Archive for the 'Emerging Technology' Category

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Wiggly Wigglers: A Success Story

Published on 2 December 2009 in Emerging Technology, Facebook, Information Management, Knowledge Management, Reference, Social Inclusion, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

 

Wiggly Wigglers is a company that cropped up more than once at the Digital Britain briefing. Heather Gorringe founded the sustainable gardening business in 1990. Based on a farm in rural Herefordshire, she started selling worms for compost bins and now has a turnover of £2.5m offering everything from goats’ hair socks to plants and bird food.

Using online technology, Heather made her business a success. Being based on a farm, she had no passing trade therefore relied on the internet. She states ‘To us, there’s no difference between DM, email, web, blogs, podcasts, videos and Facebook – they all bring us feedback and sales’.

Another key move in her path to success was letting customers being a part of the idea generation process. They built their catalogue within a private wiki web page where customers request what they want, for example one customer requested a push lawnmower which Heather had not thought of, but it ended up being an excellent addition to the range. Having communication and engagement with the customers allowed the business to grow, using simple online social networking. Keeping up interest with blogs and podcasts, Wiggly Wigglers is still growing.

The speakers at the briefing used this success story to highlight how big a part broadband played in this story, and without it rural areas, small business such as farms, are getting left behind and being put at a disadvantage.

Along with this I see this story as an excellent example of what can be achieved using social media. The use of blogs, podcasts and social networking on Facebook and Twitter creates interest, engagement and communities. By combining the use of all these resources one person can tell a message to a million people, the opportunities are endless and there isn’t a better time to get on board than now!

Website – http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/

Blog – http://wigglywigglers.blogspot.com/

Podcast – http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/podcasts/

Twitter – http://twitter.com/wiggled

People’s Voice Media

Published on 1 December 2009 in Emerging Technology, Social Inclusion, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

Gary Coptitch, Chief Exec of ‘Peoples Voice Media: Connecting Communities’ gave a presentation at the Westminster Briefing.

 Who are they…..?

  • PVM are a ‘not for profit’ community development organisation that uses social media to support digital inclusion and online social networking.

 What do they do….?

  • They support individuals and communities to have a voice, and to create relationships and dialogue, forge new relationships and develop their own solutions
  • Aim for individuals to become the ‘Reuters of the Community’ enabling communities to create content for themselves and for a wider audience

 Objectives….?

  • to provide opportunities for people to develop ICT skills, access information, contribute to their communities and participate in society
  • to highlight community activity, bring people together and support community regeneration through the use of Social Media
  • to build the capacity of the community and voluntary sector, providing information and promoting services utilizing current and emerging technologies

 Gary stated that technology does not just mean computers, he talked about ‘technology on the pocket’; mobile phones, cameras, audio and video recorders. He stressed that anyone can create content whether it be a video clip with no audio, just an audio clip, just text and picture or all these things together. Each person is different and so is the content they create.

He works with individuals and other organisations to create audio application forms and video CV’s and working together to make them widely accepted. There are many jobs where the candidate does not need to be able to read or write, see or hear, and therefore there should be an application process which matches this.

 PVM also have Social Media Centres that run Drop-in sessions, accredited and informal learning and training, ability to access and create a social space and have peer support. They have community reporters who create the content, dialogue and discussion for community websites, community newspapers, e-newsletters, Internet TV and Internet Radio Stations.

 In particular I found Gary’s summary very useful and believe it is in such a format that I can apply to the work that I am doing:

 Involve:

As many people as possible

Create:

Content that is relevant, user generated and multiplatform

Discuss:

Create dialogue and discussion online and offline

Promote:

Distribution channels up, down and sideways

Measure:

Through qualitative and quantitative evaluation

 To find out more go to the website http://peoplesvoicemedia.co.uk/ or the Twitter http://twitter.com/peoplesvoice

‘Why do we need a Digital Britain?’

Published on 1 December 2009 in Emerging Technology, Information Management, Knowledge Management, Social Inclusion, Social Media, Topics and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

I attended a briefing called “A Digital Britain for Everyone: Innovating Public Service and New Business Opportunities through Access and Skills for All” last week in London.  The briefing was about having broadband and computers in every home across Britain to help families, communities and small businesses take advantage of modern infrastructure.

Something which has stayed with me from the briefing was one of the first questions that was asked: ‘Why do we need a Digital Britain?’. In response to this the speaker showed this quote by Charles Darwin;

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

This idea of adapting to change stands out to me, I am frequently questioned upon the need for internet and emerging technologies in education and it is often those who are resisting change that ask. However those who are adaptable to change are the ones who are benefiting the most.
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This is something that I will keep in mind when presenting new ideas to others, and ask them to also consider this.

 Further details on the speakers will follow

What are ‘Emerging Technologies’?

