Encouraging Social Innovation Through Capital: Using Technology to Address Barriers

Outlines how technology can help foster a robust capital market for public education innovation by improving content, linking technology with face-to-face networks, and streamlining transactions. Suggests steps for government, foundations, and developers

Supporting Answerers with Feedback in Social Q&A

Prior research has examined the use of Social Question and Answer (Q&A) websites for answer and help seeking. However, the potential for these websites to support domain learning has not yet been realized. Helping users write effective answers can be beneficial for subject area learning for both answerers and the recipients of answers. In this study, we examine the utility of crowdsourced, criteria-based feedback for answerers on a student-centered Q&A website, Brainly.com. In an experiment with 55 users, we compared perceptions of the current rating system against two feedback designs with explicit criteria (Appropriate, Understandable, and Generalizable). Contrary to our hypotheses, answerers disagreed with and rejected the criteria-based feedback. Although the criteria aligned with answerers' goals, and crowdsourced ratings were found to be objectively accurate, the norms and expectations for answers on Brainly conflicted with our design. We conclude with implications for the design of feedback in social Q&A.Comment: Published in Proceedings of the Fifth Annual ACM Conference on Learning at Scale, Article No. 10, London, United Kingdom. June 26 - 28, 201

Just in Time: The Beyond-the-Hype Potential of E-Learning

Based on a year of conversations with more than 100 leading thinkers, practitioners, and entrepreneurs, this report explores the state of e-learning and the potential it offers across all sectors of our economy -- far beyond the confines of formal education. Whether you're a leader, worker in the trenches, or just a curious learner, imagine being able to access exactly what you need, when you need it, in a format that's quick and easy to digest and apply. Much of this is now possible and within the next decade, just-in-time learning will likely become pervasive.This report aims to inspire you to consider how e-learning could change the way you, your staff, and the people you serve transfer knowledge and adapt over time

ONLINE NETWORKS AND PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS: EMPIRICAL STUDIES OF CHARITABLE DONATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

My dissertation seeks to understand how online networks promote prosocial behaviors in creating social value. The first essay examines the use of Twitter on charitable giving behavior in online fundraising campaigns. Using a unique dataset from one of the first nonprofit organizations to conduct an online fundraising campaign via Twitter, the goal of this essay is to understand how social media and the interpersonal communications it facilitates influences donation outcomes. I find that generic content sent through a mass broadcast mode has a negative influence, whereas personalized content sent through a narrowcast mode has a positive influence on a focal agent's donation behavior. I further show that different types of persuasive content have varied impacts on outcomes. In the interpersonal context, content related to maintaining social relationships such as the visibility of other members' donations, the diversity of sources advocating action, and strengthening interpersonal bonds, positively influence donation behavior, especially for those whose social ties with the charitable organization are weak. The second essay examines the design of online communities in supporting grassroots movements towards environmental sustainability. Using a dataset from one of the early pioneers of "green" online communities, the goal of this essay is to understand how online networks impact sustainable behaviors. Drawing from literature on observational learning and environmental sustainability, I show that a member's total carbon savings is mainly influenced by the exposure to relevant others' "green" behaviors. More specifically, a member's decision to commit and perform a sustainable act is determined by the organizational structure and strength of relationships with fellow members. While organizing members into groups decreases individual's environmental effectiveness in terms of total carbon savings, especially in larger groups, a higher frequency of communications among members increases sustainable behavior by enhancing interpersonal connections. Overall, the two studies provide important theoretical and practical implications for prosocial behaviors supported by online networks

Women Give 2020

By focusing on technology, Women Give 2020 seeks to understand how women’s greater use of social networks and greater presence in key online spaces might influence philanthropy. This subject resonates in particular with women donors who are often drawn to philanthropy through collective giving and the sense of community they build when giving together. Women are inclined to give more than money, combining charitable donations with volunteer or board service, or with more informal giving and helping. Moreover, women donors tend to be drawn to some causes in particular, such as women’s and girls’ issues, or other organizations to which they are connected personally

Digital Transitions: Nonprofit Investigative Journalism: Evaluation Report on the Center for Public Integrity

Summarizes outcomes of a one-year grant to CPI to transform itself into a leader in digital nonprofit journalism. Examines CPI's track record, use of new tools and methods, capacity as an effective and credible online presence, and areas for improvement

Crowdsourcing Design: A Synthesis of Literatures

Crowdsourcing is a phenomenon emerging in various sectors and industries that provides an opportunity for governments to collaborate with the public to generate information, deliver public services, or facilitate policy innovation. This review paper synthesizes prior research and practices on crowdsourcing from a variety of disciplines and focuses on the purpose, crowd, motivation, process design and outcomes. A process map for governments to design crowdsourcing is generated and three key actions are highlighted, namely incentive design, communication, and information aggregation

UMass Amherst Friends of the Library Newsletter - Spring/Summer 2014 (no. 47)

In this edition of the News for the Friends of the UMass Amherst Libraries, you will notice an unusually large number of new staff and staff promotions. Over the past year, the Libraries have had an accelerated rate of retirements. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for the organization. It is always challenging to lose staff that have been with us for many years. Their institutional memory and connection to the campus community is priceless and something that cannot easily be replaced. UMass Amherst Libraries and all research libraries (as I have mentioned so many times before) are undergoing a tremendous transformation as we move from a print environment to a digital one. Each staff opening is an opportunity to re-examine workflows and re-think priorities in today’s ever-changing library world. Human resources are the Libraries most valuable and expensive asset and we make every effort to be certain that each hire is strategic in moving our organization to the next level of excellence. Student workers have always been a vital part the Library workforce. We hope you enjoyed reading about Kashe Wansor, one of more than 200 students the Libraries employ each year. Former student workers are helping build our future; like Kelvin Cross, who met his wife while working in the Morrill Science Library, and Marda Buchholz who fondly remembers her years working in Goodell Library. As one of the most senior (in several meanings of the word) members of the staff, I find it energizing and revitalizing to bring so many new faces into the Libraries. It is an opportunity for us to mentor them into our culture of service-based excellence for which we are known and respected on campus and in the library world. At the same time, it is an opportunity for the organization to move forward with a broad array of new skills and new ways of thinking about libraries in the 21st century