Social Actions helps individuals and organizations use social media to plan, implement, and support peer-to-peer social change campaigns so that grassroots solutions to local and global problems can flourish. I have blogged about them before (and am involved as a project mentor), most recently here.
Today, Social Actions launched a plug-in for Wordpress bloggers that will place ‘possibly related classroom projects’ from DonorsChoose.org at the bottom of posts, so that readers can find opportunities to take action to help classrooms around the world. DonorsChoose.org “is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public schools often lack. At this not-for-profit web site, teachers submit project proposals for materials or experiences their students need to learn. These ideas become classroom reality when concerned individuals, whom we call Citizen Philanthropists, choose projects to fund.”
Social Action Labs, Lead Programmer, Eric Cooper, really did a lot to make this happen and deserves lots of props. So does Joe Solomon and Peter Deitz from Social Actions, as well as the rest of the crew.
If you have Wordpress, why not check it out! I will be installing it tonight and you can watch the blog here to see it live in action! I’d love to hear your feedback about the new plug-in and ideas for other ways Social Actions Labs can be working to build actionable content you and your organization can use! Learn more on the Social Actions website.
Marshall Kirkpatrick post a great article today for ReadWriteWeb considering the questions: Can New Media Be Taught in Schools? What do you think?
Tests on Twitter, wiki-style study groups, students quizzed on yesterday’s most popular YouTube videos and the biggest hits on Del.icio.us/Popular - is this what the future of education is going to look like? In some journalism schools around the US, it just might be. Would that really be so bad? Though many may disagree with us, we think there is some merit to teaching new media in journalism and other schools.
Marshall even quoted me, as I described just one example from my experience as a student of new media in college. There are many comments over on the article, go check it out and weigh in on the conversation!
How do you learn new media? Do you think it can be taught/learned in a ‘classroom’ or do you lean towards personal investigation and experimentation?
Have you ever heard of Global Giving? Well, as the NYTimes just reported, Global Giving has gone GREEN!
Global Giving is a website that connects you to “over 450 pre-screened grassroots charity projects around the world. It’s an efficient, transparent way to make an impact with your giving.” Global Giving Green is way to help the fight on poverty while also fighting climate change with the same gift. Many projects in the past that have targeted poverty, have also contributed to climate change.
“GlobalGiving Green is a brand new way for you to help solve that dilemma. Using a unique scientific evaluation system, we’ve carefully pre-screened initiatives that offer win-win solutions — helping people while protecting the planet.”
Find a green project and learn more about Global Giving Green!
What projects serving communities has your organization undertaken with ‘green’ in mind? Do you think organizations need more help finding ways to green their work?
There are lots of awards and contests lately all showcasing great examples of nonprofits and uses of technology. There’s a lot of good you and your organization can learn from! I blogged about all of them on the Net Squared community blog, so check it out!
Does your organization have a great story about using technology to connect with your community? What has been your organization’s biggest challenge in adopting social technologies? I’d love to share your stories!
This week I’m filling in for Britt Bravo on the Net Squared community blog. I just posted there with some of my thoughts about using Second Life for conferences. Check it out!
This was my first conference in Second Life and I really learned a lot. What makes Second Life such a unique option for conference organizers is how much of the face-to-face nature of in-person conferences can be replicated. The biggest ones to me were:
- I can SEE you!
- I can TALK to you!
- I can FIND you!
Have you used Second Life to attend a conference or event? Have you participated in any of the free weekly meetings from the Nonprofit Commons? What advice do you have for organizations and individuals exploring this new tool?
Check out the full article on the Net Squared community blog and let me know what you think!
Many of you are familiar with the super star Britt Bravo, she is part of the Net Squared team, her blog is Have Fun * Do Good, and she represents Big Vision Consulting. Well, Britt is on a much-deserved vacation and asked me to fill in for her daily blogging on the Net Squared community blog.
I just posted about CARE Connections, the new, free, online network bringing together those interested in and working to end global poverty. It is an interesting network to check out, especially if you or your organization focus on women’s empowerment, anti-poverty, and/or world news.
CARE is a humanitarian organization working to fight global poverty by serving individuals and families in the poorest communities of the world. CARE recently launched CARE Connections, a free, online community to connect you with others supporting global poverty work, women’s empowerment, world news and more. You can learn more about CARE Connections, here.
With CARE Connections, you can:
- Connect with others who share your interests in global poverty and humanitarian aid news.
- Join the conversation on the blog
- Tap into the latest news from around the Web on global poverty, women’s empowerment and world events
- Create your own profile, invite others and form groups and events
Read more about CARE Connections on the Net Squared blog.
The BlogHer session on Using Second Life for Good takes place this afternoon live in the BlogHer Second Life conference area. You don’t have to be in SL to participate though! Just watch here for the live blogging from CoverItLive by clicking on the link below. This will allow you to see the minute by minute updates as well as comment or ask questions. I hope you’ll follow along!
Click here to read and participate in the live blogging (and for the archive)!
The Second Life as Education/Training Tool session features:
- Padlurowncanoe Dibou, formerly in charge of Hillary Clinton’s in-world HQ and co-Founder of MUVErs, LLC
- In Kenzo (aka Evonne Heyning, Creative Director and Interactive Producer for Amoration)
- Fleep Tuque (aka Chris Collins from the University of Cincinnati)
- Dannette Veale (from Cisco)
To watch and participate in the live blog, click here!
Yesterday and today the BlogHer conference is taking place in San Francisco. I wish I could be there as so, so many wonderful women (and men) have come together. But, I can be there virtually for some exclusives panels and the keynotes via Second Life!
This is my first conference I’m attending in Second Life so I hope it is going to be a good, quality learning experience. I will share thoughts about using Second Life in this way after the conference. Today though you will be able to follow along with two live blog sessions using CoverItLive to enable you to jump in and comment or ask questions and see the comments as they unfold. So, stick around!
The archives will be available from the live blog sessions as well.
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