Assignment for EDCS 510
Okay, so for my Tuesday class, I'm supposed to find a site that is geared towards teens, and, if possible, is run by teens. My LJ radar went off and said, "OOH! LOOK ON LJ! LOOK ON LJ!!!
So I did.
Behind the cut are three communities that I investigated, having searched "Interests" for "teen," and my opinions of the communities. I've done my best to illuminate my personal biases, but one that I missed is that I only looked at communities that are in English, so I suppose this research was done with a language-filter.
Hmm. Follow the cut and leave me a note, letting me know what you think, please!
Community: 1safecommunity link
Tagline: “You are not alone”
User info: Any one who joins this community is welcome to post freely. BUT, harassment will not be tolerated. You will be banned if you promote hate, bigotry, discrimination, or disrespect.
Membership: 21 members, 19 watchers.
Date begun: February 15, 2005
This community is a place for poetry, journal entries, questions, and emotional purging. It isn’t a very active community, but it gives the participants the chance to talk and get feedback from people who aren’t quite as close to them as the people with whom they interact at school.
For example, the April 13 comment about attending a rally was full of disappointment that the writer’s friends didn’t attend. This is not the sort of thing this person would be able to do with a close circle of friends without risking the loss of friendship with those in his/her social circle. Freedom from that sort of direct social pressure is a very good thing, in my way of thinking. Exposes young people to the opinions, viewpoints, and backgrounds of a wider variety of people without the judgment of parents or the restriction of fear of what could result from posting honestly.
This community’s membership is not limited to teenagers, although from the look of the posts, it’s either all teenagers or there are adults posting who are very good at pretending to be teenagers. My guess is, it’s teens whose parents monitor what they look at online. This is a nice, “safe” (by current social standards) site for just about anyone over the age of twelve to visit. I’d allow my kids to view this journal (if I had kids) because it exposes them to discussion and debate rather than lecture-style transmission of knowledge or sarcastic criticism (like you see in stand-up comedy, for example).
~*~*~*~
Community: _breakintrend link
Tagline: Each day things change and with change we grow ... let’s grow together
User info: This community was made for the purpose of finding out about ... New music, groups, songs etc, books, videos, magazines, articles, clothes, bags, wallets, pictures of stars, yourself etc. If it’s new then post it in this community. Introduce your self when you join.
Membership: 24 members, 19 watchers
Date begun: January 20, 2005.
Okay, so personal bias needs to be illuminated first, I believe. I’ve never personally been a fan of fashion trends, and cannot stand the fashion magazines that line the aisles at the grocery store. Therefore, I’m already set to not like this community, without even looking into it.
That out of the way, I must confess that I was impressed by this community. As with the previous community, I’d say that all the members are either teenagers or adults who are really good at posting like teenagers, based upon the slang used, the “shortcuts” used (I luff u ... wowz4me? Luff-luff-hearts). This is a place where teenagers talk about fashion, plain and simple.
As with the previous community, there’s not a lot of action on this community. One or two posts a week, and usually not many comments per post. However, it is a place where the members honestly discuss what they think and feel about current trends in fashion, movies and music, without the pressure of their immediate peer group.
However, if I were a “Merchant of Cool,” I’d be all over this community, seeking out the newest trends and what “real kids” think of them (insert shudder of revulsion). I can’t help but wonder what would happen if those in charge of educational policy took a look at the previous community to find out what “real kids” think of important matters, such as politics and religion.
Hmm. What a thought.
~*~*~*~
Community: _the_panel link
Tagline: The Panel: Review, rate, debate, rant, and bitch!
User info: Welcome to The Panel, where our panel of self appointed judges review anything. Really anything, nothing is taboo. Movies, quotes, people, actors, bands, artists, or anything else you can think of. Make lists of good or bad things! Rant! Rave! Bitch about anything!
Membership: 26 members, 26 watchers
Date begun: January 5, 2005
I clicked on this link because I thought it would be a great example of what can go wrong in a teen-run, teen-maintained community. Proof that I’m getting old, or something.
This is a fascinating community, run pretty much exclusively by teenagers, I’m pretty sure, unless our teen-speak adults from the other two communities have joined up. The topics range from political to social, from emotionally-removed issues (how should news reports be phrased when reported on national television, for example) to very personal issues (my exchange student friend idolizes Hitler and is anti-Jewish, how do I talk to him about it, for example). I get the impression that, where this is a wonderful site for teens to discuss issues about which they feel impassioned, it isn’t the sort of site parents monitor, as the first community is.
Of all the Livejournal communities I visited, this was my favorite. Teenagers here are learning to communicate about the issues that upset them in a way that invites communication, rather than in a way that is little more than a blowing-off-steam. I’m impressed by it, and pleased to have found it. This sort of interaction is, in my opinion, what will teach kids to be open to communication and open to new ideas.
