The Social Media 'Hook'

If you are a fan of social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), you probably know better than I do how these tools make it possible to connect with people in distant places and to access different points of view.  Teachers can turn students’ interest in social media and their familiarity with networking tools into assets in the classroom. Social media provide a tackle box with plenty of hooks–to reel in even the most reluctant students (those least interested in global current events).

Have you or your students used social media to explore the uprising in Egypt? If you are following events online, you may have noticed that both the BBC and Al Jazeera have Facebook pages. Anyone can learn a great deal without joining Facebook--by simply browsing the public "walls" of relevant Facebook pages.

If possible, arrange visits to Facebook in your classroom. This will give students a sense of what people around the world are thinking and doing about the protests in Egypt.

1. DISCUSS: Ask students to share what they have learned with their classmates. This informal activity could serve as a prelude discusssing how activists in Egypt are using social media to mobilize both supporters and public opinion. (Another post will take up this theme.)
2. ACTIVITY: Have students read an article about the Egyptian uprising (from the BBC, Al Jazeera, or any other news site) and then write a one-paragraph comment similar to the better ones on Facebook. Check their work (return for revision if necessary). Then publish these comments by posting them on a virtual wall--or a real wall (do bulletin boards still exist?).

Caution: Schools may restrict in-school access to Facebook and other social media. Teachers may be prohibited from assigning work related to it or encouraging students to use it. In all cases take into consideration the age and maturity of your students. The content of posts (text or video) may be inappropriate. So teachers may want to select material and copy it to a PowerPoint or worksheet. (This blog is aimed at both K-12 and college-level teachers and students. Adapt its suggestions to suit your situation.)

For the technically savvy there are virtual spaces and software to create pages similar to a Facebook Wall. (Please share your knowledge about these tools and their classroom applications in the comments section of this blog.)

BBC on Facebook    http://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
From posts on the BBC Wall you can access content on the BBC site. Ask students to read the article, return to Facebook, and then click on "View all comments" to sample reactions posted by people from far and near. Here’s what I found at midday in the Midwest on Friday (4 Feb 2011). These items are not numbered so count the globes (and scroll down farther if necessary):

#3: BBC News: Egypt Violence Exposes Secret Tools of State Repression

• A brief article on the security apparatus, with references to the harassment of journalists. It links to a Human Right Watch report with more information. 

#4: BBC News: Latest News on the Unrest in Egypt

#5: BBC News: Could the Protests Spread? 

• This was #1 early Thursday morning. When I viewed the comments, I noticed several that either anticipated or called for protests elsewhere in Africa.
• A post by Carrow Choggo Owuor (a Kenyan?) refers to the French Revolution–a boon for world history teachers: "This is likely 2spread jst as it has always done in history. Take 4exampl the French Rev wich then led 2alot of turmoil in the rest of Europe,. Also bearin in mind that the cause of the current uprisings r almost similar."
• Another post by Gary Nelson responds to how others (sometimes) see the USA: "Revolution is not a bad idea in some instances. I believe that people, or a majority of them, should choose their leaders. If a situation such as what is going on in Egypt persists, their voices should be heard and acknowledged ... The USA is seen as evil around the world. I get it. And I understand it more when I read the responses of all of you here. But if we were to fall from power on the world stage then some other power, (insert next world power here), would manipulate the global arena just the same ..."

#6 BBC News: Interactive Map to the Unrest in Egypt

• This was #2 on Thursday. Comments here show how people reacted to the violence that broke out on Wednesday, as anti-government protesters clashed with pro-Mubarak supporters. Lloyd Hart includes a link to "We are all Khaled Said" (see below). Click on Banan Adel El.kholy’s link to a YouTube video from Takrir Square.

Facebook: Al Jazeera English
Al Jazeera’s Facebook page has a "Watch Live" tab linking directly to its live coverage. The Wall is full of items dealing with events in Egypt. Comments provide a wide range of opinions. Search for the most interesting.

Facebook: We Are All Khaled Said
This page played a critical role in instigating the protests in Egypt. Be sure to check out the "Notes" feature (lower left). Click to access ALL the notes. One lists videos that supporters of the protests have posted on YouTube. Another note provides Egyptian Embassy contact and encourages supporters to send messages. (More on Khaled Said in my next post.)

Twitter
To access Twitter messages about events in Egypt, access #egypt:
http://twitter.com/search?q=%23egypt. These include Tweets in Arabic script, Chinese characters.