Civic Media Education OnlineCivic Media Education Online

Sirkku KotilainenSirkku KotilainenSenior Researcher, Ph.D.Senior Researcher, Ph.D.University of JyväskyläUniversity of Jyväskylä

& Finnish Youth Research Network& Finnish Youth Research Networksirkku.kotilainen@jyu.fisirkku.kotilainen@jyu.fi

Leena RantalaLeena RantalaResearcher, Ma.Ed.Researcher, Ma.Ed.

University of TampereUniversity of Tampereleena.marjut.rantala@uta.fileena.marjut.rantala@uta.fi

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to show yourselfto show yourself publicly publicly

to express yourself to express yourself publiclypublicly

to have your say to have your say publiclypublicly

...and Public Space is offered Online...and Public Space is offered Online(F.ex. Kotilainen& Rantala 2005)(F.ex. Kotilainen& Rantala 2005)

For most the Young, it seems to be essential (online or offline):

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photosmusic videobloggingchatting with friendsmeeting new people

Social networking sites are popular

www.myspace.com

www.bebo.com

www.irc-galleria.net

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The Public Sphere Online makes the Possibility ofThe Public Sphere Online makes the Possibility ofthe Civic Activities more communicative than everthe Civic Activities more communicative than everbefore.before.

BUT BUT the Adults’ Conceptions of Civic andthe Adults’ Conceptions of Civic andPolitical Engagement seem to be from thePolitical Engagement seem to be from theage of the mass Media age of the mass Media

Proposition 1

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Different usage online, tooYOUNG PEOPLE

Social networking, IM, Games, Blogging

PARENTSMostly email & web

for research

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””The empowering Technologies are the Media,The empowering Technologies are the Media,Government and Education.” Government and Education.”

((Dahlgren 2000)Dahlgren 2000)

BUT the Role of the Public Media has not beenBUT the Role of the Public Media has not beentaken seriously enough in Civic Educationtaken seriously enough in Civic Education..

Proposition 2

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about how Media worksabout how Media works about how can I participate (generally and through about how can I participate (generally and through

the Media)the Media)

plusplus the Willingness and Braveness to participate the Willingness and Braveness to participate (= to take a Public Action).(= to take a Public Action).

(Dahlgren 2000)(Dahlgren 2000)

Today Civic Actor needs Skills Today Civic Actor needs Skills and Knowledge and Knowledge

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Teaching Civics in Finland Teaching Civics in Finland

Civic Education has NOT been the Issue inCivic Education has NOT been the Issue inSchool: History comes at First!School: History comes at First!

Teachers are not so much stressing on theTeachers are not so much stressing on theImportance of Civic EngagementImportance of Civic Engagement

Young People have only little Possibilities to haveYoung People have only little Possibilities to havetheir Say in Civic Matterstheir Say in Civic Matters

(IEA: Civics 1999/ Finnish results available at http://www.jyu.fi/ktl/civics.htm) (IEA: Civics 1999/ Finnish results available at http://www.jyu.fi/ktl/civics.htm)

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Civic Projects Online in Finland Civic Projects Online in Finland since 1995: the Aimssince 1995: the Aims

to advance the Rights and Services of Citizensto advance the Rights and Services of Citizens

to help the Progress of Local Communities and to help the Progress of Local Communities and Areas Areas

to enhance Civic Engagement via the Netto enhance Civic Engagement via the Net

(Sirkkunen & Kotilainen 2004)(Sirkkunen & Kotilainen 2004)

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Vaikuttamo.net – Local Civic Web for the Young

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Sections of Vaikuttamo.netSections of Vaikuttamo.net

Informative about the Ways of Civic Informative about the Ways of Civic Participation, political Parties etc. Participation, political Parties etc. ””The Formal partisan political”The Formal partisan political”

Interactive including Conversation Area, Interactive including Conversation Area, Journalism and Digivideo Platforms etc.Journalism and Digivideo Platforms etc.””Activities the Young prefer to do”Activities the Young prefer to do”

(compare Montgomery et. al. 2004)(compare Montgomery et. al. 2004)

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Vaikuttamo.net, a Local Site Vaikuttamo.net, a Local Site

started as European Project 2000started as European Project 2000

a Part of municipal Activities in Hämeenlinna in a Part of municipal Activities in Hämeenlinna in the southern Finland (about 60 000 Inhabitants)the southern Finland (about 60 000 Inhabitants)

cooperation with Youth Work, Schools, Arts’ and cooperation with Youth Work, Schools, Arts’ and Culture Activities, Local Newspaper etc.Culture Activities, Local Newspaper etc.

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The Questions of our Research The Questions of our Research

What kind of Possibilities are the Youth Civic Sites What kind of Possibilities are the Youth Civic Sites offering Teenagers to engage in the Civic offering Teenagers to engage in the Civic Culture?Culture?

