulaother good friends and inspirationsgeetha, ed, kobashi, catau, rosângela, rogério and vanessa,matthias and petra, jochen, alan, dana and dirk, melina, maria,tony, nivaldo, amy, sally, mosheernie, mike, valente, gerhard, irene

acknowledgementsmy advisormitchmy wiferachel

framework for the design and analysis of technological initiatives for social empowerment detailed description and critical analysis of 2 initiatives that focus on youth participation and local civic engagement a new model of community-technology initiative that is more inclusive and empowering