Published on 25 November 2009 in Emerging Technology, Facebook, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Projects, Social Media and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

With regards to MSF&R Youth Engagement I consider the use of Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, podcasts and social networking to be ‘emerging technologies’.

Although these ideas have now been around for the last couple of years and have been embraced by some, it is only recently that these technologies have been recognised as potential tools for educators and implemented into the educational system. Therefore I strongly believe that despite these technologies being well established in our lives, the inclusion of them in education is still emerging.

Firefighters and Social Networking

Published on 24 November 2009 in Emerging Technology, Facebook, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Social Media and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

Screengrab of Pc Ed Rogerson's twitter page, Ed Rogerson

PC Ed Rogerson is one of a growing number of Police Officers using social networking whilst out on patrol. He uses Twitter to give local communities updates of where he is patrolling, information on incidents he has been involved in and advice. Quoted from the BBC, he said “It works on a far more local level than the force-wide Facebook group…It’s local to Harrogate and our problems.” By using technologies that residents are comfortable with and use frequently he can engage and communicate with them effectively. Having a local officer providing the information it also gives the community ownership of the updates and a sense of belonging. PC Rogerson maintains that this is not a replacement to traditional methods of communicating with the public but is to be used alongside other methods; “Doing either in isolation might be fine, but by doing both we can spread that warning even further.”   

Social Networking could be used in a similar way to communicate and engage with the public in the Fire Service. Firefighters could communicate with the public via Facebook about what they have done on their shift, the areas they have visited, advice specific to the area they cover and updated information on that particular area. The residents could then also respond to the Fire Fighters and ask them questions or advice which hasn’t been covered. This open communication would build relationships between the Fire Service and the public and encourage engagement, utilising technology which is fast growing and already embedded into many people’s lives.

Don’t Assume… Ask!

Published on 23 November 2009 in E-Safety, Emerging Technology, Facebook, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Projects, Social Media and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

I have created a questionnaire to assess young people’s computer skills and internet safety knowledge.

The purpose of this is to compare the results of a group who are just finishing a Princes Trust Course to those of a group next year that would have been exposed to emerging technologies throughout the course. Another purpose of the survey was to confirm which social networking sites are most popular and how the students access the internet and e-mail.

 The questionnaire was given out to nine Princes Trust students aged 17-23. I hope that when I compare these results to the next group, a clear difference will be visible in internet skills and capabilities using technologies.

One of the questions was ‘Which Social Networking Sites Do You Use?’, if students used more than one they were able list them.

 graph 1

The findings shown below clearly show that Facebook is the most popular site and that more people do not use any at all than use MySpace, Bebo or Twitter.

 I also asked how the young people access the internet. Over half of the students had a PC at home and a third had their own laptops. The use of the internet and Facebook is increasing on mobile phones and some of the students used their game consoles for the internet.

 graph 2

 Other interesting results included; over 75% of the students used hotmail for their email and 33% of the students didn’t have access to the internet at home.

This backs up our idea to set each student up with a professional e-mail address not only as some hotmail addresses can be unsuitable but also so that those without the internet are not excluded from applying for training, information and employment online. With many companies using e-recruitment and e-mail as contact it is important that are students have the right skills and knowledge to do this.

My results also showed that many of the students lacked computer skills that a lot of young people would take for granted and are essential when applying for training or employment. By incorporating computer skills into the programme the students would leave with invaluable experience and knowledge that will help them progress to the next stage of their lives.

Improving Students Computer Skills

Published on 18 November 2009 in E-Safety, Emerging Technology, Facebook, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Projects and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

An issue that was discussed with Princes Trust staff, Richie and Jade, was when the young people are required to produce a CV and to search and apply for training and employment online. The staff struggled to do this in the time they had due to computing facilities and the lack of experience the young people have had using computers. We discussed the idea of assessing the students existing skills at the start of the course and helping them to improve to a standard level; having the ability to use the Microsoft Office, Internet and E-mail. This would not only help with the production of a CV but also equip the young people with essential skills they need to go to further education, training or employment.  

Google Mail

Furthermore we discussed the type of email addresses that the students have and use on their CV’s and application forms. In the past staff have found these e-mail addresses to be highly unsuitable for potential employers, it was therefore agreed that a useful exercise during the course would be to help the students to set up a personal e-mail address for professional distribution, for example Google Mail, with which they can then use to apply for training and employment. They can also continue to use this once the course has finished. This would not only help the young people in the future but would educate them on the importance of how they present themselves physically and virtually. This would also tie into e-safety, for example; how accessible their Facebook content is to the public.   