How are these Sites used inTeaching and Youth How are these Sites used inTeaching and Youth Work?Work?

What kind of new Modes of Youth Civic What kind of new Modes of Youth Civic Engagement could be developed?Engagement could be developed?

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Mixed MethodsMixed Methods

- Questionnaire for the Young Users, nearly 600 Questionnaire for the Young Users, nearly 600 respondents (2005)respondents (2005)

- Interviews among the Project Stakeholders, Interviews among the Project Stakeholders, Teachers, Youth Workers, local Mainstream Teachers, Youth Workers, local Mainstream Journalists (2005-2006)Journalists (2005-2006)

- The Mobile Picture (MMS) Experiment with a The Mobile Picture (MMS) Experiment with a voluntary Arts’ Class, the Young aged 15-16 voluntary Arts’ Class, the Young aged 15-16 (2005)(2005)

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Girl Energy in the Vaikuttamo SiteGirl Energy in the Vaikuttamo Site

Over half of the Respondents visit regurlarly Over half of the Respondents visit regurlarly Vaikuttamo.net Vaikuttamo.net

More often Girls than BoysMore often Girls than Boys

The Age mostly between 14 – 16 Years The Age mostly between 14 – 16 Years

(compare Livingstone et. al. 2005)(compare Livingstone et. al. 2005)

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6,94%

41,62%48,27%

MuchA littleNot at allNo answer

Has Vaikuttamo.net broadened your possibilities to influence in school, hobbies etc.? (N=346)

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In what kind of Case have You In what kind of Case have You influenced?influenced?

””The food in school. I managed to begin aThe food in school. I managed to begin aconversation in the discussion forum”conversation in the discussion forum”

””A mirror to the trailway tunnel, we got it!”A mirror to the trailway tunnel, we got it!”

””Skeiting hall. We got it.”Skeiting hall. We got it.”

Open Answers from the Questionnaire

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What are the Reasons for NOT What are the Reasons for NOT visiting Civic Sites?visiting Civic Sites?

Lack of the Faith that there really exist Influencing Lack of the Faith that there really exist Influencing Possibilities Possibilities

Problems in finding the Issues to Influence onProblems in finding the Issues to Influence on the Opinion about the Net as not a proper Place for Civic the Opinion about the Net as not a proper Place for Civic

Actions (prefering the traditional Media instead) Actions (prefering the traditional Media instead)

the Self-Image of the Young as not a political Person (Civicthe Self-Image of the Young as not a political Person (CivicIdentity under Construction)Identity under Construction)

These come up from the Survey and InterviewsThese come up from the Survey and Interviews

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How should Vaikuttamo.net be How should Vaikuttamo.net be developed?developed?

more Issues related to the Young and their Life more Issues related to the Young and their Life (f.ex. Stories, Pictures, Discussions) (f.ex. Stories, Pictures, Discussions)

more Productions by the Young themselvesmore Productions by the Young themselves

wider Content including f.ex. Youth Employment, wider Content including f.ex. Youth Employment, Student Life, Popular CultureStudent Life, Popular Culture

marketing the Site for wider Audience, i.e. also to marketing the Site for wider Audience, i.e. also to Adults in the RegionAdults in the Region

TOP 4 from the QuestionnaireTOP 4 from the Questionnaire

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Vaikuttamo in school practicesVaikuttamo in school practices Space to PUBLISH Students’ journalistic Space to PUBLISH Students’ journalistic

Stories and other Student WorksStories and other Student Works

Material to teach own SubjectMaterial to teach own Subject

Material for Student Projects and Workshops Material for Student Projects and Workshops

Material for Optional CoursesMaterial for Optional Courses (c.f. Kotilainen & Suoranta 2007)(c.f. Kotilainen & Suoranta 2007)

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The changed Role of the TeacherThe changed Role of the Teacher

””[…] When I am here in the classroom, I am […] When I am here in the classroom, I am often in front of the class. And although I often in front of the class. And although I would walk among pupils, I can not get the would walk among pupils, I can not get the same feeling which I got in the computer same feeling which I got in the computer classroom, when I realised that pupils had classroom, when I realised that pupils had concentrated in their own work and I concentrated in their own work and I walked there helping so much I could and I walked there helping so much I could and I was not a front-of-class teacher any more. was not a front-of-class teacher any more. […] […]

Interviewed Teacher 5

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Difficulties and Challenges Difficulties and Challenges Lack of the Resources: Time, Money and Lack of the Resources: Time, Money and

TechnologyTechnology

Difficulties in integrating the Site with Difficulties in integrating the Site with other Subjectsother Subjects

Difficulties in Cooperation with other Difficulties in Cooperation with other TeachersTeachers

(c.f. Kotilainen & Suoranta 2007)(c.f. Kotilainen & Suoranta 2007)

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But still they want to continue.....But still they want to continue.....