But then again, that could be way too optimistic.
So I did.
Behind the cut are three communities that I investigated, having searched "Interests" for "teen," and my opinions of the communities. I've done my best to illuminate my personal biases, but one that I missed is that I only looked at communities that are in English, so I suppose this research was done with a language-filter.
Hmm. Follow the cut and leave me a note, letting me know what you think, please!
Community: 1safecommunity link
Tagline: “You are not alone”
User info: Any one who joins this community is welcome to post freely. BUT, harassment will not be tolerated. You will be banned if you promote hate, bigotry, discrimination, or disrespect.
Membership: 21 members, 19 watchers.
Date begun: February 15, 2005
This community is a place for poetry, journal entries, questions, and emotional purging. It isn’t a very active community, but it gives the participants the chance to talk and get feedback from people who aren’t quite as close to them as the people with whom they interact at school.
For example, the April 13 comment about attending a rally was full of disappointment that the writer’s friends didn’t attend. This is not the sort of thing this person would be able to do with a close circle of friends without risking the loss of friendship with those in his/her social circle. Freedom from that sort of direct social pressure is a very good thing, in my way of thinking. Exposes young people to the opinions, viewpoints, and backgrounds of a wider variety of people without the judgment of parents or the restriction of fear of what could result from posting honestly.
This community’s membership is not limited to teenagers, although from the look of the posts, it’s either all teenagers or there are adults posting who are very good at pretending to be teenagers. My guess is, it’s teens whose parents monitor what they look at online. This is a nice, “safe” (by current social standards) site for just about anyone over the age of twelve to visit. I’d allow my kids to view this journal (if I had kids) because it exposes them to discussion and debate rather than lecture-style transmission of knowledge or sarcastic criticism (like you see in stand-up comedy, for example).
~*~*~*~
Community: _breakintrend link
Tagline: Each day things change and with change we grow ... let’s grow together
User info: This community was made for the purpose of finding out about ... New music, groups, songs etc, books, videos, magazines, articles, clothes, bags, wallets, pictures of stars, yourself etc. If it’s new then post it in this community. Introduce your self when you join.
Membership: 24 members, 19 watchers
Date begun: January 20, 2005.
Okay, so personal bias needs to be illuminated first, I believe. I’ve never personally been a fan of fashion trends, and cannot stand the fashion magazines that line the aisles at the grocery store. Therefore, I’m already set to not like this community, without even looking into it.
That out of the way, I must confess that I was impressed by this community. As with the previous community, I’d say that all the members are either teenagers or adults who are really good at posting like teenagers, based upon the slang used, the “shortcuts” used (I luff u ... wowz4me? Luff-luff-hearts). This is a place where teenagers talk about fashion, plain and simple.
As with the previous community, there’s not a lot of action on this community. One or two posts a week, and usually not many comments per post. However, it is a place where the members honestly discuss what they think and feel about current trends in fashion, movies and music, without the pressure of their immediate peer group.
However, if I were a “Merchant of Cool,” I’d be all over this community, seeking out the newest trends and what “real kids” think of them (insert shudder of revulsion). I can’t help but wonder what would happen if those in charge of educational policy took a look at the previous community to find out what “real kids” think of important matters, such as politics and religion.
Hmm. What a thought.
~*~*~*~
Community: _the_panel link
Tagline: The Panel: Review, rate, debate, rant, and bitch!
User info: Welcome to The Panel, where our panel of self appointed judges review anything. Really anything, nothing is taboo. Movies, quotes, people, actors, bands, artists, or anything else you can think of. Make lists of good or bad things! Rant! Rave! Bitch about anything!
Membership: 26 members, 26 watchers
Date begun: January 5, 2005
I clicked on this link because I thought it would be a great example of what can go wrong in a teen-run, teen-maintained community. Proof that I’m getting old, or something.
This is a fascinating community, run pretty much exclusively by teenagers, I’m pretty sure, unless our teen-speak adults from the other two communities have joined up. The topics range from political to social, from emotionally-removed issues (how should news reports be phrased when reported on national television, for example) to very personal issues (my exchange student friend idolizes Hitler and is anti-Jewish, how do I talk to him about it, for example). I get the impression that, where this is a wonderful site for teens to discuss issues about which they feel impassioned, it isn’t the sort of site parents monitor, as the first community is.
Of all the Livejournal communities I visited, this was my favorite. Teenagers here are learning to communicate about the issues that upset them in a way that invites communication, rather than in a way that is little more than a blowing-off-steam. I’m impressed by it, and pleased to have found it. This sort of interaction is, in my opinion, what will teach kids to be open to communication and open to new ideas.
But then again, that could be way too optimistic.