- The group work trying to assist the RPLS in exploring social media options is proceeding well, with an expected launch date for the first portion, a Facebook fan page entitled "No World without Libraries," to coincide with National Library Week. The goal will be to encourage people to be aware of the danger of budget cuts to the library and to recognize the continued importance of the library's services. An additional component will be to generate testimonials that will provide support to the library when they have to defend their budget and services provided. The second component of this project will be entitled "Richmond Loves Banned Books," and it will highlight the importance of intellectual freedom. By having a 2 pronged approach, it is our hope that we will be able to evaluate two different but related ways of using technology: generating a sense of urgency through a distopian vision of how the world could look without libraries and also doing an issue-based campaign that gives a concrete area (RVA) and topic (banned books).
- I have also begun working with the RPLS in assisting and observing their computer basics classes to get a better understanding of people who do not regularly interact with technology. I'm observing the class to get a sense of the demographics and the technical difficulties encountered by these individuals, and then I'll be engaging them in conversations to determine why they have decided to pursue these technology classes now, where they do or don't have access to technology, and what have been the most difficult things in their opinions when it comes to working with technology.
- I presented at my first conference panel at the end of February applying postmodern and feminist theoretical frameworks to 9/11. I got very good feedback from the audience afterwards saying that I made them look at things in a different way, I explained the theories, including traditional Public Administration theory, in a way that was very accessible to people from outside my discipline, and they could tell that I was really enthusiastic and interested in my topic. If I continue this work in the future, I think I will include more on social network theories in my discussion of non-hierarchical forms of leadership and to counter the Weberian bureaucratic system that is still regarded as so central to traditional PA theory.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Research Updates
Before I go into the topic of course design, I thought I would provide an update on my research projects for this semester:
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Wow, you have been busy! It is also pretty clear that you are enjoying all of the above! I might be the only one that understands (and appreciates) the Weberian reference to bureaucracies : - )
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you have given much thought to how some of our class material is relevant to your work at the RPLS. For instance, what role might preconceptions play in library public relations. Or the role of the affective domain with late adopters of technology?
I too am interested in hearing more about the late adopters of technology, the hurdles they face, and what is motivating them to adopt technology now!!
ReplyDeleteSounds fascinating.
I am also interested in how your social networking campaign goes. It is my experience that social networks that foster interaction take a very active person behind the network, fostering and tilling the interaction. It doesn't tend to appear spontaneously. Is that your experience?
Catherine
@Zach: It's actually a great tie in that I've been mulling over since I read your comment yesterday (sorry, just finished up a paper on Spanish public administration that involved reteaching myself bits of Spanish!). I've attended 1 3 hour class at one location and 1 1 hour class at another and the two classes offer an interesting comparison with one another. I'll definitely be thinking about learning types as I start to analyze what I've observed in more depth.
ReplyDelete@Catherine: For the group at the Main branch of the library, the primary catalyst is needing to be able to maneuver job listings and communicate via email. They have absolutely no familiarity with the technology, to the extent of needed to learn to use a mouse (something I can't even remember learning!). Some of them are terrified of breaking the technology while others are overly accepting at face-value banner ads, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll reply to your comment on social networking/media as a separate blog post as I also just came from the Social Media and Change Summit this morning.