DESIGN FOR THE WEB

OSU Spring Training, 2011

Social Media

Rachel Beck, Weston Miller, Robin Rosetta, Nicole Strong, Chris LaBelle

DESIGN FOR THE WEB

What is Social Media?

Social Media are media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable communication techniques. Social media is the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogue (Wikipedia).

Keywords: Interactive, blended technologies, affiliation and community building, access, grass roots

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Some Social Media Categories

• Blogging• Instant Messaging (IM)• Video repository• Social networks• Bulletin boards• Ranking & comments• Photo repository• Microblogging• Place-based reporting• Virtual worlds• Gaming• Surveys

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Some Luminaries

Michael Wesch – KU State

Clay Shirkey – NYU

Andrew Keen – Cult of the Amateur

Wael Ghonim – Egyptian Facebook Employee

Harold Jarche – Networks and Learning

Chris Anderson – The Long Tail

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Social Media and Change

"Our revolution is like Wikipedia, okay? Everyone is contributing content, [but] you don't know the names of the people contributing the content. This is exactly what happened. Revolution 2.0 in Egypt was exactly the same. Everyone contributing small pieces, bits and pieces. We drew this whole picture of a revolution. And no one is the hero in that picture.“

Wael Ghonim

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The University Context• Reaching more people with less effort

• Reaching the right people regardless of effort

• Newer audiences and preference

• Older audiences and changing preference

• Marketing (PBO, branding, mindshare)

• Notification systems (crops, fires, pests,etc.)

• Maximizing volunteer activity (crowdsourcing, group management)

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Extension’s Situation• Perception matters for businesses

• Perception really matters for Extension

• Our world has virtualized and is mobile

• Farmers and AG use tech just like everyone else

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Soul Searching….• What are the implications for Extension if we do not weave social media into our communication activity? What opportunities will we miss?

• How much time does it actually take? Is this going to create more work for me without sufficient ROI?

• How do we share the work in our group? Should or can everyone contribute equally?

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Recognize this vehicle?

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The Main Point….• What is your professional objective and will social media tools help you meet that objective?

Distance Education and Back to the Futurei.e. Vehicle analogy, media affect and the stirrup

“Mere vehicle” (Clark, 1983) “Inherent possibilities” of the stirrup (Finn,1964)

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Adoption

Social factorsVision of leadershipLevel of democracyBenefit derived

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Hi, my name is Nicole. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mwm/http://twitter.com/ormwmhttp://womenowningwoodlands.blogspot.comhttp://masterwoodlandmanager.ning.comhttp://blogs.oregonstate.edu/twistytales

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I Use Social Media for:•Efficient Outreach•Community Management•Peer-to-Peer Learning•Professional Networking•Creativity/Service

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Efficient Outreach: 600 people in 1 click

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Listservs:

Spend about 30 min/week sending emailsMore time spent (thankfully not by me!) keeping database up- to-date

Impact: Save $$ - About $1000/year for newsletter $1500/year for advertising

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Community Management: website

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Community Management: Blog

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Websites + Blogs:

Spend about 1 hour/month on websiteSpend about 2 hours/month on blog

Impact Measurements:Hits/monthAttendance at programs

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Peer “2” Peer Learning

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Peer Communities:

•Not quite caught on YET among forest landowners•Need regular moderation / stimulation (which I am not doing well)•Ning is just one more thing to join, switching to Facebook soon.•I have faith in this tool!

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Professional Networking / Outreach

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Professional Networking: (Twitter)

•Spend about 1 hour month on this•Mayor Sam Adams (or his staff) knows what I (and Extension) am up to!•Increased exposure = increased grant support opportunities•Great way to learn about other programs/find collaborators•It’s like reading 30 newspapers!

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Creativity / Service

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Creativity/Service:

•Can do it whenever the spirit moves me•It’s nice to ruminate on something other than forestry sometimes….•Increases awareness of Extension and rural issues among a whole new demographic

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In Summary:This does not have to be daunting (~ 7 hours/month, less than email!)

My advice to you before you jump on the bandwagon:•Articulate your objectives in advance•Pick the right tool for your objectives•Put it in your plan of work•Think about how you are going to monitor success – in advance•Have fun with it!

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Going Social•Utilizing Social Media for

Extension Outreach

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• New audiences• Timely• Awareness• Engaging• “Push” • Multiplier effect• Interactive

Strategy

Not the same audiences. The Medium is the Message

Nearly instant communicationEducate stakeholders about my

activities, Science EducationUse lighter tone, integrate diverse media, art, musicUse media outlets to

direct recipientsRetweet and Share

Replies and Comments

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Lessons Learned•Restraint

•Time commitment

•Multi-purpose vs. multi-task

•Evaluation and impact measurement

•Innovate

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Word Press for volunteer content development

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Email plant problem intake form w/ picture upload