Social Media for Social Change

You work in a school where only half of your students have high speed access and computers at home. What could you do to bridge this digital divide? How might you use social media to change this situation and get kids and their families decent computers and high-speed access?

     Sadly to say, even now in a society that is so technologically advanced  and aware, there are still a number of individuals who lack access to one of the most basic of technologies; a computer. It is often hard to even comprehend how one can live in this day and age and not own a computer. Many Americans can't even fathom not owning a computer in their homes, however we fail to realize that this is a privilege not always accessible to lower income families. I remember my family finally owning a computer when my older sister reached middle school and we deemed it absolutely necessary to our parents, but not actually getting internet till I was about in the eighth grade. I felt like all of my peers owned a computer except me, and my family was considered middle class. I can understand firsthand how difficult it can be to do coursework that demands the use of a computer, and not have it readily available for you at home. Fortunately for me however, the local library was a hop and a skip away from my house, so completing assignments were never a true inconvenience (which is probably why my parents felt that the computer could wait). For those however who are not lucky enough to be so close to a library, something needs to be done. There has to be a way to make sure that students who do not have high speed access and computers at home, are not hindered in their education, or left behind.
     As a teacher, the best way to somewhat bridge this digital divide is to make sure that school computers are readily available for students. If an assignment requires the use of a computer, allow students to check out one of the classroom computers to do their work, or maybe stay a little bit after school to allow students a chance to use the computer. Another option could be to create digital assignments that can be completed during class and reserve the computer lab for your students so that each student is able to be at their own computer station to complete the assignment. If students are unable to complete the assignment during the time given, then schedule a time for that student to be able to come in and work on the assignment. I would not advise that assignments requiring the use of computers be eliminated all together, because technology has such an important role in the classroom and aids in enhancing education.
     After reading the last required article, we see that there are many mediums through which social media can be used to evoke change. These mediums include such social sites as twitter, facebook, myspace, youtube, blogs, etc. For the purposes of this cause, awareness of this issue can be advertised through a facebook group which solicits money and donations to help obtain computers and high speed access for students who don't have it. Donations can be sent to the schools, and in turn, be distributed to qualifying students.

Examples of Social Media for Social Change include:

Keep a Child Alive

Video

Here we see Alicia Keys trying to raise money for her charity "Keep a Child Alive" by encouraging fellow stars to take time out from the digital world (i.e. twitter, facebook, etc.), and then asking fans to help bring them back to life by donating to the cause and raising $1,000,000 to go to HIV/AIDS victims in Africa and India.

Oil & Water Do Not Mix

Video

This is a video used to encourage viewers to purchase posters made with oil that was spilled into the gulf coast so that the proceeds can benefit the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, or crcl.org, an environmental cleanup group based in Baton Rouge.

OCEF (Overseas China Education Foundation)

Page

This is an example of social media being used for social change on facebook. Through facebook's "causes" application, this organization seeks to raise money to fund education in China and improve education conditions.