The Impact of New Media Use on Youth Political Engagement

During increasing studies and debates on the impact of the use of social media, especially among young people in the context of civil life and political action, some researchers suggest that the category of findings on these two categories is optimistic or pessimistic. Focusing on young Chinese ethnic groups in Singkawang City, this study aims to view the extent to which social media is a driving force for young people’s online political engagement. By conducting a multiple correlation regression analysis of 100 respondents data collected using a questionnaire, this study found that the use of social media was not the main driver (contributing on 25.6%) for increased online political engagement by young Chinese Singkawang, but social media provided opportunities for Singkawang Chinese young people to access information and transfer political knowledge

Civic Engagement 2.0: A Blended Pedagogy of Multiliteracies and Activism

This study looks at the practice of teaching civic engagement through digital and Web 2.0 tools and examines the impact on agency and self-efficacy of first-year writing students. The primary focus is studying student attitudes toward use of these tools, civic engagement in general, and the perceived value of engaging civically through use of these tools with the hopes of better understanding the value of this work and the impact it will have on future civic, community, and political engagement. Based on the findings of a triad of studies published in 2012 – a CIRCLE study (“That’s Not Democracy”), Giovanna Mascheroni’s study of Italian youth and political uses of the web, and a study conducted by DoSomething.org – the researcher designed a first-year composition course that asked students to choose a cause or issue for the duration of the semester and take on roles of informer, reformer, advocate, and activist on three fronts: Twitter (microblogging), Wordpress (blogging), and YouTube (digital advocacy videos). A feminist methodology was used for this study, understanding that the participatory nature of the research was an essential part of the ethos of the researcher. Qualitative data was collected through analysis of student work, reflection essays, and semi-structured focus group conversations. Through the focus group discussions, the student participants and the researcher worked collaboratively to create knowledge. The findings of this study echoed those of the three studies mentioned above. In addition to showing that instruction and experience with digital civic engagement are linked to an increased likelihood to engage in the future, the study showed that there are numerous benefits to teaching new media, civic, and academic literacies through an activist lens in writing studies. Students acquire a host of academic and professional skills that will help them succeed in the classroom and their future careers. Beyond acquisition of research and 21st century writing skills, teaching digital activism empowers students, increases agency, and helps them grasp the value of disrupting existing, outdated, or oppressive power dynamics in effective ways. Finally, it helps develop lifelong learners who are self-motivated

New Media and Youth Political Action

To rigorously consider the impact of new media on the political and civic behavior of young people, The MacArthur Research Network on Youth and Participatory Politics (YPP) developed and fielded one of the first large-scale, nationally representative studies of new media and politics among young people. The two principal researchers for the survey component of the YPP, Cathy J. Cohen of the University of Chicago and Joseph Kahne of Mills College, oversaw a research team that surveyed nearly 3,000 respondents between the ages of 15 and 25 years of age. Unlike any prior study of youth and new media, this study included large numbers of black, Latino, and Asian American respondents, which allows for unique and powerful statistical comparisons across race with a focus on young people.Until now there has been limited opportunity and data available to comprehensively explore the relationship between new media and the politics of young people. One of the few entities to engage in this type of rigorous analysis has been the Pew Internet and American Life Project. The YPP study expands on this field-leading work by including an extensive battery of items addressing participatory politics and adequate numbers of participants from different racial and ethnic groups, thus allowing for analysis of how different groups of young people were engaged with new media in the political realm.The YPP study findings suggest that fundamental changes in political expectations and practices may be occurring -- especially for youth. The analysis of the data collected reveals that youth are taking advantage of an expanded set of participatory practices in the political realm in ways that amplify their voice and sometimes their influence, thus increasing the ways young people participate in political life. The YPP researchers label this expanded set of opportunities and actions participatory politics

All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement

Each new generation must become active, informed, responsible, and effective citizens. As a teacher we surveyed for this report said, civic education "is essential if we are to continue as a free democratic society. Not to educate the next generation will ensure the destruction of our American way of life as we know it."Data show that many young Americans are reasonably well informed and active. For instance, 45% of citizens between the ages of 18 and 29 voted in the 2012 election. In a national survey conducted for this Commission, 76% of people under the age of 25 who voted could correctly answer at least one (out of two) factual questions about where the presidential candidates stood on a campaign issue and state their own opinion on that issue.On the other hand, more than half of young people did not vote. And on some topics, most young people were misinformed. A majority (51.2%) of under 25-year olds believed that the federal government spends more on foreign aid than on Social Security, when in fact Social Security costs about 20 times more. (Older adults have also been found to be misinformed on similar topics.) Our research, like many other studies, finds that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are far less likely to be informed and to vote.These shortcomings cannot be attributed to the schools alone, since families, friends, political campaigns, election officials, the mass media, social media, and community-based organizations are among the other important influences on young people. In fact, our research shows that while schools matter, civic education must be a shared responsibility.The outcomes are acceptable only when all the relevant institutions invite, support, and educate young people to engage in politics and civic life. Improving the quality and quantity of youth participation will require new collaborations; for example, state election officials and schools should work together to make voting procedures understandable and to educate students about voting rules

Youth Activism and Public Space in Egypt

Examines youth activists' use of virtual and physical public spaces before, during, and after the January 25 Revolution. Profiles three organizations and analyzes the power and limitations of social media to spur civic action, as well as the role of art

A Public Voice for Youth: The Audience Problem in Digital Media and Civic Education