Social Network Sites Need ‘Help’ Button

Published on 18 November 2009 in E-Safety, Emerging Technology, Facebook, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Social Media and Youth Engagement. 1 Comment

In the UK headlines today major social networking sites have been criticised for not using the ‘CEOP Report’ button. This button is embedded into many websites and programs including MSN for young people to use to report any suspicious individuals or behaviour whilst using the internet. When this button was launched on Instant Messenger software, MSN in 2006, reports to CEOP increased by 113%. Every month the ‘CEOP Report’ button gets 10’000 hits, helping CEOP trace any harmful behaviour from bullying to paedophilia. The button links young people with a range of service from the local police through to Childline giving them the help and support they need and internet safety advice.  

 Nonetheless, Facebook and Myspace, are two of the most popular social networking sites that still do not have the button embedded despite the amount of young people that use them and the number of serious incidents that have occurred recently. Social networking site Bebo, has stood out and adopted the use of the button. This is a step forward for social networking, Jim Gamble from CEOP states that “Parents can be reassured because they know this environment is appropriately managed” but also “the predator, the person that goes on with harmful intent – whether it’s the bully or whether it’s the paedophile – they know when they see it that there is an active deterrent here.” Facebook and Myspace will now hopefully realise the benefit of embedding the button for the safety of their users and promotion of online safety. Last year Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service produced pin badges in the design of the CEOP ‘Report Abuse’ button for Safer Internet Day. This helped to promote the awareness of the button and to familiarise the public with what it looked like.

The button has since been revamped and has a new design; still using the same logo the text has changed from ‘Report Abuse’ to ‘CEOP Report’. With Safer Internet Day coming up in February we are currently looking in to what we can do this year to make a difference and make Merseyside safer online.

 

CEOP Button

New CEOP design on the left, the old design on the right.

Using Facebook in Youth Engagement

Published on 18 November 2009 in Emerging Technology, Facebook, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Projects, Social Media and Youth Engagement. 0 Comments

My current thought processes are around Facebook being a resource which should be embraced and used within our Youth Engagement Programmes. It is inevitable that a great deal of debate will arise about allowing the use of Facebook in the workplace, however by using Facebook to engage with the young people from each programme we are able to form stronger relationships with the community and tackle issues via a medium that the young people of today are accustomed to.  

I am proposing that a Facebook ‘Public Profile’ should be created to represent Merseyside Fire and Rescue Youth Engagement. This is not the same as a private personal profile which is gives an individual’s details to the extent that they choose. A ‘Public Profile’ is similar to a home page on a website. It states who the page is about; an organisation, a food product, a rock band, and any further information that they wish to display; contact details, aims and achievements, their service.   Wikipedia explains a Public Profile as;   

Individuals or companies can create “Public Profiles” (Formerly known as “Pages”) which allows users to “become a fan” of the individual, product, service, or concept. Public Profiles look and behave much like a user’s personal private profile, with some significant differences. Public Profiles are integrated with Facebook’s advertising system, allowing Public Profile owners to easily advertise to Facebook’s users. Owners can send updates to their fans, which shows up on their home page. They also have access to insights and analytics of their fan base   

By having a public profile rather than a standard Facebook individual profile, it allows the creators, moderators and staff to remain private if they want. Those who become a ‘fan’ of the page or follow it will only be able to see the names of those who contribute to the page; they will not have access to their profiles.  

This public profile will act the central hub for Youth Engagement. Anybody can view this page, it will give information on the various programmes that MFRS run and how to get more information, apply and who to contact.  For past and current students, we shall create Facebook groups. A group will be created for each programme that is run i.e. Prince’s Trust, EARLY, Beacon. Within these groups subsections can be made for each team i.e. Huyton, Old Swan and Derby Road. The groups will be private and only those invited to join will have access. By having specific groups for each programme young people can become a member of the group and have access to the photos / videos that are taken throughout the course. Important information, reminders and issues can be mailed out to all of the group members. Furthermore, discussion can be created within the group. Past students can continue using the group so that communication can be continued for further guidance, track progress and create accurate statistics. It would also create the opportunity for carers / parents to see young person’s progress and activities they have completed and the option to contact staff.   

“Meet them where they live!”

Published on 17 November 2009 in Emerging Technology, Social Media and Youth Engagement. 1 Comment

Whilst researching I encountered an excellent blog about ‘Emerging Technology in Education’ written by K. Walsh. One entry in particular that caught my eye was ‘5 Reasons Why Educators Need To Embrace Internet Technologies’. This entry is an excellent resource to show those who are unsure about the use of Emerging Technologies and may not understand why we are trying to incorporate them into our programmes.

The five reasons are:

  1. Professional Development
  2. The Power To Engage
  3. Students Use Them Already
  4. It’s Not Going Away (It Will Only Grow)
  5. Businesses Want to Hire Workers Who Understand The Internet

 For a breakdown of each reason click here