Using Digital Media to Engage Young Citizens

1. Using Digital Media to Engage Young Citizens ~ Lance Bennett Center for Communication and Civic Engagement University of Washington, Seattle, USA ~ Prepared for OECD - INDIRE New Millennial Learners Conference Florence March 5-7, 2007

2. Civic Engagement -Learning • Cognitive skills: -- political reasoning - develop/express public voice • Social value-lifestyle: NML effective personal expression - identity • Learning outcomes: knowledge about government - how to participate • Educational achievements: informed citizens who participate in public life

3. What are the challenges? • What schools do best -- (teaching textbook knowledge about government) is the least effective/ motivating for NMLs • What appeals to NML personal identity and digital lifestyles is hard to introduce into schools • Solution • A) understand the generational changes in citizen identities among NMLs (1980--) • B) understand how to use technologies to motivate a change from private to public life

4. Research Findings: Generational Declines in Traditional Participation

5. Electoral Activity Low DotNets born 1977-1987 Source: PEW U.S. Civic Health Survey

6. Research Findings: Rise in Direct Personal Action

7. Personal Direct Action High

8. GenerationalCitizen IdentityDifferences Youth: Actualizing Citizen (AC) Older: Dutiful Citizen (DC)

9. Research and Education Policy: Competing Views of Citizenship • Two paradigms or schools of thought • Disengaged youth? -- yes, if focus is on voting, knowledge about politics & government • (emphasizes DC citizen identity) • Engaged youth? -- yes, if focus on community work, consumer politics -- online communities • (emphasizes AC citizen identity) • Result -- conflicting & poorly developed approaches to civic engagement & education

10. Most civic education designed by older DC citizens - offering little for ACs

11. The Policy Challenge • Civic Engagement Programs that • Appeal to AC citizens -- active/personal contact with real problems and issues • Support DC values, but … • avoid textbook government • avoid presenting citizenship as duty • Offer personal paths to government • Using familiar social networking media

12. ~ Use Interactive Technologies to Bring Democracy into the Classroom~ • Use interactive technologies to help young citizens: • Communicate with each other • Build a political agenda • Organize and act effectively • Communicate with government • Learn public communication skills

13. Create Communication Environments • In public space -- outside of schools • Link both schools and personal life to those spaces via networking IT • Build curriculum to help students discover community issues • Teach digital media literacy in schools - to develop PUBLIC VOICE • Make it fun -- produce & share content

14. But How to Motivate Gen Next? • I. Recognize citizen identity shifts • less collective responsibility/civic duty • strong interest in making a difference in society • II. Use new learning & comm. preferences • make learning: interactive, experiential, group • use digital media to personalize information • use online tools to link political info & action • III. Link classroom to government & society • Use media to engage students in public spheres

15. Center for Communication & Civic Engagement Lance Bennett, Director www.engagedcitizen.org Information ~ Technology ~ Community @