Part of the Volume on Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth.Students should have opportunities to create digital media in schools. This is a promising way to enhance their "civic engagement," which comprises political activism, deliberation, problem-solving, and participation in shaping a culture. All these forms of civic engagement require the effective use of a "public voice," which should be taught as part of digital media education. To provide digital media courses that teach civic engagement will mean overcoming several challenges, including a lack of time, funding, and training. An additional problem is especially relevant to the question of public voice. Students must find appropriate audiences for their work in a crowded media environment dominated by commercial products. The chapter concludes with strategies for building audiences, the most difficult but promising of which is to turn adolescents' offline communities -- especially high schools -- into more genuine communities

Youth Civic Engagement Grantmaking: Strategic Review

Examines the impact, strengths, and weaknesses of RBF's strategy for building capacity among organizations that help train and empower low-income youth and youth of color working for social change. Recommends strategies for building shared infrastructure

Our Voice Is Your Future: Giving L.A.'s Youth Real Voice and Real Power

Based on focus groups with youth and youth workers, identifies best practices and opportunities to engage youth in community-building. Includes recommendations to improve social services and prevention, support and development, and participation

Adobe Youth Voices Literature Review

Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) received a grant from Adobe to conduct an evaluation of the Adobe Youth Voices (AYV) program. As part of the evaluation, EDC conducted a review of relevant literature to situate AYV in a broader context, provide stakeholders with a framework for understanding goals and outcomes, and frame and inform the evaluation questions. EDC reviewed scholarly articles, program reports and evaluations, and research studies that addressed youth media programs, youth development, teacher professional development, and other areas related to AYV's goals.Among the findings, the literature review includes 6 key points that speak to the AYV program:1. The goals of youth media programs most commonly cited can be grouped into several categories: Youth voice -- the capacity for self-expression Youth development -- the process of developing the skills and personal attributes that enable young people to become successful adults Media literacy -- the ability to analyze, evaluate and produce information in a variety of media forms Skill development -- such as communication, critical thinking, technology, and media production skills Social action or civic engagement 2. Outcomes and impacts on participants of youth media programs commonly found in the literature include: Improved skills Improved community perception of youth Positive youth development Increased social action and civic engagement 3. Outcomes and impacts on participants of youth development programs frequently cited include:Improved communication, critical thinking, and related skills Increased self-esteem More positive attitudes towards school and their futures 4. There is broad agreement that traditional educational approaches do not adequately address 21st century skills. Education must adapt to be more compatible with the ways in which young people think and learn, as well as the tools and media that are part of their environment.5. Student engagement in education has been associated with positive youth development and 21st century skills. Engaging instruction often includes inquiry- or project-based, multidisciplinary, and authentic learning activities.6. Educator professional development is believed to be a key step toward improving student outcomes. While there is little research that can demonstrate this connection, there is new focus on evaluating the effectiveness of professional development activities. Elements of effective professional development include learning communities and collaboration, ongoing support and assistance, and active or applied learning

Learning to hope and hoping to learn: a critical examination of young refugees and formal education in the UK.

This chapter examines the multi-dimensional complexities affecting refugee children’s identities and aspirations in the UK whilst navigating the education system. It debates the current language used around new arrivals and how they are labelled with a negative public perception that is endorsed by the media and politicians, to instil moral panic for political gain. It will critically analyse the idea of hope and the affect it has on identity and wellbeing. In particular, the argument is made that refugee children and their families have hope for their new futures and often that hope is crushed, when it should be nurtured. It questions whether the current education system helps develop hope and inclusion for new arrivals or enforces the media and political stereotyping, and what role Youth and Community work plays in supporting, developing and nurturing hope in a hopeless environment. This chapter critically examines the current definitions of refugees examining both the legal and social definition of refugees and how these impact on identities. It will argue that labelling provides a barrier to full engagement and integration of new arrivals in their new societies, schools and social spaces. It will debate about integration through education and how this impacts on the complexities of new arrivals. It will debate that a racist society exists and continues to provide a judgement basis for new arrivals and their treatment. It will briefly cover ‘Rights’ to education and how the idea of hope is embedded in these rights, but yet are contested by policy, marketization of schools and detention centres. It will demonstrate how schools play a vital role in young people’s lives, but also in the role of families as places of hope, by provide social networking, education and places of cultural learning. It will then debate how this is experienced by new arrivals and if schools encourage cohesion or assimilation. It will debate the ability of schools to cope, in current circumstances and in light of marketization, with new arrivals and how this has affected schools abilities to cope with a diverse intake of students and different times of the year. The chapter offers a critique of the injustice for new arrivals both within macro and micro structural levels of education. It considers the impact of Orientalism and the development of the ‘other’ which is to be used in media and political rhetoric; Colonialism which continues to define refugees' identities today and Structuration as a form of enabling hope. However these will be contrasted with the power of individuals in creating change to develop hope and the barriers that are faced by new arrivals. It argues that in most cases informal education is much better at helping new arrivals learn than formal education and the great need for change at national, social policy, organisational and practice levels. The later part of the chapter will be a critical examination of the skills of youth and community workers and how they can respond to issues raised in the chapter, using informal education to develop and enhance hope with new arrivals. It will critically examine issues such as language barriers; safety and the effect on building relationships; place and its relationship with identity; and radical working with new arrivals debating that Youth and Community Workers need to be involved on all levels: Face to face, management, local and national policy making; to create spaces of hope for new arrivals. The chapter will use the voice of young people in current academic literature and experience of my own work with new arrivals in Derby, UK. The conclusion is that there must be a radical approach taken by youth and community workers, to provide critical space, for voices to be heard, for new arrivals to be recognised as valuable not as trouble makers and leading to creative changeN/