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
 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
 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
 Research Findings: Generational
Declines in Traditional Participation
 Electoral Activity Low
32%
Always vote (or intend to always vote) 50%

36%
Tries to persuade others how to vote 33%

20%
Displays campaign button, sticker, sign 26%

Contributed money to candidate, party, 4%

or group 13%

Volunteered for a candidate or political 3%

organization 6%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

All DotNet

Source: PEW U.S. Civic Health Survey DotNets born 1977-1987

Research Findings: Rise in
Direct Personal Action
 Personal Direct Action High
38%
Boycotted 38%

35%
Buycotted 35%

20%
Written petition 23%

10%
Contacted an official 18%

14%
Electronic petition 12%

10%
Contacted media 10%

7%
Contacted talk show 8%

7%
Protested 4%

2%
Canvassed 3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

All DotNet
Generational Citizen Identity Differences
Youth: Actualizing Citizen (AC) Older: Dutiful Citizen (DC)

Weak duty to participate in Strong duty to participate in

government government

Focus on lifestyle politics & Voting is the core democratic act

personal activities: consumerism,
volunteering, social activism

Mistrust of media and politicians -- Informed about issues and

does not follow politics in the news government -- follows the news
Joins loose networks for social Joins social organizations and
action – communicate through parties -- communicate through
digital media mass media
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
Most civic education designed by older
DC citizens - offering little for ACs
 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

~ 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

 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
 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
Center for Communication & Civic
Engagement
Lance Bennett, Director
www.engagedcitizen.org

Information ~ Technology ~ Community