Coping with one Laptop and Digital Coping with one Laptop and Digital CameraCamera

Rewarding cooperation with Colleagues in Rewarding cooperation with Colleagues in TownTown

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Vaikuttamo in the Local MediaVaikuttamo in the Local Media

All of the interviewed Journalists (7) tell All of the interviewed Journalists (7) tell that they use the Site as a Source and that they use the Site as a Source and Material for their StoriesMaterial for their Stories

Many Online Discussions have been Many Online Discussions have been reconstructed to the News and published reconstructed to the News and published in the local Newspaper or on the local in the local Newspaper or on the local RadioRadio

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Pictures of My City 2005 - Pictures of My City 2005 - ExperimentExperiment

- One Class of optional Arts’ (aged 15-16)One Class of optional Arts’ (aged 15-16)

- The Students went to the City to create Mobile The Students went to the City to create Mobile Posters: a Picture and Text. MMS should generate Posters: a Picture and Text. MMS should generate Discussion.Discussion.

- The MMS Pictures were Online two Months on the The MMS Pictures were Online two Months on the Vaikuttamo site linked to the local Online Vaikuttamo site linked to the local Online Newspaper for public DiscussionNewspaper for public Discussion

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Lacking Skills, but motivated in Lacking Skills, but motivated in Visual ExpressionVisual Expression

For not sending the MMS messages shows out to For not sending the MMS messages shows out to be the lacking Skills for Visual Expression and be the lacking Skills for Visual Expression and difficult Mobile Technic (in this Group)difficult Mobile Technic (in this Group)

On the other hand, the Youngsters were motivated On the other hand, the Youngsters were motivated in planning, testing, visual and technical in planning, testing, visual and technical ExpressionExpression

Some of them told that they even got the Feeling Some of them told that they even got the Feeling of Civic Influencingof Civic Influencing

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Teachers´ Views of the Significance of Teachers´ Views of the Significance of Vaikuttamo.netVaikuttamo.net

PedagogyPedagogy Civic Civic participationparticipation

MediaMedia

- meaningful Issues meaningful Issues for the Young to for the Young to deal withdeal with

- Learning by doing Learning by doing and experiencingand experiencing

- Interaction with Interaction with PeersPeers

- real Feelings of real Feelings of InfluencingInfluencing

- a new Way to a new Way to participate in local participate in local Civic IssuesCivic Issues

-Internet as an Internet as an interesting and interesting and easy Tooleasy Tool

- Publicity for Publicity for Opinions and Opinions and Productions of the Productions of the YoungYoung

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Civic Media EducationCivic Media Education

Public Space (Online Media)Public Space (Online Media)for Civic Discussions and Actionsfor Civic Discussions and Actions

Community (of Learners)Community (of Learners)for Participatory Online Activitiesfor Participatory Online Activities

Experiences (in Participatory Actions)Experiences (in Participatory Actions)in Learning and in Online Productionin Learning and in Online Production

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In the Vaikuttamo project, with the Cooperation ofIn the Vaikuttamo project, with the Cooperation ofthe Schools there has been a Sustainedthe Schools there has been a SustainedDevelopment instead of one-time user InvolvementDevelopment instead of one-time user Involvementon the WebSite. on the WebSite.

We suggest that empowering the Young in theWe suggest that empowering the Young in theContemporary Civic Cultures should be a MissionContemporary Civic Cultures should be a Missionalso for Youth Work and even Mainstream Media.also for Youth Work and even Mainstream Media.

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References

Dahlgren, Peter (2000) The Internet and the Democratization of Civic Culture. Political Communication 17: 335-340.

Livingstone, Sonia & Bober, Magdalena (2005) UK Children Go Online: Final Report of key project findings. [http://www.children-go-online.net]

Montgomery, Kathryn, Gottlieb-Robles, Barbara & Larson, Gary O. (2004) Youth as E-Citizens: Engaging the Digital Generation. Center for Social Media. School of Communication in American University. [http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/ecitizens/youthreport.pdf]

Kotilainen, Sirkku & Rantala, Leena (2005) Osallistutaan verkossa! Nuoret Vaikuttamo.net-sivuston käyttäjinä. (Let’s Participate! Young people using Vaikuttamo.net) Nuorisotutkimus 23 (3): 19-30.

Sirkkunen, E. & Kotilainen, S. (eds.) (2004) Towards active Citizenship on the Net. Possibilities of Citizen oriented Communication: Case Studies from Finland. University of Tampere, 9-28. [http://tampub.uta.fi/tup/951-44-5827-3.pdf.]

Kotilainen, S. & Suoranta, J. (2007) Mot en dialogisk mediepedagogikk i Finland. In Vettenranta, S. (ed.) Mediedanning og mediepedagogikk: Fra digital begeistring til kritisk dommakraft. Oslo: Gyldendahl Akademisk